ATHENS, GA (May 5, 2017) – The Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) is pleased to announce that Josh Hillyard has joined the organization as a Regional Director for Region 3. Hillyard will support QDMA Branches and volunteers in Michigan, Indiana and northwest Ohio.

“I’m excited to combine my passion for hunting and white-tailed deer with my career,” said Josh. “I look forward to helping QDMA continue to spread their message to current members as well as engaging with other men, women, and children to let them know why they belong with the QDMA. I feel very fortunate to become a part of such a well-respected organization, and I am incredibly grateful this opportunity.”

A native of Michigan, Josh is a 2010 graduate of Grand Valley State University with a bachelor’s degree in finance, and he was previously the mortgage operations supervisor for Lake Michigan Credit Union. Josh had been a lifelong outdoors enthusiast, growing up fishing, camping and hiking. He was introduced to deer hunting in 2009 by his high school friend Mark Kenyon, who later founded Wired To Hunt. Josh’s passion for deer hunting and the outdoors had him yearning for a career in the outdoors, so for the past year in his free time, Josh worked as an intern for Wired to Hunt, assisting with video, social media, writing and editing for WiredToHunt.com.

“We’re excited to have Josh join our team at QDMA,” said Ryan Furrer, QDMA Senior Regional Director and Field Supervisor. “His experience and background are just what we need to achieve new levels of membership growth and action for whitetails.”

Josh will be replacing Regional Director Bob DuCharme, who is retiring on May 31 after 11 years with QDMA. Josh and his wife Kelly live in Brighton, Michigan.

Contact Josh to get involved with a QDMA Branch, or start a new one in your area, at 810-287-2281.

About QDMA

QDMA is dedicated to ensuring the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage. Founded in 1988, QDMA is a national nonprofit wildlife conservation organization with more than 60,000 members in all 50 states and Canada. To learn more about QDMA and why it is the future of deer hunting, call 800-209-3337 or visit www.QDMA.com. QDMA can also be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheQDMA, Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheQDMA, and Instagram at www.instagram.com/theqdma.

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ATHENS, GA – The Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) is pleased to announce that Ronnie “Cuz” Strickland of Mississippi, Senior Vice President of Mossy Oak, has joined its Board of Directors.

“There is no greater mission in the hunting industry than conservation. These groups and the people involved are the true heroes in our world,” said Strickland. “I am humbled and honored to be asked to serve on the board of one of the best conservation organizations in the country, QDMA, and look forward to rolling up my sleeves to help in any way I can. I have known QDMA’s CEO Brian Murphy for decades, and the work done by Brian and the team at QDMA has been amazing. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future and to bring more hunters to QDMA, where deer hunters belong.”

Strickland has worked in the hunting and outdoor industry for more than 30 years. He sold his first outdoor magazine article to Mississippi Game & Fish in 1981 and filmed and produced the first hunting video for Primos Game Calls, The Truth About Spring Turkey Hunting, in 1984. In 1987 he joined the Mossy Oak team in Marketing and Public Relations and launched the company’s first broadcast television offering in 1995, Mossy Oak’s Hunting the Country on TNN.

Since then, Strickland has overseen the production of over 40 DVD titles and 1,600 episodes of nationally broadcast television. Today, as Senior Vice President, he oversees media efforts that have expanded to include both traditional and online video. He has authored three outdoor books, was named the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Communicator Of The Year in 2010, and has been formally recognized by many organizations for outstanding contributions including the Armed Forces Foundation, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Le Bonheur Children’s hospital, Tree Stand Manufactures Association, Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and Professional Outdoor Media Association. Strickland is a lifetime member of the NRA and numerous other conservation organizations. He and his wife Pam have two daughters, Amy and Lauran, who have blessed them with four grandchildren, Avery, Walker, Matt and Ben.

“Cuz Strickland’s enormous experience in the hunting industry, his passion for conservation, and his role with a long-time QDMA corporate sponsor like Mossy Oak makes him a valuable addition to the QDMA Board of Directors,” said Leon Hank, QDMA Board Chairman. “Our Board looks forward to working with Cuz to grow QDMA’s accomplishments for deer hunters.”

QDMA members can meet Strickland and welcome him to the organization at the 2017 QDMA National Convention, July 20-13 in New Orleans, where he is a featured speaker. For more information, visit www.QDMA.com.

About QDMA

QDMA is dedicated to ensuring the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage. Founded in 1988, QDMA is a national nonprofit wildlife conservation organization with more than 60,000 members in all 50 states and Canada. To learn more about QDMA and why it is the future of deer hunting, call 800-209-3337 or visit www.QDMA.com. QDMA can also be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheQDMA, Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheQDMA, and Instagram at www.instagram.com/theqdma.

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“I think I speak for everyone on the Scent Crusher team when I say we are extremely excited about the newly formed relationship with QDMA,” said Dan Drake, company President. “Whitetails are our favorite game to pursue, and we know how important QDMA is in preserving this wild resource we love.”

Scent Crusher’s line of ozone-powered products includes an Ozone Gear Bag for sanitizing your gear on the way to the woods; a Wash 03 ozone generator for washing machines; the Hunter’s Closet with ozone generator; and the Ozone Go vehicle air cleaner that plugs into your vehicle’s power port and eliminates all odor-causing bacteria in 30 minutes (seen below, along with the Ozone Gear Bag).

“With many years as a hunter myself, I was always trying to get as close as possible without being detected,” said Drake. “The marriage of an existing technology, ozone, with hunting just makes sense. Ozone is a way to eliminate 99.9 percent of bacteria on your gear and clothing. As we all know, bacteria causes odor, and odor is exactly what whitetails use to avoid predators. Our tag line is our way of life… Scent Off, Game On!”

“It’s clear the Scent Crusher team includes serious deer hunters, as they’ve obviously given careful thought to addressing many of the trouble spots in scent elimination,” said Steve Levi, QDMA Director of Corporate Relations. “We welcome their team to the QDMA family.”

Check out Scent Crusher’s entire line of Ozone products at www.scentcrusher.com.

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QDMA is currently accepting nominations for its yearly Achievement Awards. QDMA recognizes several individuals and groups for whitetail conservation and management.
QDMA Achievement Award categories include:
Agency of the Year (state, federal, or provincial)
Al Brothers Deer Manager of the Year
Al Brothers Professional Deer Manager of the Year
Joe Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award
Signpost Award: Communicator of the Year
Wildlife Officer of the Year

For descriptions of each category, click here.

To make a nomination, download the nomination form and return to convention@qdma.com or:

Fax to: (706) 353-0223
Mail to: QDMA Awards, 170 Whitetail Way, Bogart, GA  30622

The 2015 nomination deadline is March 27.

Recipients of the awards will be recognized at QDMA’s 15th Annual National Convention, May 8-9, 2015, in Louisville, Kentucky.

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