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Outdoors, Inc.
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Furtman Wins Coveted Writer Award
Nice guys sometimes finish first...and that was the case as the Outdoor Writers Association of America wound up their annual meeting at Greensboro, NC when they awarded their highest honor, the Jade of Chiefs Award, to Duluth, MN outdoor writer, Michael Furtman.
This award was established in 1958 and is regarded as OWAA's top conservation award. It isn't presented by OWAA, but rather by living members of the current "Circle of Chiefs." The award recgognizes adherence to and support of the principles of conservation.
In making the presentation, a former award winner, Missouri outdoor writer, Joel Vance said: "I some circles of his native state (Minnesota), he's about as popular as the Governor...which in his case means, you either love him or hate him. If you care about natural resources, you love him, because he is a fierce and tireless champion for them. If you're an exploiter, a land gutter, a resource wastrel, you hope the wolves get him.
Mike calls himself, "an unabashed environmentalist, angler, hunter, wilderness canoeist and, well, just an all around outdoor bum.
Vance said, "He's Minnesota's attachj dog when it comes to tackling the environmental intruders. He's the best friend the Boundary Waters Canoe area has ever had and he's a welcome addition to the Circle of Chiefs."
Previous winners include Arthur Carhart (1958), Nash Buckingham (1960), Joseph Penfold (1962), John Madson (1967), Dr. Durward Allen (1968), George Laycock (1970), Ed Zern (1979) George Harrison (1981), Lonnie Williamson (1983), Jack Lorenz (1985) George Reiger (1987), Anne Labastille (1988), Ted Williams (1990), Joel Vance (1992), Michael Frome (1994), Erwin Bauer (1995), Leonard Lee Rue (1997).
Congratulations to a real pit bull of conservation. I'm proud to call Mike Furtman, my friend.
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