A Rhinelander man is among those being inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame of this year.
The hall of fame was created in 1985 to recognize and encourage the growth and practice of a conservation ethic as a legacy for the people of the State.
Keith McCaffery will be inducted during a virtual ceremony on April 21. McCaffery for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for nearly six decades both as an employee and volunteer.
McCaffery was nominated for the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame for his extensive contributions to deer management and conservation in Wisconsin. McCaffery has dedicated his career to the science-based management of Wisconsin’s deer population, significantly impacting conservation practices. His research established the significance of summer deer habitat to winter survival and productivity, influencing management practices nationwide. You can learn more about his nomination here.
Conservation nonprofit Wisconsin’s Green Fire is hosting a public event on April 21 at The Pines Event Center in Rhinelander in celebration of science and conservation featuring Keith McCaffery. McCaffery is one of WGF’s founding members and sits on the WGF Science Council.
People are asked to RSVP by April 10. You can find registration and event details the WGF website.
WXPR’s Katie Thoresen spoke with McCaffery about his career with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Katie Thoresen: How long did you work for the DNR as a deer biologist?
Keith McCaffery: I was in pay status for 37 years. Then I retired, and I was a retirement failure, because I came back as a full-time volunteer for 20 more years, so I was at the desk for 57 years. It was something I enjoyed doing, and I had, I guess, some sympathetic supervisors that knew I didn't have a whole lot of other talents to build bird houses and do those hobby things, so I continue to be kind of an institutional memory, and answer the phone, review documents, and did a lot of writing while I was in the volunteer status.
KT: Is there still highlights or things you're most proud of from your career that stick with you?
KM: I was probably the entire time to be principal apologist for the Wisconsin deer management program, because having attended deer groups, like in the Northeast Deer Study Group, which is up in New England, the Southeast Deer Study Group, which is from Texas up maybe as far as Pennsylvania, the Great Lakes Deer Group, Midwest Deer Group, I found that we were often appearing at those meetings as instructors. And I thought, if we're that well set up, there's probably not anybody that's doing better. I think we were really a model deer management program for the nation. Now, a lot of deer hunters are not going to agree with that. We had a lot of arguments during the time, which added to the fun.
KT: That's a pretty long time to be in the deer management world. What did you love so much about it that kept you in it?
KM: Well, I tell the story in my acceptance speech. When I was a kid, my dad and I were out fishing one time in the evening, and our conversation drifted off to future topics. He says, ‘Why don't you think about what you might want to do as a career?’ He says, ‘Forget about the money. Think about what you enjoy doing in your spare time and then find a job like that.’ And the way things worked out, I found a job like that and stuck with it. I refused some promotions just to be able to continue to do that as well. Moving into administrative positions really didn't attract me.
KT: What was your reaction when you heard that you were being inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame?
Well, I keep saying stunned. It's not the sort of thing you go into your occupation aiming for something like that, and for it to come and visit me was tremendously flattering, and I'm stunned and amazed.
McCaffery is being inducted in the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame this year alongside William Lunney and Neil Payne.
Lunney, who died earlier this year, dedicated a lifetime of service to the public and to the conservation of Wisconsin’s lands, waters and wildlife. From the first success in 1969 helping to save regionally significant wetlands Dunn’s Marsh and Upper Mud Lake Wetlands, to the recent creation of the historic multimillion dollar Private Foundation to support Dane County Parks.
Neil’s numerous contributions to wildlife conservation encompass education, research, and literature. Using his experience as a wildlife biologist, he taught wildlife ecology to more than 4,600 students, with about 50% of WDNR wildlife biologists being UW-Stevens Point graduates. He conducted research on more than 20 wildlife species and published extensively, including seven books on wildlife management.
