Honored Life Members

Gordon’s 2006 Whitetail Deer season. When he was 100 years old, he was still hunting and killed a cow elk. He was a Master Hunter during his years of hunting. He was a Kittitas County Engineer retiring in 1980. He was a tireless volunteer while still helping with the Durr Road clean-up at the age of 100. 

Active Board Member/Officer and a very active volunteer in the community. Became a life member in 2018. Sitting on various committees, teaching wildlife classes and leading field trips. A Birder!

Receiving her Life Member Honor from Bill Essman in 2021. In 2020, she participated in habitat restoration by spreading native grass seed after the Umtanum Fire and served as a past Treasurer.

Receiving Life Member honor from President Bill Essman in 2023, past President of the club, and an active volunteer. He was a Hunter Ed teacher for many years.

Steve Kiesel was a past president. Ed West was a past officer for many positions. Ed was also the Ellensburg Fire Department Chief and the Kittitas County of Corrections Chief. 

Past President of the club for many years and on the board as different positions. He was a Chiropractor in Ellensburg for 50 years on August 22, 2011.

Wilma was the first woman Secretary and Life Member for the club. Bob was a past Board Member and active volunteer.

The Coffin family donated land to Fish and Wildlife Department for the Coffin Reserve in the Colockum Wildlife Area.

The Past President is sitting with his wife, Debbie. He also donated land to the City of Ellensburg for the Paul Rogers Wildlife Park on Judge Ronald Road. He was the chair of the Upland Game Bird Committee. During this time, he worked with the Game Department to help with tightening funding and raising birds.

Art was a long-standing life member with Hal Homes. He was known as “Chief Cook” due to being able to cook meals for up to 500 people. He was the committee chair of Kitchen.

Jerry is receiving his life membership from Bill Essman. He has helped with conservation projects, including packing native grass seed after the Evans Canyon Fire.

John received his life membership from President Jim Huckabay in 2024. He has been an officer and board member and is part of the Hunter Ed teaching team.

Leta was instrumental in setting up our original website and compiled 100 years’ worth of club history in scrapbooks. Took charge of our social media. Spent a lot of time putting together the volunteer access and trash pick up. Her son, Sean, in the photo, has volunteered while growing up.

Jim has been an active board member and officer, holding various officer positions. He has spearheaded our Hill Top Parking during the Ellensburg Rodeo. He also helps organize the Photo Contest at the Yakima Sportsman’s Show.

Norm made birdhouses to give away at meetings and Chukar Run events. 

Ray taught as a Hunter Ed instructor for the club for many years. He taught the NRA firearm Safety Classes.

Ike was a control agent for the Department of Game and was an officer and board member. He actively helped WDFW feed Elk every winter and raised chukars and pheasants when the Department’s game farm closed.

Martin was a Washington State Game Commissioner (now WDFW). He met with state legislators on behalf of the club. He was awarded the “Old Timers Award” for his many years of concern for the outdoors. He was the committee head for the Big Game.

He was the founder of Pautzke Bait Co., a fish bait company in Ellensburg. He was a pilot and flew in the Marine Corp. during World War 2. He hunted and traveled the world.

He was the club president for several years. He loved hunting and snowmobiling. When he arrived, he was a Sergeant Trooper for the Washington State Patrol, and then he was Kittitas County Sheriff for 12 years. 

He was Director for the 50th anniversary party in 1969. He was the chair of the trap shooting committee.

He was treasurer and board member for many years. He was committe head of Firearm Safety.

Long-standing club member and very active in the bird feeding and raising at the game farm. He was always there to lend a helping hand wherever it was needed. He developed the prototype for the game bird feeders when we released them.

He was a secretary and a board member for many years. Volunteered yearly during the winter to help WDFW feed Elk and helped place Goose nesting tubs.

He was a board member for many years. He worked hard with other club members on a habitat project.

He an active club member and received an award from the Department of Wildlife for turning in poachers.

Although he was not a club member, he donated his expertise and time as a professional auctioneer for years at our Chuckar Run Banquets.

He and Barbara Hewitsen were married in Seattle in 1916. They moved to another state and returned to the Kittitas Valley in 1929.
They farmed on the Westside until 1973 when they moved to the present home in Ellensburg. He served as Kittitas County Commissioner in 1957-1958. He was a member of the Thorp Grange, the Kittitas County Farm Bureau and a long-time member of the Field and Stream Club.

Part of the board for many years and one of the first life members.

He farmed for many years near Ellensburg and for the past 15 years worked as a landscaper.
He worked with his team on the construction of the original Ellensburg Rodeo arena and for 30 years decorated the draft horses for the rodeo.

They filled their lives with lots of traveling and spending time with good friends. Bob had a passion for collecting knives. Talking about his knives brought a sparkle to his eye. He loved elk, deer and snake hunting along with fishing and going to yard sales looking for treasures. He found many beautiful Ellensburg Blues which he had made into jewelry for the family. Bob was a volunteer fireman for 38 years. He was a lifetime member of the Moose Lodge and Field and Stream. He belonged to the Eagles, American Legion, NRA and many more organizations.

Part of the board for many years and one of the first life members.

Part of the board for many years and one of the first life members.

Part of the board for many years and one of the first life members.

He was on the board for many years. Helped with the Chukar bird release that the club raised.

 He was a board member and officer for many years. He was part of the chukar “bird” raising.  

Was Martin Pederson father.