Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center - December 11 - December 15, 2017

Amber Barrow has been working for the Department of Natural Resources since 2011 as an environmental educator at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield, GA. She also is a hunter education instructor who teaches at day programs and overnight youth hunting events. She has a bachelor's degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Berry College. Amber grew up fishing with her family but started out learning about hunting at the age of 14. Her grandfather taught her about small game hunting for rabbits and squirrels. Later in college, her boyfriend (later to be husband) taught her about falconry and using hawks and other birds of prey to hunt squirrels, rabbits, and other small game. She fell in love with sport and continues to learn more each and every day about the hunting and its history. She loves to cook all kinds of wild game recipes and loves trying new things while outdoors. She currently goes small game and bird hunting with her husband, loves fly fishing and is licensed falconer in Georgia. She currently flies 3 harris hawks.

Kim Bogenschutz is the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Program Coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). She has developed and directed the IDNR AIS Program since its inception in 2000. Prior to her current position, she worked for the Minnesota DNR, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Iowa Department of Transportation, and IDNR in a variety of capacities including fisheries management, private lands restoration, environmental review and permitting, and nongame wildlife. Kim is vice-chair of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Invasive Species Committee, past chair of the Mississippi River Basin Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species, and is on the Board of Directors for the Midwest Invasive Plant Network. A native of Minnesota, Kim earned a BA in Biology from Gustavus Adolphus College and an MS in Fisheries Science from South Dakota State University. In addition to CLfT, she shares her love of the outdoors as an instructor for Outdoor Journey for Girls and Becoming an Iowa Outdoors Woman. Kim, her husband, Todd, and their daughter, Veronica Brooke, reside on 50 acres along the bluffs of the Des Moines River in Madrid, Iowa, with their two bird dogs. In addition to fishing, hunting, and boating, she enjoys attending her daughter’s dance and sports events, spending time at the family cabin in Minnesota, and coaching cheer and dance teams.

Rob has been involved with CLfT since 2008 and continues to find it motivating, challenging and extremely satisfying. He has served on both the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board (Chairman) and the F&W Advisory Committee. A "student" of public regulation, he believes in the regulatory process works when all of the "players" understand and fulfill their obligations. Also, a current Trustee and President of the Barre Fish and Game Club, the largest private shooting and hunting club in Vermont. Other relevant credentials include Hunter Education Instructor (30 years), Range Safety Officer, NRA certified Shotgun Instructor and have conducted many education shooting programs for kids and women. Rob grew up in a hunting and fishing culture in Minnesota.
After graduating from college in Biology, he took a position as the Minnesota "Research Co-coordinator for Scientific and Natural Areas" . After 3 years, he when back to school and became a Chiropractic Physician, moved to Vermont and has been in private practice since 1983. He owns and manages a 50 acre wood lot and spends as much time as possible outdoors.

Currently, Bob is owner of Bob Byrne Consulting, a conservation consulting firm specializing in finding innovative solutions to conservation issues through strategic planning, programmatic reviews, evaluations, group facilitation and literature reviews.

Prior to forming his own company, Bob spent 30+ years in conservation where he worked for three state wildlife agencies, two conservation NGOs and a conservation-communications consulting firm.

Being an avid hunter and angler, Bob has a deep concern about passing on our hunting and fishing heritage on to future generations, and has focused much of his recent efforts on this task.

Some of his most recent projects include:

➢ Assisted The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (CHASS) and the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI) develop the National Hunting and Shooting Sports Action Plan that is being used as the framework to improve recruitment, retention and re-activation (R3) programs for hunting and the shooting sports.

➢ Assisted the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the Aquatic resources Education Association (AREA) develop a strategic plan for angler recruitment, retention and re-activation programs.

➢ Developed Environmental Stewardship Plans for 17 outdoor shooting ranges operated by the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Bob can be reached at bobbyrne2018@gmail.com or 540-937-2139.

