Audience
natural resource professionals

This is a professional development workshop for agency and organization employees who have been selected by a CLfT identified liaison. Selected individuals must have met a set of selection criteria that includes but is not limited to the following:

Never had a hunting license

Willing to commit to a 40+ hour instructional program that includes long days in both classroom and outdoor exercise settings.

You will be staying at the Ranch. All meals are provided. 

Please bring the following, important items:

  1. comfortable, warm, outdoor field clothing--not too bulky
  2. toiletries and towels
  3. cap or headband for protection from the sun;
  4. waterproof, hiking boots
  5. rain gear

The outdoor field exercises will be conducted even if it is hot, cold, or raining, so come prepared for those possibilities. We recommend that you check the DeBeque, CO area weather prior to arrival.

High Lonesome Ranch

High Lonesome Ranch

The High Lonesome Ranch sits along the spine of the continent on the Western Slope of the Colorado Rockies. A national park-scale landscape perfectly situated to help connect large ecosystems, we are right on a key habitat corridor. We are working to restore, conserve, and steward a large western landscape, which contributes to a western wild-way for wildlife to roam and thrive that stretches from Mexico to Canada. A private conservation organization founded over 20 years ago, we are addressing the challenges of stewarding this landscape for habitat connection while we still can, and encouraging people to use it. With mountain forests, grasslands, spring creeks, and alpine mesas at an altitude that ranges from 4,000 to 9,000 feet, the ranch is home to diverse wildlife and provides a vast playground for sports and wilderness activities.

0275 County Road 222
DeBeque, CO 81630
970.283.9420
Deer/Elk Coordinator
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Lindsey currently works for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks as the Deer/Elk Coordinator for the state. Lindsey received a B.S. in Ecology with an emphasis in Fish and Wildlife Management from Montana State University in 2010, a M.S. in Secondary Education from Black Hills State University in 2015, and most recently, finished her PhD from South Dakota State University where she researched Greater Sage-Grouse Breeding Ecology on the fringe of their range. Lindsey has been an instructor for CLfT since 2016. Hunting has been a big part of her life and culture since she was a child and she truly enjoys sharing her passion and knowledge about hunting with others.
Director of Conservation Operations, Western Wildlands
National Wild Turkey Federation
Patt Dorsey is a native Coloradoan and a graduate of “the” Colorado State University. She became a "member of the flock," joining the National Wild Turkey Federation in February of 2019. As the Director of Conservation Operations for the West Region, she supervises biologists and R3 coordinators in 9 Western States. She was drawn to the NWTF because working on forest and watershed health is an increasingly important and urgent issue and the NWTF is implementing on-the-ground solutions with local partners. Before that, she held several positions with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (Boulder district wildlife manager, Hunter Education Administrator, area wildlife manager in Durango and a member of the Director's staff -- Southwest Region Manager). She was recognized as Colorado's Shikar Safari Wildlife Officer of the Year in 2012, presented with the International Hunter Education Association Past President’s Award in 2004, the Jim Jones Outstanding Employee Award in 2000, Most Creative Idea Award in 2008, Teamwork Award and Most Positive Employee awards in 1995.

