Jackson man 1st in Mo. to receive Deer Steward 3 Award | News

CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY, MO (KFVS) - A Jackson man received the Deer Steward 3 Award on June 28, making him the first in Missouri to achieve the milestone.

Allen Morris received the award. He is a member of the SEMO Trail of Tears Branch of Quality Deer Management Association which represents Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Scott and surrounding counties.

Deer Steward Level III is the final step in Quality Deer Management Association’s Individual Deer Steward Certification Program. Unlike Levels I and II, Level III is not a course and no test is required. Level III is achieved through personal achievement and long-term service to the white-tailed deer resource and/or the QDMA. For many, Level III status will take years to qualify. Fortunately the effort needed to meet the qualifications will be replaced with pride and satisfaction upon attaining Level III status.

“Allen now joins a prestigious group that includes many of North America’s most knowledgeable and dedicated whitetail enthusiast," said Brian Murphy, CEO of Quality Deer Management Association. "The Deer Steward III award signifies your contributions to the whitetail resource, personal service to the QDMA, and enhanced understanding of the four cornerstones of the QDM philosophy: Herd Management, Herd Monitoring, Habitat Management, and Hunter Management."

Morris had this to say:

"It is amazing the paths that life takes you. My grandpa took me rabbit hunting that was my first exposure to hunting when I was 15. I did not start hunting deer until I was 17 years old. All the things I have done since almost seem unreal and never planned on, from 1983 to 1994 reading about the management of wildlife and hunting and 1995 to 2012 putting habitat and wildlife management into practice, but all this has helped me get to a milestone I never strived for. At the end of the day, the wildlife we have today is a privilege and one that I hold close to my heart and soul. I believe it makes me who I am as a person.

My only regret is that I did not take that path in high school and college and make it my career. 

I am proud to be the first in Missouri to achieve this but I hope, I am not the only one or last. Because the knowledge from the Deer Steward Classes only benefits the Whitetail Deer and other wildlife in Missouri."

Other Deer Steward graduates include:

• Deer Steward Level 1 Graduates - 12 of 372 are from Mo.
• Deer Steward Level 2 Graduates - 5 of 250 are from Mo.
• Deer Steward Level 3 Graduates - 1 of 26 are from Mo.

If you have an interest in Deer Steward 1, 2 or 3, you can click here to visit them online or visit the SEMO Trail of Tears Branch of Quality Deer Management Association online.

Copyright 2012 KFVS. All rights reserved.