Tony Dean was honored with hundreds of awards during the course of his career.
He was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2011, the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Angler in 1994, and the North Dakota Fishing Hall of Fame in 1992.
The following represents just a portion of Tony's other special achievements:
2011
Tony was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame.
2009
"Conservation Achievement Award", presented posthumously by the National Wildlife Federation
"Missouri River Champion Award", presented posthumously by the Missouri River Natural Resources Committee
"Roger Eastman Special Achievement Award", presented posthumously by the Great Lakes of South Dakota Tourism Association
2008
"Friend of the River", presented by the Missouri Sedimentation Action Coalition
2007
1st place, "Best of Open" / Radio, Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) Craft Competition
2006
1st place, "Natural History" / Audio-Radio, presented by the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA)
1st place, "Best of Open" / Radio, Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) Craft Competition
1st place, Radio, AGLOW Craft Competition
1st place, "Best of Hunting" / Radio, AGLOW Craft Competition
2005
"Wilderness Hero", presented by Campaign for America's Wilderness, in recognition of tireless work for wildlife and enduring commitment to protecting South Dakota's last wild grasslands as a legacy for future generations.
1st place, "Best of Open" / TV-Video, Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) Craft Competition
1st place, "Best of Hunting" / TV-Video, AGLOW Craft Competition
Business of the Month, presented to Tony Dean Outdoors by the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce.
2004
1st place, "Best of Open" / TV-Video, AGLOW Craft Competition
1st place, "Best of Open" / Radio, AGLOW Craft Competition
1st place, "Best of Hunting" / Radio, AGLOW Craft Competition
2003
"Golden Glow Excellence-in-Craft Award" presented by the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) for contributions, loyalty, and achievements in the field of outdoor communications.
1st place, "Best of Hunting" / TV-Video, AGLOW Craft Competition
1st place, "Best of Hunting" / Radio, AGLOW Craft Competition
1st place, "Best of Fishing" / Magazine, AGLOW Craft Competition
2002
"National Conservation Award" presented by the Izaak Walton League of America in recognition of outstanding work in the conservation field.
1st place, 'Best of Hunting" / TV-Video, Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) Craft Competition
1st place, "Best of Fishing" / Radio, AGLOW Craft Competition
2001
"Jade of Chiefs Award" presented by the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) for distinguished service to conservation.
1999
1st place / Outdoor Ethics, presented by the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA)
1998
"Chief's Award for Conservation Leadership", presented by the US Forest Service/US Department of Agriculture
1st place / Broadcast / Humor, presented by OWAA
1997
"Citizen Wildlife Award", presented by the South Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society for outstanding contributions to wildlife management.
1st place, "Good Shots, Great Stories Writer's Contest" for a program entitled, "Father/Son Pheasant Hunt", presented by the National Shooting Sports Foundation
2nd place, "Good Shots, Great Stories Writer's Contest", for a program entitled, "Remembering George Mickelson", presented by the National Shooting Sports Foundation
Tony Dean Outdoors received the "Business On the River Award" from the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce.
1996
"Special Recognition Award" from the North Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society, presented "for outstanding commitment to our natural resources through the Dakota Backroads Radio Program".
"Ed Franey Outdoor Writer and Conservation Media Award", presented by the Minnesota Division of the Izaak Walton League of American for contributions to conservation through written, spoken, or visual media.
1st place / Broadcast / Humor, presented by the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA)
1st place / Broadcast / Family Participation-Youth Outdoor Education, presented by OWAA
1st place / Broadcast / Small Game Hunting, presented by OWAA
1995
"Prairie Pothole Joint Venture Communication Award", presented annually to a group or individual that has made an outstanding contribution to further the goals of the PPJV and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan through communications activities.
1st place / Broadcast / Technical, presented by OWAA
1994
1st place / Broadcast / "Take Pride in America Award", presented by OWAA
1st place / Broadcast / Boating, presented by OWAA
1993
1st place / Broadcast / "Take Pride in America", presented by OWAA
1992
1st place / Broadcast / "Take Pride in America", presented by OWAA
1st place / Broadcast / Humor, presented by OWAA
1991, 1992, and 1993
Patron Sponsor of Fishing Has No Boundaries, Pierre, SD
1991
"Communications Award", presented by Ducks Unlimited
1st place / Broadcast / "Take Pride in America", presented by OWAA
1st place / Broadcast / Humor, presented by OWAA
"Pride Award", presented by Oahe, Inc.
1990
1st place / Radio-TV / Conservation-Environment, presented by the Outdoor Writers Association of America
1st Place, "Take a Kid Fishing" program, presented by AFTMA
Recognized for support of Fishing Has No Boundaries, Hayward, WI
1989
Recognized by Fishing Has No Boundaries for promoting fishing for anglers with disabilities through television and radio.
Recognized for promoting the Bemidji "Take a Kid Fishing" program
1987
"One Star Award", a sports/promotion-film/video award presented by OWAA
1985
"Citizen's Award-Wetland Preservation", presented by the US Department of the Interior
1984
"Citizen's Award", presented by the South Dakota Wildlife Society
1983
"A.H. Pankow Media Award", presented by the South Dakota Department of Tourism for efforts in promoting South Dakota's outdoor experience through the mass media.
1982
"Governor's Award-State Conservationist of the Year", presented by the South Dakota Wildlife Federation and the National Wildlife Federation.
Governor's Champion, North Dakota Governor's Walleye Cup
1976
"Distinguished Service Award", presented by Ducks Unlimited
1974
"South Dakota Wildlife Award", presented by the South Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Undated
"Special Recognition Award" for Wetland Conservation Advocacy, presented by the South Dakota Division of the Izaak Walton League of America
BOARDS & ORGANIZATIONS
Tony served on the Izaak Walton League of America's Board of Directors until his death in October of 2008. He was elected as Honorary National President of IWLA.
Tony served on the Board of Directors of the Outdoor Writers Association of America from 2004-2007.
In 2001 and 2002, he served as the Honorary Chair of the annual Confidence Learning Center Fishing Classic.
He was a strong supporter of the Fishing Has No Boundaries program, and served on the organization's Board of Directors.
He served as chairman of Sportsmen for Obama
He held memberships in many conservation and outdoor organizations, including:
Izaak Walton League of America (national life member)
South Dakota Conservation Alliance (charter member)
Outdoor Writers Association of America
Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers
South Dakota Wild Grassland Coalition
Delta Waterfowl
Pheasants Forever
Ducks Unlimited
Black Hills Fly Fishers
Trout Unlimited
High Plains Wildlife Club
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
Great Lakes of South Dakota Tourism Association
National Wildlife Federation (note:Tony contributed considerable time and energy to being a powerful voice for the Federation’s top conservation issues. In addition to testifying before a House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources, he lent his voice to NWF’s Waterfowler’s Guide to Global Warming)
Finley Wildlife Club of Finley, ND (lifetime membership)