Walter Lane is the Hunter Development Program Manager for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-DNR). Walter has been a CLfT Instructor since 2009. He graduated from North Carolina State University in 1996 with a B.S. again in 1999 with a M.S. degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Science. He began working as a wildlife biologist with the GA-DNR in 1999 and worked on a habitat restoration project for northern bobwhite quail and other grassland songbirds. In 2001, Walter became the Project WILD Coordinator for Georgia and held that position for seven years before taking over as Program Manager of the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in 2007. Walter became the Hunter Development Program Manager for GA-DNR in 2010. Walter began hunting squirrels, doves, and deer with his uncles when he was a boy and has retained a passion for hunting, fishing and other outdoor sports. He began hunting waterfowl and turkeys after moving to Georgia in 1999. Walter has been married to a smokin' hot blonde from the NC Mountains for 12 years and they have two young boys who ensure there is never a dull moment in their lives.

Dr. Wes Neal received his B.S in from Virginia Tech, and both his M.S. and Ph.D from North Carolina State University. He specializes in research on topics ranging from farm pond management to tropical fish ecology and management to sport fish genetic selection. Wes served as state Extension fisheries specialist in Arkansas for 4.5 years before joining the faculty at Mississippi State University in 2008 in the same role. He is an Extension Professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture at MSU. Wes is an avid angler and hunter, with a primary focus on connecting with nature and securing healthy natural meats for the freezer.

Eric is a retired Vermont Game Warden and Hunter Education Coordinator. His is the past executive director of the International Hunter Education Association and Orion-the Hunter's Institute. He currently serves on numerous boards including Orion, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) and Lamoille River Paddlers Trail. An avid hunter and owner of an eager Brittany bird dog, he has a hard time finding time to do all the wilderness canoe trips, fishing trips to Montana and in Vermont, and the hikes in Norway that he would like to do. Eric has introduced hundreds of folks to the joys of the outdoors thru hunting, fishing and tripping, and touched thousands thru teaching, talks and writing. He is currently coordinating an ethics column in the BHA Outdoor Journal.

Rick wears many different hats at Clemson University. He serves as the state's Extension 4-H Natural Resource Specialist with primary responsibilities of leading the state's 4-H shooting sports program. He also serves as coordinator for the University's shooting sports program which provides over 40+ hands-on classes for Clemson students which include shotgun, riflery, archery and hunting courses. Rick also manages the University owned shooting facility and serves as head coach for the competitive and highly successful Collegiate shotgun team. Rick has a BS and MS in wildlife management from Clemson University. He is married to his wonderful wife, Melody, for 20+ years and has two sons, age 19 and 22. Rick enjoys hunting and fishing with family and friends and in doing his part in the conservation of our wonderful natural resources. Rick brings his shooting education skills and his understanding of the role of hunters in conservation to the CLfT program.

Prior to coming to CLfT, David was a Captain with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division where he served for 27 1/2 years in a variety of positions including Field Officer, Environmental Investigator, Homeland Security Coordinator, Training Administrator and the Education and Training Section Commander. David has held a number of instructor certifications and specialties that included: ILETB Master Instructor, Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor (Handgun, Shotgun and Patrol Rifle), 4H Shooting Sports Shotgun Instructor, Muzzleloading Rifle, Range Safety Officer, Indiana and Illinois Hunter Education Instructor and Indiana Trapper Education Instructor. David is a 1980 graduate of Vincennes University with an Associate of Science degree in Conservation Law Enforcement and a graduate of the 191st Session of the FBI National Academy. He served three terms as president of the Association of Natural Resource Enforcement Trainers (ANRET)(now a subcommittee of NAWEOA). David served as Secretary of the International Hunter Education Association, IHEA from 2009 to 2011. David has remained active in law enforcement by serving with the Mason County Sheriff's Marine Patrol Division and in 2021 he became NASBLA's 1st Certified Recreational Boating Professional (CRBP) in the Nation.