When Susan and Richard L. Harwood Sr. decided to teach hunter education it was because their son wanted to start hunting but a class to get certified was too far from their Lemmon, S.D. home.
About 650 students and 24 years later, the Harwoods have been recognized for their dedication and were named hunters education instructors of the year at a North Dakota Game and Fish Department banquet at the Ramkota Hotel in Bismarck Saturday.
"We lived on the South Dakota, North Dakota border and South Dakota wouldn't teach him and we would have had to drive 40 miles into North Dakota to New Leipzig, so a game warden said, 'Take the test, if you pass you can teach the classes yourself,'" Susan said of how they got involved. Well, they passed the tests and through them, their son Rick, who now lives in Minnesota, and daughter Kathi, who lives in South Dakota, also passed. Beyond that, they have taught children and adults and neighbors and relatives from across the region.
They had about 15 students in their first class.
"It just kind of snowballed and kept going and someone else would come up and it just kept going and going and going," Susan said.
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There are about 650 active instructors in North Dakota, said Jon Hanson, NDGF hunter education coordinator. Hunter education is recognized in all states and is required in North Dakota to purchase a hunting license.
"They do a great job," he said of the Harwoods. "They don't have very large classes but there is a pretty big void in that area."
He added, it's beneficial they teach North and South Dakota residents.
Richard said they enjoy teaching the classes.
"Everybody who wants to learn it deserves the opportunity," he said.
Eight and 9-year-olds have been to class (even though that's too young to be certified) and the oldest they've taught was in her middle to late 50s and she and her niece dyed their hair hunter orange the day they passed the test, Susan said of what was among her many memorable class moments.
"Hunter education is a required deal and I enjoy it and every year I learn a little more," Richard said.
Classes focus on hunting and firearm safety but much more, Hanson said, adding it covers topics such as wildlife management, ethics, landowner relationships and more.
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"It gives a young hunter more of an idea of what it means to hunt rather than just to shoot an animal," Hanson said.
Susan and Richard deer hunt together and Richard also pheasant hunts and says the classes help them, too.
"You learn more how to teach each time and hear stories and some you don't broadcast them," he said with a laugh.
As for the award Richard said, "It was a shock and a half. I tell you it was hard to get off the chair -- both of us!"
Keith Domke from Jamestown was also named an instructor of the year.
Others honored Saturday include:
35-year service award: James Linnertz, West Fargo.
30-year service awards: Allan Aufforth, Bottineau; Dale Bakkum, Mayville; Ronald Brilz, Tioga; James Buchweitz, Bottineau; James Grubb, Tioga; Robert Herdt, St. John; Doyle Heupel, Elgin; Darrell Jamsa, Starkweather; Dale Kilwein, Dickinson; Allan Kville, Portland; Ellary Liebelt, Lidgerwood; Thomas Linnertz, Harwood; Charles Paulson, Bisbee; Ralph Peterson, Portland; Toby Placek, Crosby; Melvin Stark, Cavalier; Walter Turbiville, Dickinson; Daryl Vance, Watford City.
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25-year service awards: David Colby, Kenmare; Bruce Fairbrother, Towner; Allen Giese, Wahpeton; Dwight Leier, Esmond; Gary Leslie, Burlington; Gary Nilsson, Walhalla; Larrett Peterson, Bottineau; Larry Sinner, Hillsboro; Paul Stave, Grafton; Mark Walsh, Williston; Terry Week, Beach; Walter Zimbelman, Fullerton.
20-year service awards: Ronald Bachmeier, Dickinson; Dwain Barondeau, Mott; Neil Dockter, Horace; Thomas Kelsh, Minot; Gene Kouba, Bismarck; Cory Lohse, Alexander; Patrick Lorge, Amidon; Dale Marks, Ypsilianti; Robert Opp, Jamestown; Gerald Quintus, Richardton; Paul Sinner, Wahpeton; Larry Thompson, Dickinson; Gary Wald, Maddock; Merle Weatherly, Jamestown; Curtis Wittmayer, Parshall.
15-year service awards: Wayne Andersen, Bismarck; William Byram, Devils Lake; Roger Dienert, Hankinson; Glen Fuhrman, Enderlin; Rick Haldorson, Enderlin; Robert Herding, Hankinson; Mark Hunt, Minot; Jackie Jacobson, Max; Ike Kuntz, Dickinson; Larry Leier, Hague; Pam Podoll, Velva; Thomas Simmons, Cavalier; Douglas Sommerfeld, Lisbon; Mark Spravzoff, Watford City; Don Underwood, Grand Forks; Mark Volk, Bismarck; Debbie Waldahl, Casselton.
10-year service awards: George Babcock, Minot; Bruce Baer, Belfield; Janice Bishop, Kathryn; Dawn Brehmer, Fargo; Ryan Brehmer, Fargo; Diane Dockter, Horace; James Dusek, Grafton; Corinne Engen, Anamoose; Merle Ferry, Finley; Sheila Francis, Norwich; John Gorman, Larimore; Bradley Gregoire, Grand Forks; Jeremy Haugen, Washburn; Tim Holt, Grand Forks; Rodney Howatt, Langdon; Darrell Kersting, Kindred; Dallas Marchus, Fessenden; Danaee Marquette, Britton, S.D.; Ryan Mitchell, Rolla; Scott Pedersen, Northwood; Tony Poupa, Emerado; Andrew Robinson, Minot Air Force Base; David Sardelli, Hebron; Jodie Woroniecki, Hebron.
Five-year active instructors: Dave Aberle, Fargo; Teri Anderson, Hettinger; Clinton Baxter, Minot; Gary Green, Granville; Richard Hamel, Lakota; Kevin Harris, Watford City; Jerry Hassler, Minot; Bradley Hofman, Wyndmere; Justin Hughes, Minot; Kasey Karlstad, Mayville; Curtis Kaseman, Jamestown; Suzanne Kersting, Kindred; Kristi Kilde, Glen Ullin; Paul Lambert, Minot; Calvin Leyendecker, Marion; Jerry Lillis, Lincoln; Lee Murphy, Williston; Michael Myers, Grafton; Jeff Roehrich, Fessenden; Steve Schrader, Walcott; John Schwalk, Milnor; Russell Ziegler, Richardton.
Two years of service: Glen Bahm, Sheilds; Andrew Banta, Williston; Jamey Boutilier, Hazen; Jamie Bradley, Beulah; Matthew Deal, Carrington; Pat Downs, West Fargo; Jennifer Ekberg, Manvel; Lindsay Elsner, Galesburg; Kevin Fire, Grand Forks; Jason Heinz, Rolette; Timothy Hoff, Burlington; Brian L. Johnson, Minot; Michael Jordheim, Thompson; Nathan Kron, Enderlin; Russ Lehr, Ashley; Kellen Leier, Bismarck; Jeff Linnertz, West Fargo; Catherine Logosz, Dickinson; Andrew Majeres, Garrison; Jeremy Meier, Minot Air Force Base; Quentin Obrigewitsch, Belfield; Kimberly Oien, Elgin; Dennis Peltier, Belcourt; Kendall Peterson, Devils Lake; Kevin S. Peterson, Minot Air Force Base; Ross Peterson, Mayville; Robert Reikow, Bismarck; Clinton Russell, Cavalier; Benjamin Sand, Bismarck; Rod Schwandt, Burlington; Corey Wysocki, Grafton; Jennifer Ziebarth, Minot.
