PRATT -- The Advisory Committee to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Hunter Education Program (KDWP) named Hutchinson native Jerry Maxfield as 2004 Hunter Education Instructor of the Year, the agency has announced. An instructor for more than 25 years, Maxfield has taught in several hundred classes during that time and helped certify more than 2,000 students.

"Numbers do not tell the whole story of what Jerry has brought to hunter education," said Wayne Doyle, KDWP statewide hunter education coordinator, in making the announcement. "Jerry is always available to help the program, recruit and train new instructors, participate as a student in advanced instructor training, and develop new techniques and tools within the program."

Maxfield was instrumental in the establishment of the Kansas Hunter Education Instructor Association and currently serves as vice president of that organization. Most recently, he was certified as a National Sporting Clays Association Level 1 instructor in order to help develop an advanced hunter education basic wingshooting class. He then helped refine the concept by teaching basic wingshooting to groups of new shooters in Hutchinson and Pratt.

In addition to Maxfield's award, exceptional instructors in KDWP's five regions were named Regional Instructors of the Year. These include the following:

• Region 1- Shannon Clarkson, Salina;
• Region 2- Harry (Butch) Moberly, Jr., Shawnee;
• Region 3- Roy Hargadine, Jetmore;
• Region 4- Gary Hunt, Wichita; and
• Region 5- Barney Mahoney, Burlington.

Maxfield received a Ruger Red Label 12 gauge shotgun with his award, and the regional honorees each received Ruger 10/22 Deluxe rifles.
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