Patt is an avid outdoors person and naturalist. She enjoys hunting, fishing, writing, photography, gardening and beadwork (using roadkill porcupine quills).
Director - Retired
GA Wildlife Resources Division
Rusty Garrison served as the Director of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division from 2016-2020.
Rusty was with DNR for 20 years having served most recently as the manager of the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield, Georgia. He served in numerous other capacities, including Assistant Chief of Game Management, State Coordinator of Project WILD, and Chief of the DNR Mountain Search and Rescue Team. Before his career with DNR, Rusty worked for the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service for nearly nine years.
Rusty has served as a CLfT instructor since 2012. He has assists with classes mostly at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Georgia; but also teaches at Max McGraw in Illinois and at facilities in Colorado and Idaho.
Rusty holds the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences and a Master of Science in Wildlife Biology, both from the University of Georgia. He is active in his local community, having previously volunteered as a fire fighter and first responder for his county EMS. Rusty has traveled to over 75 countries while on mission trips and remains active in his local church. He is married to his wife Sue, has three daughters, and is a proud grandfather.
Associate Professor
Ohio State University School of Environement and Natural Resources
Robert J. Gates is Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at Ohio State University. Bob grew up and began hunting with his father in east central Wisconsin, after which his family moved to the hunting paradise of eastern South Dakota, where he received his B.S. in Wildlife Science from South Dakota State University. Bob’s graduate degrees were from Montana State University (M.S.) and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (Ph.D.). Bob’s travels have provided many memorable hunting, fishing and other outdoors activities that he has shared with family and friends in 19 states/provinces in the U.S. and Canada. He is most proud of passing on the hunting and fishing traditions to his younger brother Dale, and to his sons Eric and Jared. Bob is an avid bird hunter who most enjoys hunting pheasants and prairie grouse over pointing dogs (especially Brittanys) and also hunts doves, waterfowl and big game. Bob has taught classes and conducted research with graduate students for nearly 30 years, first at Southern Illinois University, and currently at Ohio State University. His research interests are primarily focused on ecology and management of upland game birds, waterfowl and other wetlands-dependent wildlife, and conservation of wetlands and early successional habitats. He has been a member of The Wildlife Society (TWS) for more than 30 years, serving as state chapter president in Illinois and Ohio, and President
Wildlife Management Biologist, Habitat Stamp Program Coordinator
Bureau of Land Management, Taos Field Office
Associate Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist
Iowa State University
Adam Janke is an Associate Professor and the statewide wildlife extension specialist for Iowa State University based in Ames, Iowa. He does research and extension programming on wildlife habitat and wildlife conservation issues in Iowa and throughout the agricultural landscapes of the Midwest, working primarily with gamebirds. He earned a B.S. from Purdue University, a M.S. from Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. from South Dakota State University, all in wildlife. He is also certified as an Associate Wildlife Biologist with The Wildlife Society and serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Wildlife Management. He is a life-long hunter and enjoys spending time afield with his black lab Abby or time alone in the deer stand or turkey woods during the hunting seasons. Between seasons, he bides his time with golf, woodworking, and hockey among other hobbies in anticipation of the return of fall.
Retired
John retired from the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) in October 2014 as Outdoor Education Coordinator, where he administered the agency’s statewide Hunter Education and Aquatic Education programs. John served as OEC from 2006-14 and in NDOW’s Conservation Education Division since 1998, after beginning his career with NDOW’s Fisheries Division at the Lake Mead Fish Hatchery outside Las Vegas. Shortly before retiring from state service John completed training to become a Certified Public Manager.

Shortly after retiring, John served a year (2015-16) as Interim Executive Director of the International Hunter Education Association-USA (IHEA-USA) - a non-profit dedicated to training hunters to be safe, ethical and legal - while leading the search for permanent ED. John also served IHEA-USA as Executive Board President, Region 1 Representative (15 western states), Past-Presidents Committee Chair and Nominations and Awards Committee Chair.

John grew up hunting and fishing in western Pennsylvania before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force after high school. He was stationed at Nellis AFB his entire USAF career before settling in Las Vegas. John has two children; Sean, Las Vegas and Katie, Reno. Sean graduated from UNLV (Rebel) and Katie UNR (Wolfpack), making for a good intra-family rivalry.

John’s interests/hobbies include hunting, fishing, travel, classic car restoration, gardening, wine, cooking, politics and numerous other outdoor sports.
Retired
Idaho Dept Fish and Game
1961-70: BS Fish and Game Management, MS Wildlife Management, Oregon State University. Assistant in Veterinary Parasitology, Dept Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University. 1970-1996: Conservation Officer, Wildlife Research Biologist, Regional Wildlife Manager, Idaho Dept Fish and Game. 1996-present: Wildlife contract and consultant work, fly fishing and hunting guide.
Program Manager of Trapping Policy, Furbearer Research and Human-Wildlife Conflicts
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Director
CLfT
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.