Fellow sportsmen honor the OL 25
at the 2008 SHOT Show.

Feb 5, 2008

Outdoor Life magazine held an awards luncheon for the Outdoor Life 25, individuals who have had the most positive impact on hunting and fishing. The magazine unveiled this annual program in its December/January issue.

The 25 honorees were divided into four categories: leaders, innovators, conservationists and unsung heroes. Leaders included Gary Loomis, Dick and Jim Cabela, Jennie Richardson, Ray Scott, Larry Potterfield, Marty Brunson, Ted Nugent and Ron Coburn. Innovators were Michael McGinley, Keith Jones and John Prochnow, Dave Emary, Albert Fiedler and Doug Hannon. Dr. James Earl Kennamer, Sen. Kent Conrad, Grant Woods, Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rick Kaminski were honored for their conservation work. The unsung heroes honorees were Ray Howell, Dick Sternberg, Jack Smith, Julie Kay Smithson, Stan Bradshaw, Ernie Perkins and Dick Blythe.

"These are the unsung heroes that mainstream media never talks about," said Todd Smith, Outdoor Life's editor-in-chief. "We wanted to recognize the truly great things that so many of our fellow sportsmen do."

Ron Coburn, president of Savage Arms, accepted his award on behalf of his company. "There are a great number of people at Savage who deserve credit for making this company what it is today," he said. "We work hard together to manufacture a quality product, and as a family we share this honor."

"I really appreciate the NWTF's giving me the opportunity so many years ago to work on behalf of wildlife, particularly the wild turkey," Dr. James Earl Kennamer, NWTF's senior vice president for conservation programs, said. "It's a great honor to be recognized by such a distinguished publication."

An online poll was conducted at OutdoorLife.com to determine the recipient of the Reader's Choice Award. Voters chose Ray Howell, founder of the Kicking Bear Foundation, which holds bowhunts, camping trips and archery shoots for disadvantaged youth. Smith and Bonnier Outdoor Group publisher Eric Zinczenko presented Howell (pictured, above)�with the award at the luncheon, as well as an honorarium for $1,000, which Howell is donating to the Tony Semple Foundation of Hope. To find out more about the recipients and their diverse accomplishments, or to nominate someone for 2008's OL 25, visit outdoorlife.com/OL25.

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