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
Hunter Education Coordinator
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Tim is a 25-year employee of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division. Tim’s duties are the coordination of the department’s hunter education program. This program has expanded over the years to include many new and engaging educational programs such as Indiana’s - National Archery in the Schools Program. Tim was appointed the State Coordinator for this program in December of 2005. He is also the National Range Manager for the national archery tournaments hosted the National Archery in the Schools Program across the country. During Tim’s career, his involvement in the shooting sports and hunting has strengthened his abilities to lead the department’s outdoor education programs to a new level. With over 40 years of volunteering and working to promote outdoor activities. In 2018 Tim was inducted into the International Hunter Education Association – USA, Professional Hall of Fame Award while also receiving the Jim and Nancy Mahoney Hunter Education Heritage Award from the Indiana Hunter Education Association. Tim holds numerous training certifications from various organizations that promote and encourage the use of our great natural resources.
Assistant Professor
Utah State University
Dave is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Wildland Resources at Utah State University (USU), Logan, UT. Dave's appointment consists of Extension and research responsibilities, where the majority of work is focused on wildlife and rangeland issues with an emphasis on grouse conservation. He completed his BS, MS, and PhD degrees at USU, where his graduate work focused on sage-grouse. Following some post-doctoral work he joined the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism as the Upland Game Specialist managing statewide populations of pheasants, quail, prairie-chickens, and turkeys. He grew up in Bismarck, North Dakota, where he spent many days studying "the impact of high speed spherical lead objects and canine pursuit on the mortality rates of upland game birds." His love for hunting is kept alive by his German Shorthaired Pointers who he tried to get out hunting and conducting research with as often as possible. Dave also has a lovely wife and 3 young daughters who keep him on his toes and grounded. He appreciates those who have not been exposed to hunting but who want to understand the role hunting plays in conservation. He's especially aware and thankful for the rich history hunters have contributed to North American wildlife conservation.
Area Wildlife Biologist
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Noe is the Area Wildlife Biologist for USDA-NRCS in northeast Colorado. She works with farmers and ranchers to develop high quality wildlife habitat on privately owned lands.
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.
District Wildlife Manager
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Jerrie McKee is a District Wildlife Manager (wildlife officer) for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Enforcing wildlife laws and educating Colorado’s citizens about their diverse wildlife neighbors - and encouraging them to live responsibly amongst them - is where the majority of her time is spent.

Jerrie is a Colorado native and graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Natural Resources Management with a minor in Wildlife Biology. After marrying in 1995, her husband’s military career took them to Washington State for a short period where she earned a Master’s Degree in Business Management. Her husband then took a law enforcement position and they returned to Colorado where they had two beautiful children.

Jerrie is the youngest of seven and fondly recalls many fishing experiences and big game hunting trips with her parents. Jerrie worked in the natural resources field in varying capacities before accepting a position with CPW as an officer in 1999. Her children’s scouting and sporting events keep the family busy as well as their excursions out fishing, hunting, camping, climbing, boating and participating in adventure races.
Extension Professor
Mississippi State University
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.
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.
Retired Wildlife Biologist (Natural Resource Specialist)
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Misty gained an appreciation for a variety of landscapes and all things outdoors early in life. Her father was a career Air Force man but always found time to take her hunting, fishing, or camping with the family whether they were stateside or overseas. This was time well spent as in doing so she found her passion which led to a career in Natural Resource Management.

She has been a member of The Wildlife Society for over 30 years. Having been taught the value of service/giving back she served as: President of the Southwest Section of The Wildlife Society, Board Member-at-Large and Secretary of the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Chair and member of countless committees and currently serves on TWS’ The Wildlife Professional Editorial Advisory Board. In 2009 Misty was awarded TWS’ Fellows Award and in 2018 she was awarded TCTWS’s Honorary Life Membership for Professional Achievements and Contributions to Wildlife Conservation.

Misty is a certified Huntmaster with the Texas Youth Hunting Program, a Texas Hunter Education Instructor, an official Boone and Crockett Scorer, and an EMT.
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: 4H Shooting Sports Shotgun Instructor, NRA Muzzleloading Rifle, NRA 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 was inducted into the IHEA-USA Hall of Fame in 2018. He 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.
Professor Emeritus
Utah State University
Michael L. Wolfe, grew up on Long Island, New York. He received a B.S. in Wildlife Management from Cornell University and a doctorate in Wildlife Science from the University of Göttingen, Germany. After a postdoctoral research position working on the Isle Royale moose/wolf project, he joined the faculty of the (USU) College of Natural Resources in 1970, where he taught a spectrum of terrestrial wildlife and natural resource courses, . Mike’s principal research interests were in the area of ungulate and carnivore ecology and management. He worked with several cervid species as well as bison, mountain goats and feral equids and led a 17-year study of cougars in Utah. He had a long working relationship with management agencies, including a two-year contract with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources as Mammals Program Coordinator. Mike has also lived and worked extensively abroad, including in the former Soviet Union, Australia and South America. These teaching and research assignments were under the auspices of various exchange programs including the Fulbright Commission, Organization of American States and the National Academy of Sciences. Currently, he is actively involved in wetland restoration on a conservation easement along the Bear River in northern Utah. Mike is a life-long hunter, but shares this avocation with other interests such as curling, nature photography and playing the concertina. He has been an instructor with the CLfT program since 2009.