Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame

Wayne Hubert of Laramie is a retired fisheries biologist who is responsible for having a tremendous influence on fisheries conservation in Wyoming. Wayne joined the University of Wyoming’s Department of Zoology and Physiology and the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in 1982. Hubert has researched almost every fish species in the state and focused heavily on the ecology and habitat of freshwater fisheries. His research also included fish culture, aquatic macroinvertebrates, waterfowl and riparian bird communities. His research has contributed to the substantial management efforts by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to conserve and restore fish populations and habitats. In addition to his research and teaching, he has helped set national policies and protocols regarding fisheries through his involvement with the American Fisheries Society. He has published nearly 300 peer-reviewed papers and has advised 90 graduate students at the University of Wyoming. Today it is estimated about one-quarter of all fisheries management professionals in Wyoming were his students. Over his 30-plus-year career, Hubert has influenced almost every aspect of fisheries management within the state.

Thomas Ryder of Lander is a retired Wyoming Game and Fish Department biologist who served the State of Wyoming for 29 years. Ryder is an alumnus of the University of Wyoming, where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Ryder began his career with Game and Fish in 1985 and climbed the ranks from volunteer game warden to deputy chief of wildlife. During his career, he made significant contributions to the way in which wildlife was managed in Wyoming. While in Dubois, Ryder conducted a study of elk movements — the data collected from his efforts is still being used today to drive elk management in the area. He also played a large role in the annual bighorn sheep trapping and transplanting program at the Whiskey Basin Wildlife Habitat Management Area, and served as the chairman of the Whiskey Mountain Bighorn Sheep Technical Committee. Through his supervision existing sheep populations in the area were enhanced and lost populations were reestablished in other areas of the state. Before retiring from state service, he was chosen by former Gov. Matt Mead to serve as his wildlife policy advisor. After retiring, he went on to work for the Sweetwater River Conservancy to develop their sage- grouse conservation and mitigation banking agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. During his career, Ryder served 6 years on the governing council of the Wildlife Society and ultimately served as The Society’s 65th president in 2011. He is also a professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club. He formally retired from the State of Wyoming in 2017. Ryder has written approximately 190 technical reports, 20 peer-reviewed publications, five book chapters and two books.

Ron Dube of Wapiti is an accomplished outfitter, professional horseman and dedicated conservationist — a quintessential outdoorsman. His passion for the outdoors started as a child and led him to Wyoming. He has been featured in many outdoor magazines, books, television shows and videos where he always was a steward for wildlife and promoted ethical hunting and conservation of wild animals. Dube was a devoted Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation member and raised more than $70,000 from hunts he donated. In 1978, Dube conducted the first documented elk-calling contest and was responsible for developing the now widely accepted rules. He has guided hundreds of hunters over the years. He has played a critical role in the Wyoming Legislature where he brought forth various game laws to legislators, and in 1989 played a pivotal role in the development of the Wyoming Professional Board of Outfitters. His knowledge of Wyoming is based on his deep love of the state, time spent outdoors and studying books written by great outdoorsmen. His life’s purpose has been educating others about Wyoming’s flora and fauna. After retiring from outfitting, he continued to live out his life purpose by volunteering as an interpretive guide to hundreds of tourists in Yellowstone National Park.

Albert Nelson of Jackson served as the State of Wyoming’s first State Game Warden in 1899. Nelson was appointed by former Gov. Deforest Richards — the first appointment made under provisions of the act passed by the Wyoming Legislature that year to create the position of state game warden. Born and raised in Sweden, Nelson served in the army and studied at an agricultural college where he worked extensively with horses. As a boy, he was fascinated with James Fenimore Cooper’s, “The Leatherstocking Tales,” and longed to see the American wilderness. In 1883 he landed in New York and rode an empty freight car to Nebraska where he was discovered and kicked off. He worked in the hay fields briefly before heading to Rock Springs. His knowledge of horses served him well and he soon became a cowboy roaming from Brown’s Hole to South Pass. In the late 1880s, Nelson partnered with Billy Bierer and the two of them hunted, trapped and prospected along the Wind River Mountains. Nelson became an accomplished outdoorsman, taught himself taxidermy and began guiding. His reputation for quality hunting trips and trophy mounts brought him acclaimed clients such as John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and the Harrimans. Nelson patrolled the state and was an early pioneer in wildlife protection making many arrests for newly enacted wildlife crimes. Nelson worked until his mid-80s and during that time was the oldest practicing taxidermist in America.

