PIERRE, S.D. - An individual from Lead and a three-member team from Charles Mix County are being honored for their service and contributions to the S.D. Department of Game, Fish and Parks Hunter Safety And Firearms Education (HuntSAFE) program.

Will Cooper of Lead was selected as the recipient of the individual instructor Award of Appreciation for 2004. A new award was added to recognize the efforts of a team of instructors. The instructor team Award of Appreciation will be presented to Neil VonEschen, Dave Isebrands and Ken Cotton of Wagner.

Cooper has been an active HuntSAFE instructor since 1983. He was nominated by a fellow instructor, Kim Fundaun of Lead, and by Lawrence County Conservation Officer Mike Apland. "Will works year-round in preparing and bettering our class," Fundaun wrote in nominating Cooper. "He is a firm believer of the live-firing portion of the class, and we spend a considerable amount of time providing those live-firing experiences for our students. We feel very confident in sending our students afield as graduates of the HuntSAFE program."

Apland noted Cooper’s "hands-on" approach to teaching the courses and the importance he places on ethical hunting behavior.

Cooper represented GFP Region 1 in western South Dakota at the statewide level. The other three finalists for the state award were Karen Olson, Pierre, Region 2 (central S.D.) finalist; Alan Serfling, Madison, Region 3 (southeastern S.D.) finalist; and Roger Crom, Watertown, Region 4 (northeast S.D.) finalist.

Game, Fish and Parks Conservation Officer Tim Flor nominated the three-member team of VonEschen, Isebrands and Cotton from Charles Mix County. "These are three exceptional individuals," Flor said. "They pride themselves on being safe, ethical hunters and citizens, and they have the dedication, desire and passion for teaching our youth to hunt safely and responsibly."

Flor added that these instructors keep their classes fresh with different displays and activities. The team also brings in guest speakers on occasion to talk about topics, such as landowner views and perspectives, ethics and other current hunting-related issues.

This team also illustrates the diversity of instructors within the HuntSAFE program. Isebrands is a dentist, Cotton is an attorney and VonEschen is the county weed board inspector.

"These guys are another example of how South Dakota’s hunting heritage provides a common bond," said GFP HuntSAFE coordinator Al Bahe. "Our volunteer instructors come from many different walks of life, but all share a passion for hunting and its future in South Dakota. We are grateful for the commitment and dedication each instructor gives to the HuntSAFE program every year."

Other instructor nominees for 2004 were:

• Arlyn Abrams, Beresford
• Bruce Anderson, Britton
• Ken Cotton, Wagner
• Roger Crom, Watertown (Region 4 finalist)
• Arnie Goldade, Aberdeen
• Dave Isebrands, Wagner
• Bob King, Kennebec
• John Maciejewski, Blunt
• Karen Olson, Pierre (Region 2 finalist)
• Alan Serfling, Madison (Region 3 finalist)
• Neil VonEschen, Wagner
• Mark Williamson, Britton

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