International Group Honors Enforcement Chief

Idaho's chief of enforcement, Jon Heggen, has been honored as Shikar-Safari Club International Wildlife Officer of the Year for 2006. The award was presented during the Idaho Fish and Game Commission meeting in Idaho Falls July 13. Heggen, in accepting the award, gave the credit to Idaho Department of Fish and Game's conservation officers, who work for him. "In reality this doesn't belong to me," he said. "This belongs to folks who are out there doing the job." Each year, the Nashville, Tenn.-based Shikar-Safari Club solicits nominations from state wildlife agencies for the award. Idaho Department Fish and Game Director Steve Huffaker nominated Heggen based on nomination letters from department employees. "That made my job easy," Huffaker said in presenting the award to Heggen. "When you get 18 nominations for the same person that makes it easy." Nomination letters cited Heggen's dedication, professionalism and outstanding service to the department and protection of the state's wildlife resources. "All too seldom do the fine wildlife officers receive the recognition and encouragement they so richly deserve for protecting and preserving our wildlife," wrote James N. Maddox, vice president of Shikar-Safari in his letter to Heggen. "Our membership joins me in wishing you continued success in the conservation of one of our nation's natural resources, our wildlife." The organization presents the award to recognize outstanding performance and dedication to wildlife conservation and enforcement of wildlife conservation laws. "We don't do it for the praise; we don't do it for the money," he said. "We do it for the people in this room, and the people who are out there hunting and fishing."