Dr. George T. Baxter led the way in fisheries conservation in Wyoming for over 40 years, three decades of that as a professor at the University of Wyoming with the fishery biology program. Described as an “old-school naturalist” he was highly versed in everything from ichthyology, to herpetology, to forestry, and agriculture.

Dr. Baxter was born on March 19, 1919, in Grover, Colorado. He was raised in Burns, Wyoming where he lived through high school. He served as an Army officer during World War II. After, he earned his Bachelor of Science then his master’s degree from the University of Wyoming in in zoology. He served as an instructor at UW while conducting his PhD research on amphibians and reptiles of Wyoming. Upon receiving his PhD from the University of Michigan in 1952, Dr. Baxter became an assistant professor and professor of Zoology at the University of Wyoming until his retirement in 1984.

During his career, Dr. Baxter taught, supervised and mentored hundred of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as junior faculty that have played major roles in the natural resource conservation agencies in Wyoming for over 50 years. He led a systematic survey of Wyoming’s fish fauna completed in 1964 that serves as the major baseline of fish distributions in Wyoming.  Dr. Baxter identified the Wyoming Toad and led both monitoring and conservation efforts for this species, one of America’s most endangered amphibians.

His monograph, co-written with retired Wyoming Game and Fish Fisheries Director Mike Stone, on “Wyoming Fishes” and “Amphibians and Reptiles of Wyoming” are landmark works and the standard references in the field.  He was acknowledged by the Colorado-Wyoming Chapter of the American Fisheries Society as “The Father of Fisheries in Wyoming.”

Dr. Baxter’s other honors include the UW College of Arts and Science’s Exemplary Alumni and Outstanding Former Faculty Member awards.  He was also honored by the UW Alumni Association with their "Medallion Service Award. Former UW Professor Robert Jenkins once   wrote, “The current health of the Wyoming Fishery is due in major part to the dozens of research projects that George Baxter and his graduate students completed for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department."  Dr. Baxter passed away in 2006. He and his wife Phyllis were married for 62 years and had three children, Judy, Richard and Linda. The Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame is pleased to welcome Dr. George T. Baxter as part of the 2018 class.

 

William G. Hepworth contributed to the conservation of Wyoming’s wildlife for 38 years with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and served for a time as an adjunct professor at the University of Wyoming. He worked on numerous research projects while with Game and Fish; primarily with pronghorn, elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, bighorn sheep and trout species.

Hepworth grew up in Star Valley, Wyoming on a dairy farm and cattle ranch. After high school, Bill served in the Army National Guard on active duty and was a master sergeant at the time of his discharge in 1952. He began his career with Game and Fish in 1956 as a fish biologist, all the while studying for his two college degrees at the University of Wyoming; a bachelor’s in wildlife conservation and management in 1958, and a master’s in zoology in 1959, researching the ecology of two distinct brook trout populations in the Snowy Range.

As an author and co-author of several of the early publications on pronghorn in Wyoming, he assisted many of the early researchers in the design and planning of their studies, and mentored them through their research early in their careers. Game and Fish’s Fish Culture Health program was expanded under his direction. Today, Wyoming is recognized for its outstanding cultured fish disease control efforts.

Hepworth earned the moniker “Dean of Pronghorn,” participating in early efforts to trap, handle, and rear pronghorn and other big game species. He served as director of the Game and Fish Research Laboratory and director of technical research for most of his career. This included work at the Sybille Wildlife Research Unit and fish health and disease control work. He also served as Wildlife Management Coordinator for the Laramie region, and for a time in a dual role as regional supervisor.

