SOUTH DAKOTA DEPT. OF GAME, FISH AND PARKS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, April 15, 2005
CONTACT: Emmett Keyser, 773-4607
Schuurmans Completes Career With Game, Fish and Parks
PIERRE, S.D. -- Bob Schuurmans, the Wildlife Division's Turn In Poachers (TIPS) Coordinator and Training Officer recently retired from the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks after 32 years of service to the people and wildlife of South Dakota.
"Bob came to Game, Fish and Parks during the early 1970s," said Regional Law Specialist Dave Wicks of Watertown. "I was the unofficial training officer for the Wildlife Division with six trainees in the training program, one of whom was Bob Schuurmans. Bob was also only one of the three who completed the program, and as we know, made a 30-plus-year career out of his training. He was a good student, was willing to learn and was always ready for action."
Regional Wildlife Manager John Wrede of Rapid City worked many assignments throughout the years with Schuurmans. "Bob is one of those persons you want to have with you no matter what you did," Wrede said. "He was a great mentor, was always supportive, covered all assignments and responsibilities with a smile, took his job seriously, yet always made any assignment more fun. He also had insight and advice that constantly proved to be true."
Schuurmans came from a farm background and started with GFP as a land crew foreman in Mobridge in 1974. From there, he moved to Watertown in 1975 as a Conservation Officer (CO) trainee for Codington County, where he trained for six months until a full-time CO position opened in Redfield.
"The department went through a massive reorganization in 1977," Wrede noted, "and everyone had to apply for their position or for a different one. Bob applied and received the CO position in Yankton and worked there through March of 1990 until the Turn In Poachers (TIPs) program was made full-time and was moved to Pierre from Rapid City. Bob applied for and was selected as the TIPs coordinator and relocated to Pierre in March of 1990."
Wrede added that Schuurmans also volunteered for and took on the responsibility as the department’s training and civil damage officer. "Bob literally developed our training program from the start, which involved lots of research and travel to other states for ideas and information," he said. "Once established, he helped coordinate the training, background screening and many other duties the training position demanded. Bob brought many good ideas to the department’s training program, and we wouldn’t have the quality program that we do today without him, his time and dedication. That best summarizes the kind of person Bob is."
"Bob has been a real advocate for improving training and equipment for our conservation officers," said Emmett Keyser, assistant wildlife division director. "He has been a real "go-getter" in making sure our conservation officer training staff had the best and most up-to-date information available to them as they worked to make sure our officers returned home safe and sound to their families after each work day."
Bob received several awards over the years, which include:
"Bob had always wanted to be a game warden as a little boy, and he fulfilled that dream,’ said his wife Jean. "He was always very proud of his work, dedicated to his job and tried to make it the best it could be. He always tried to be fair in his decision making. As a training officer he supported the officers in the field and tried to ensure they had the best equipment and training available to make their jobs easier."
When not working, one can find Bob either out fishing, hunting or flying his radio controlled airplanes.
The Schuurmans have two children - their son Paul and his wife and son live in Shakopee, MN, and their daughter Mary and her husband live in Harrisburg, S.D.
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