March 2022 - 8

NEWS
Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame
to induct latest class
CHEYENNE - COVID-19 caused a
delay but three inspiring Wyoming conservationists,
along with a youth conservationist,
will receive the recognition they deserve.
Helen (McCracken) Roylance, Richard
Guenzel and Duaine Hagen were part of the
2020 class of the Wyoming Outdoor Hall of
Fame, but due to the pandemic their official
induction ceremony was postponed to this
month at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West
in Cody. There were no inductees in 2021.
The Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame
was created in 2004 by former Gov. Dave
Freudenthal to honor those individuals, both
living and posthumously, who have made significant,
lasting and lifetime contributions
to the conservation of Wyoming's outdoor
heritage. Recognition is given to people who
have worked consistently over many years to
conserve Wyoming's natural resources through
volunteer service, environmental restoration,
educational activities, audio/visual and written
media, the arts and political and individual
leadership. Another goal of the Hall of Fame
is to educate the public and promote the significance
of Wyoming's rich outdoor heritage.
Roylance was the first woman to hold the
position of outdoor skills coordinator for
the Wyoming Game and Fish Department
in 1995. One year later she established the
department's Becoming an Outdoors-Woman
program, which has drawn more than 1,000
participants since its creation. Roylance also
set up the first online hunter education course
in the state.
Guenzel worked for Game and Fish from
1986-2011, based in Laramie for the last 21
years of his career. He was the first biologist
in Wyoming to capture pronghorn using
a net gun from a helicopter. Guenzel also
developed and implemented an aerial survey
technique to more accurately estimate pronghorn
abundance.
Hagan and his family have been outfitters
and guest ranch owners for hunters and
anglers in Wyoming for 40 years. Today they
8 | March 2022
The Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame ceremony will be held this month at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody. (WGFD photo)
MORE INFORMATION ON THE WYOMING OUTDOOR HALL OF FAME AND
HOW TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS FOR FUTURE INDUCTEES: HTTPS://WGFD.
WYO.GOV/GET-INVOLVED/OUTDOOR-HALL-OF-FAME
limit their outfitting business and enjoy their
lands with family, friends and others. They are
involved in the Outdoor Dream Foundation,
which connects kids with chronic or terminal
illnesses to the outdoors, and the Wounded
Warrior Project that serves veterans and active
military duty members.
Isabelle Burky is a graduate of Worland
High School and a current student at Northwest
Community college in Powell. She has
worked for national parks, national public land
organizations and has helped ranchers around
Worland. Burky is the first to receive recognition
for the Youth Conservationist of the Year
award, which honors a Wyoming resident 18
years old or younger who has demonstrated
leadership and accomplishment in conservation,
individually or part of a group. This
award is part of the Game and Fish Inspire a
Kid initiative, led by Director Brian Nesvik,
to connect youth and families to Wyoming's
wildlife and build the next generation of
conservationists.
- Robert Gagliardi, WGFD

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/get-involved/outdoor-hall-of-fame

March 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2022