An accomplished horseman, Hepworth trained and rode racehorses. He has been an official Boone and Crockett Club records scorer since 1962. For many years he was a 4-H club leader in the Laramie area, mentoring youth in horse projects and outdoor activities and teaching concepts related to conservation. Hepworth and his wife Marilyn were married 58 years, raising three children, Mark, Ellen and Kelly. Today, Hepworth resides in Laramie and spends much of his spare time helping others in the community through involvement with his church, volunteers in construction and remodeling, as well as in parks and recreation-related programs for the City of Laramie. The Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame is honored to induct William G. Hepworth as a member of the 2018 class.

 

Gary B. Butler served the State of Wyoming for 40 years with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, beginning as a check station attendant and fish warden, then biologist, and as the statewide supervisor for the Terrestrial Habitat Division.

Born and raised in Gillette, Butler spent much of his childhood learning hunting skills with his father, uncles and their friends, while also training horses, fixing fences, and doing other ranch work.  After high school, Butler enrolled at Casper College. In 1967, Butler was drafted into the Army and was trained as a military policeman. Serving two tours of duty in Vietnam, he then returned home, and obtained a bachelor’s degree in wildlife management from the University of Wyoming, then returned to earn a master’s degree in range management. He married his wife, Jo, in 1971.  

Much of Butler’s career was spent in the field conducting studies on alternatives of feeding hay to elk on the National Elk Refuge, and two elk feedgrounds near Jackson, then managing the world-famous Whiskey Mountain bighorn sheep herd. There, he pioneered new range survey and winter habitat improvement techniques for bighorns and elk; and was instrumental in the trapping and translocation of bighorn sheep to re-occupy historical ranges in Wyoming and other western states. He initiated the Whiskey Mountain Bighorn Sheep Technical Committee, which remains active today. In 1986, Butler served as statewide supervisor for the Terrestrial Habitat Division until his retirement in 2012. Butler worked in Laramie, Jackson, Dayton, Lovell and Dubois, before transferring to the Game and Fish Headquarters in Cheyenne.  

For over 45 years, Gary’s life-long passion has been visiting the vast Wyoming back country with his horses. In 2005, he rode across the state of Wyoming, from Richards Gap, Utah, to Cooke City, Montana—a 736 mile journey—with a number of friends joining him for the trip.   Gary is a lifetime member of the National Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and both the National and Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundations. The Bulters have two children, Scott and Toni, along with two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Today, Butler keeps his retirement years filled with outdoor pursuits, including gardening, training and caring for his small herd of Morgan horses and serving his church in eastern Laramie County. We congratulate Gary B. Butler for his induction to the 2018 Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame.

 

Dr. Anderson moved to Wyoming full time in 1980 and helped launch a new endeavor — the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

The Co-op Unit established a formal partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the University of Wyoming to do important, applied wildlife research. Anderson and the students he mentored have made lasting contributions with research on conserving the endangered Wyoming toad, reintroducing the black-footed ferret, on big game migration, on how changing landscapes affect non-game birds and on energy development’s effects on pronghorn and mule deer. His contributions also have also led to changes benefiting wildlife, such as the use of markers on transmission lines to decrease bird collisions, population estimation techniques for raptors in the state, and habitat delineation. He led the Co-op until his death in 2005.

During his career, Anderson advised or co-advised 100 graduate students, authored 200 scientific articles and authored several books.

Dr. David Love was born on his family’s ranch in Wyoming in 1913. During his 89 years, he explored and came to know the intersection of Wyoming’s geology, people, industries, wildlife and open spaces in a profound way.

He is noted for his skill as a field geologist in an era of maps, office work, and satellite imagery. Love learned the intimate details of geology by walking the ground. Through his work, he educated and informed people around the globe about Wyoming’s unique geology, natural resources and history.

He authored more than over 250 geological publications, which includes two geological maps of Wyoming, the first in 1955, and the second in 1985. 

Mark Bruscino served the public and the state’s wildlife for 29 years with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Bruscino was a game warden, a trophy game conflict officer and the Large Carnivore Services supervisor until he retired in 2013.

