The Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
honored Cuz Strickland and Robert Higginbotham with Conservation Awards during February's commission meeting on Feb 17 which was held in Louisville.
This award recognizes their achievements as outdoorsmen, sportsmen, and promoters of wildlife and natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation.
Robert Taylor of Louisville and MDWFP commissioner presented Higginbotham and Strickland with their awards.
“We are blessed to have him (Robert Higginbotham) in Mississippi and in Winston County,” said Taylor.
Higginbotham , a member of National Wild Turkey Federation since the early 1980s, currently serves as the vice president of the NWTF Board of Directors. He was on the Mississippi State NWTF Chapter board of directors from 1992 until he was elected to the national board of directors in 2008. Higginbotham served two terms as vice president of the Mississippi Chapter and also served as president. He has played key roles in conservation efforts of the NWTF as well as promoted conservation and hunting throughout the state and nation.
Higginbotham explained that hunting with his grandfather when he was younger spurred his role in conservation.
“My grandfather taught me to hunt and told me once just because we are doing this today does not mean we will always be able to do this,” said Higginbotham.
Higginbotham understood that if he did not get involved in conservation efforts that those times of someone learning from a grandparent the joys of the outdoors and of hunting would be gone.
“We (NWTF) are not turkey hunters. We are conservationist for all animals and all of the outdoors,” said Higginbotham.
Higginbotham felt humbled to be recognized for work in conservation and noted that it was so many persons working together for conservation that made it successful.
“I am incredibly humbled to be recognized. It is so important to preserve our hunting heritage and help all of nature. This award really recognizes all the volunteers and all those involved in our conservation efforts,” said Higginbotham.
Cuz Strickland: The senior vice president for television and related media at Mossy Oak launched the company’s first broadcast television offerings with Mossy Oak's Hunting the Country on The Nashville Network (TNN) in 1995. He has written three books of humor and instruction on turkey hunting, and in 2010 was recognized as the National Wild Turkey Federation's (NWTF) Communicator of the Year.
The mission of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks is to conserve and enhance Mississippi’s wildlife, fisheries, and parks, provide quality outdoor recreation, and engage the public in natural resource conservation.
