Trapper education instructor of the year, design contest winner awarded

TRAPPER EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR, DESIGN CONTEST WINNER AWARDED

June 9, 2015

MADISON -- The Wisconsin Trapper's Association and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recognized Mike Kortenhof and Macey Loka for their contributions to trapper education at the association's 2015 spring banquet.

Kortenhof was recognized by the Wisconsin Cooperative Trapper Education Program as the 2014 Instructor of the Year, while Loka was chosen as this year's trapper education patch design contest winner.

Kortenhof, from Eagle River, Wis., has been a trapper education instructor for almost a decade and volunteers as the District 3 Trapper Education Coordinator. He helps other instructors with class needs, links youth and others with available classes and coordinates new instructor orientations. Kortenhof also assists with furbearer training, most notably at Northland College Fur School in Ashland, Wis., and has also worked closely with Future Trappers of Wisconsin youth camps.

Loka, a freshman at Tomahawk High School in Tomahawk, Wis., was recognized for her patch design, which will be given to new Trapper Education graduates beginning in 2015. The winning design was selected by WTA members, and includes images of cattails and mink tracks -- two indicators of a healthy Wisconsin wetland. Loka is an active member of the Future Trappers of Wisconsin.

"The department and WTA would like to thank the patch contest sponsors, who provided prizes for the winning entries," said DNR trapper education coordinator Geriann Albers. "This year's sponsors included Clark's Willowtree Fur, Mike Widner of Riverine Traders, Chuck Smith of Northern Industries, and the Wisconsin Trappers Association."

To view all patch entries, search the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for keywords "trapper ed."

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Geriann Albers at Geriann.albers@wisconsin.gov, or Bryce Larson at wctep@wistrap.org.

Last Revised: Tuesday, June 09, 2015