A significant portion of Bruscino’s career was spent handling and mitigating large carnivore/human conflicts, which is very important, and at times, contentious work. He spent thousands of hours in Wyoming’s most remote and wild places investigating bear, mountain lion and wolf conflicts and depredations. He worked extensively with those who  made a living in bear and wolf country — livestock producers.

His ability to work with people coupled with his knowledge and understanding of wildlife was key in resolving conflicts. It didn’t take long before he became recognized as a leading national and international expert on investigating depredations and resolving conflict.

Delaine Roberts is the epitome of “home-grown” conservation in Wyoming.

He was born and raised in Star Valley and always invested his time and resources at the local level, including as a leader of youth, as a seasonal game warden, and as a county sheriff. He was also influential on the state level as a state senator and chair of the Travel, Recreation and Wildlife committee.

After leaving the senate, Roberts became the first chairman of the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust. As chairman of the WWNRT, Roberts brought together diverse interests, established rules, and launched the program that has provided more than $69 million statewide for wildlife conservation. Under his leadership, the WWNRT invested in more than 700 projects, including river restoration, rangeland enhancements, conservation easements to wetlands, aspen restoration, fence modification, water development, research, and other projects.

Perhaps his greatest contribution though, comes in creating policy, where he led by example, to guide a diverse populace to put a conservation ethic into practice.

The often-used description of Wyoming as a small town with long streets rings true to the people here because there are so many personal connections and because of individuals like Jerry Galles. He is a hub for those who care about the future of this “small town” especially in the sphere of people who are passionate about wildlife, the outdoors, hunting and fishing. He binds together those who share these values and interests because those who encounter Galles have been impacted by his character and kindness.

Beyond the way he treats people is also an incredibly deep commitment to Wyoming’s outdoor way of life. In a world where time translates to money, the way someone spends their time shows their life’s priorities. Galles has invested thousands upon thousands of hours into conservation. He has poured himself into efforts supporting all manner of wildlife by giving substantially to groups including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation, the Mule Deer Foundation, Muley Fanatics, the National Wild Turkey Foundation, the Old West Invitational Turkey Shoot, the Natrona County Land Use Committee, the Governor’s Big Game License Coalition, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission and in fact the list goes on from there.

Listing all of the groups Galles is a part of is one way to illustrate the breadth of his passions and the depth of his knowledge. But, his involvement has been about more than attending meetings and giving, which he has done generously - it includes all aspects of conservation. As a young child he made the outdoors, hunting and fishing a big part of his life and he has been a lifelong learner, getting involved in wildlife stewardship from the ground up. Galles has developed experience and understanding about habitat, migration, herd dynamics, the importance of hunting and angling, regulations and land use. He also is a keen participant in making wildlife conservation work by seeking allies, fundraising and engaging with the general public. Galles was also a stalwart and enthusiastic volunteer at the annual Hunting and Fishing Heritage Expo in Casper.

Galles’ background and abilities contributed to him playing an instrumental role in several major wildlife management efforts. For instance he helped craft and get passed the policy that led to the gray wolf coming off of the endangered species list, similarly he was a part of Wyoming’s leadership on sage grouse management and grizzly bear recovery.

Throughout his life, and especially as a Game and Fish Commissioner, Galles put a special emphasis on ethical hunting practices. Above all he has made those practices and that philosophy part of his life and has taught it to many others, starting with his daughters who are also passionate about the outdoors.

Galles is a statesman for wildlife. His involvement in conservation has come at all levels and his enthusiasm and care for this heritage fosters action in others. That is imperative for the success, viability and relevance of wildlife management for the future. Volunteerism and philanthropy at Galles’ level has provided stewardship for what is one of the keys to Wyoming’s incredible quality of life: our wildlife and great outdoors. 

Dr. Oliver Scott was one of Wyoming’s foremost amateur ornithologists. He significantly contributed to many of the birding resources in our state and in the West. Dr. Scott’s passion for birds fostered Wyoming’s birdwatching community in many ways.

Born in Massachusetts in 1914, Scott developed a deep interest in ornithology as a young boy. He was fortunate to have as a mentor, Ludlow Griscom, a premier ornithologist and Harvard professor, known as the “Dean of the Bird Watchers.” While Scott pursued bachelor and medical degrees at Harvard he learned from Griscom, who pioneered identifying free-flying birds rather than hunting them for identification.

