Maine conservation group wins national award for hunter education
By V. Paul Reynolds
I once wrote this about the Penobscot County Conservation Association:
“They come in all sizes and a variety of names: Fish & Game Clubs, Rod & Gun Clubs, Sportsman’s Associations, Anglers’ Alliances, you name it. And they can be found all over New England, and the country for that matter, in little hamlets and even big cities. One of these organizations stands out, not only for its longevity and vibrancy, but for its astonishingly unrelenting record of public service and accomplishment. Few sportsmen would disagree, the Penobscot County Conservation Association, or the PCCA, has left its mark like no other.”
Nothing inspires excellence like excellence. The PCCA has done it once again.
The association recently received the International Hunter Education Association’s Award for Excellence in Hunter and Outdoor Education, recognizing its longtime commitment to hunter safety education.
“This National Award for Excellence in Hunter and Outdoor Education is an honor and quite humbling to receive, but it would not be possible without the amazing dedication of our volunteer Hunter Education instructors. Over the decades, PCCA has educated thousands of new hunters on the outdoor skills necessary to be safe, responsible and ethical hunters, trappers and anglers. PCCA would like to thank the International Hunter Education Association for recognizing the contributions the Hunter Safety educators of PCCA give every single year, and a huge thank you to all of our volunteers that made this award possible,” PCCA President Dan Bell said.
Consider this.
There are an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 fish and game clubs in the United States and a couple hundred in Maine. Yet the PCCA has been singled out for the quality and effectiveness of its hunter safety education program. This is no small honor or token commendation.
With its clubhouse on the banks of the Penobscot River in Brewer, the PCCA has been serving Maine sportsmen and women since 1928. It has remained true to its founding mission: to promote “the scientific encouragement of good sportsmanship, conservation of fish and game, enforcement of game laws, prevention of forest fires, preservation of purity of inland waters, and stimulation of outdoor recreation.”
Since 1933, the Eastern Maine Sportsman’s Show has served as the organization’s primary fundraiser, along with its annual gun show.
Perhaps most commendable, the PCCA awards dozens of scholarships each year to students pursuing wildlife-related studies at the University of Maine, Husson University and the University of Maine at Machias.
The PCCA also supports numerous conservation organizations, from the National Rifle Association to the Youth Fish and Game Club in Milford, and purchases land for wildlife management.
The Penobscot County Conservation Association didn’t earn this recognition on its legacy alone. It reflects decades of hard work and dedication from its leaders and volunteers, making the organization worthy of every sportsman and sportswoman’s respect and appreciation.
To learn more about the Penobscot County Conservation Association or become a member, visit the organization’s website.
The author is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide and host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network. He has authored three books. Online purchase information is available at www.sportingjournal.com, Outdoor Books.