Batesville hunter inducted into state hall of fame
BATESVILLE — Gary Stroud of Batesville has been a hunter most of his life. And he was recently rewarded for his love of the outdoors.
Stroud was inducted into the Arkansas Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame by the Arkansas chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. He received the honor at the state banquet Jan. 6 at the Benton Event Center.
“It was based on several years of volunteer work,” said Stroud, 69. “It doesn’t have anything to do with the number of turkeys I’ve killed. I wish it did. It’s based on volunteer work for the Turkey Federation.”
Stroud, who has been hunting for more than 60 years, is a member of the Independence County chapter of the Turkey Federation. Stroud is the treasurer of his local branch and the banquet committee chairman.
“Without my committee, I wouldn’t be doing this,” he said. “They work hard. It’s all volunteer work. We have banquets and raise money for the conservation of the wild turkey and preservation of our hunting heritage.
“I’m a big-time hunter. One of the [sayings] I grew up with is, ‘If you’ll teach your kids to hunt, you won’t ever have to hunt your kids.’ And I believe that.”
Stroud said receiving the Hall of Fame honor was a big surprise.
“Like I told them at the awards banquet, I feel very honored to be chosen as the seventh one to be put into that with the people who have been put in in the past,” Stroud said. “I definitely know that they’ve gone many miles and worked very hard in the conservation situation and for the preservation of their hunting rights. It was just an extreme honor to be named alongside those people.”
Previous Hall of Fame inductees from Arkansas include Gene Denton in 2007, Bob McAnally in 2008, Paul Holloway in 2009, Mike Widner in 2014, and Gary Watts and Larry Linder in 2015.
“Gary is only the seventh person to receive this honor in Arkansas,” said Terry Thompson, president of the Arkansas State Board of the National Wild Turkey Foundation. “It’s normally given to those who have shown a lifelong dedication to the mission of the National Wild Turkey Foundation and what we do.
“The Arkansas Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame is dedicated to those outstanding individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in the service to their local and/ or state chapters. They have excelled in the promotion of our sport, the wild turkey restoration, as well as the preservation of the wild turkey and the turkey hunting in our great state. These special individuals are successful hunters, promoters and teachers who have a great love for the wild turkey and the state of Arkansas.”
Thompson said Stroud has been instrumental in working with many people.
“What makes Gary so special is his commitment to the youth, community and our servicemen and women across the state,” Thompson said. “He’s modest and always gives credit to those around him. He has, for the past several years, used his connections for the chapter to donate more than 1,700 pounds of food around
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