When Dr. Scott came to Wyoming in 1948, he became the first board-certified pediatrician in the state, he also brought to Wyoming his love of birds and support for their conservation. He conducted the first Audubon Christmas Bird Count in Casper and was co-founder of the Wyoming Audubon Society, which became the Murie Audubon Society.

Dr. Scott traveled widely across Wyoming and North America finding new and rare birds. He identified 727 unique bird species, known in the birding community as a watcher’s “life birds.” But, what really established his legacy was Dr. Scott readily sharing this knowledge of birds and of Wyoming.

Dr. Scott helped others develop their skills at birding. He taught a popular bird identification class at Casper College encouraging people from his community to learn more about birds and to spend time outside. But, he also devoted time and resources into building resources that others use now and will be used into the future. Dr. Scott was the Rocky Mountain Region editor of Audubon Field Notes for more than two decades putting his mark on that publication, he also provided field identification and range descriptions for Wyoming birds in two editions of A Field Guide to Western Birds, and then in 1993, three years before his death, he published what he considered his life’s work: A Birder’s Guide to Wyoming. This book provides detailed maps and descriptions making it easy for those interested to see Wyoming’s bird species on their own. It is a treasure for Wyoming birdwatchers.

Beyond his passion for birdwatching Dr. Scott has left other lasting impacts for Wyoming’s wildlife. Buying ranches in Natrona County, he was an early advocate for showcasing the positive impact ranching can have on wildlife. He then made a permanent commitment to wildlife and open space by placing 8,000 acres in a conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy.

Dr. Oliver Scott’s passion for the outdoors, for birds and all wildlife left a mark on Wyoming, he passed on this ethic to the generations that have come behind.

Stephen Nelson Leek is known as the “Father of the Elk.” It is not hyperbole to say he played a significant role in the conservation work that made the current abundance of elk throughout Wyoming and the Rocky Mountains possible. The species’ future was once very much in doubt. Elk were nearly extirpated, in the continental United States the last remaining animals were found in and around the recently established Yellowstone National Park.  

Leek was the driving force behind Congress’ creation of the National Elk Refuge north of Jackson. The refuge served as a reservoir for the re-population of elk across the Rocky Mountain West.

Leek, who was born in 1858, in Ontario, Canada, had his conservation ethic ignited by early life experiences. In his youth he recalled flocks of passenger pigeons blocking out the sun. Then he was witness to their disappearance. Leek eventually moved to Nebraska and while there saw firsthand the decimation of the great bison herds.

In the 1880s, he struck out for Wyoming. He first settled in a cabin in the Bighorn Mountains, a cabin now on display in Cody at Old Trail Town. Then Leek made his way, via Yellowstone, to Jackson Hole. He reportedly fell in love with the area, its wildlife and a local woman. Leek married Etta Wilson, whose family is namesake for the town of Wilson.

The Leeks ran a dude ranch and guided hunters and anglers. One of whom was George Eastman, a founder of the emerging photography industry and inventor of Kodak film. Eastman gave Leek a camera, which became a tool in his future conservation efforts.

In the early 1900s, another species seemed to be headed towards extinction before Leek’s eyes. The local elk population suffered as migration corridors were blocked and some of the continent’s most crucial winter range was replaced by houses and businesses. Leek poured time and personal finances into saving the elk. He was elected to the Wyoming Legislature, secured funding to feed the elk, pushed changes to prevent groups from harvesting elk for their teeth and tusks. Leek championed abolishing market hunting and then went east with photos he had taken of starving elk to advocate for the animals in New York and Washington, DC. He again had success. This time getting Congress to create the National Elk Refuge. Elk from the Refuge were eventually shipped by rail to areas across Wyoming and the West.

Leek’s photos can now be found at the University of Wyoming and at the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum.

Dr. George Frison was Wyoming’s first state archeologist. The Wyoming Legislature created the position in 1967 and Frison, who had recently received his Ph.D from the University of Michigan, returned to his native state to take on the role. For nearly 50 years his deep curiosity in Wyoming’s natural world has guided his research, his writing, which includes 14 books and more than 100 academic articles, and his teaching.

