Educators honored for years of dedication
Hunting safety records improve each year in western areas of the state. Those results can be directly attributed to an extensive effort to train bow and firearms hunters in shooting safety.
Ken Baginski, DEC Region 9 sportsman education coordinator, cited the many instructors conducting numerous hunter safety, archery, and trapping classes during a Sportsmen's Education Banquet at Ilio DiPaolo's Restaurant in Blasdell on Oct. 17.
Educators from all six counties attended as recognition plaques were presented to recipients from around Western New York.
Baginski noted that instructors in Region 9 have logged 811 total years of volunteer work to ensure outdoors participants enjoy safe, ethical and sportsman-like outings.
Top awards for years of service went to Bernie Fix of Erie County with 47 years of instruction. James Van Dyke was honored for giving 45 years to hunter-education programs in Niagara County.
A 40-year award went to Richard Lazarczak(cq) of Chautauqua County.
Thirty Year Awards were presented to Donald Gould of Cattaraugus County, and David Hryn and Frank Miskey Sr. of Erie County.
Twenty Year Awards went to Floyd Prine of Chautauqua County and to Erie County instructors Jack Bouquin, Jerold Lewandowski, Alan Gretch and Raymond Gwarek.
Ten Year Awards were given to Erie County instructors Peter Cherico and Clyde "Phil" Fleck, to Allegany County educators Melvin Chamblis and Ken Kasprzyk, and to Dale Dunkelberger of Niagara County.
Sportsman education has been a major concern in Western New York and across New York State. Hunters were first required to purchase a license in 1908 at a cost of $1.10.
In 1949, New York was the first state to mandate proof of a hunter education course prior to purchasing a hunting license. That first class, held in Niagara County, led to several states starting hunter-safety programs in the 1950s.
Today, volunteer instructors number 3,100 across the state. Region 9, with approximately 475 men and women offering instruction, provides more than 6,000 students instruction at 250 gun, bow, trapping and waterfowl identification classes each year.
Twenty percent of students trained in the entire state Sportsman Education Program have been instructed in Region 9, Baginski pointed out. Devoted time and steady efforts of volunteer sportsman educators have reduced numbers of hunting-related shooting incidents and improved the quality of outdoors pursuits across New York State.
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