MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting applications for its annual Wisconsin Ethical Hunter Award, which honors hunter’s actions of exceptional moral actions and character while in the field.

The Wisconsin Ethical Hunter Award was established in 1997 to recognize a person whose action represents Wisconsin’s heritage of responsible, respectful and safe hunting.

“Ethical behavior demonstrates the moral character of the hunting public and illustrates how people can assist one another while recreating together in the outdoors,” said DNR Chief Conservation Warden Casey Krueger.

Any hunter or non-hunter can nominate a licensed Wisconsin hunter for the Wisconsin Ethical Hunter Award for their actions during the 2021 calendar year. Although many nominations come from the gun-deer season, ethical actions can occur during a squirrel hunt, turkey hunt, waterfowl hunt or other Wisconsin hunting seasons.

“Ethical actions come in many forms; examples could include helping another person during a hunt or taking steps to protect our natural resources,” Krueger said. “Over the years, award recipients have returned lost gear, helped others find lost game or assisted another hunter facing a challenge of some kind.”

A four-person committee reviews the nominations and selects the recipient. The creators of this award are Bob Lamb, retired editor of the La Crosse Tribune; Steve Dewald, retired DNR Conservation Warden Supervisor and Jerry Davis, a retired University of Wisconsin-La Crosse biology professor and outdoors writer.

The nomination committee focuses on a singular action or event rather than individuals with long-term conservation-related programs.

The deadline to submit a nomination is Feb. 26.

To become eligible for the 2021 award:

●  The nominee must be a licensed (resident or nonresident) Wisconsin hunter.

●  The ethical hunting act must have occurred in Wisconsin during the 2021 calendar year.

●  Nominations are considered for any DNR-regulated hunting activity in Wisconsin.

●  Written nominations must contain the name, address and telephone number of the witness or witnesses, or be aware of the behavior which led to the nomination.

Submit nominations by email or letter explaining the ethical act and send to April Dombrowski, DNR Recreational Safety Outdoor Skills Section Chief, at April.Dombrowski@wisconsin.gov or by standard U.S. mail to:

Department of Natural Resources

Attn: April Dombrowski

101 S. Webster St.

P.O. Box 7921,

Madison, WI 53707-7921