Frison’s memoirs are titled Rancher Archaeologist and his life was a combination of those vocations. Frison was born in Worland in 1924 and grew up on the family ranch near Ten Sleep, which sat near notable excavation sites. As a boy on the ranch he discovered fossils of dinosaurs and mammoths and interacted with the paleontologists, anthropologists and other researchers working in the area.

After high school, Frison went to the University of Wyoming but left to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war he went back to the ranch, but maintained his interest in archaeology. At the age of 40 he finished his bachelor’s degree at UW before heading to Michigan.

In his archaeological work, Frison brought his knowledge of animals to the academic world. In fact he has been adamant that you cannot talk about the prehistoric world and hunting of that era without understanding the behavior of the prey species. His background in hunting and ranching gave him knowledge of the behavior of animals.

Not only did Frison have an impact on archaeology in Wyoming by cultivating students’ interest in the field and by providing large amounts of research about the history of this land, he also contributed to a major shift in how all archaeological research is conducted on hunting societies.

This came about due to Frison’s excavation of the Glenrock Bison Jump and the Wardell Bison Trap near Big Piney. He focused his analysis on more than just the human cultural artifacts at those sites. Frison also examined the animal’s bones, an overlooked and often times discarded artifact by others in the field. His approach was controversial and highly debated but has led to additional learning about prehistoric human hunting.

Frison has had a highly decorated career as an archaeologist, as a researcher and as a teacher at the University of Wyoming, where he spent his entire career. To honor that legacy UW created the George C. Frison Institute, a facility dedicated to studying the archaeology and culture of the High Plains and the Rocky Mountains. He continues to serve as a professor emeritus at the university.

For wildlife enthusiasts, Frison has created an impressive resource in all his writings, but particularly Survival by Hunting. Most of us can be enlightened by reading this work on Wyoming’s prehistoric animals and the people that hunted them.

Frison currently resides in Laramie.

David Sweet was born March 24, 1948 to Bob and Sally Sweet in Polo, Illinois.  He graduated from Bradley University and then obtained a PhD in Analytical Chemistry in 1974. Following college he lived and worked in Colorado for thirteen years, and in Phoenix for five years holding various position in the pharmaceutical industry from which he retired in 1987.
 
After retirement, he and his wife Cathy, moved to Cody, Wyoming where they owned and managed Absaroka Mountain Lodge 10 years.  He is a lifetime active member of Trout Unlimited for nearly 40 years, has served in virtually every leadership position in the TU East Yellowstone Chapter, and has served as chairman of the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited and currently serves as treasurer of that organization.  He is also a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Ducks Unlimited. 
 
Dave’s extraordinary collaborative effort with the Save the Yellowstone Cutthroat Project, an initiative he conceived in 2007, implemented, championed and now serves as the Yellowstone Lake Special Project Manager.  This on-going project has earned national attention and is now listed as a number two priority national project by Trout Unlimited.  His mission in leading fundraising and public relation endeavors is to preserve the largest genetically pure population of Yellowstone cutthroat trout, not only for anglers but for the preservation of the Yellowstone ecosystem.
 
Save the Yellowstone Cutthroat Project, working in tandem with Yellowstone park officials, has enlisted the support of Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust Committee, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, National Parks Conservation Association, Yellowstone Lake Working Group, Trout Unlimited chapters and countless volunteers.  In 2011, Trout Unlimited honored Dave with the TU Distinguished Service Award.  This prestigious national award recognizes outstanding achievement embodying the spirit of Trout Unlimited in the mission to conserve, protect and restore North America’s cold water fisheries and their watersheds.
 
Dave is tireless and passionate in his efforts to keep the momentum going to help reduce the impact of invasive lake trout on the national Yellowstone cutthroat population.  All data available to date point to lake trout numbers significantly decreasing and Yellowstone cutthroat numbers beginning to rebound.
 
Dr. Sweet and his wife Cathy have two daughters and reside in Cody, WY.