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The 52nd annual Nebraska One Box Pheasant Hunt is just around the corner - Nov. 1 - 3 - in Broken Bow. This year seven new teams will take part in the hunt.
Among those participating are the Nebraska Lieutenant Governor Rick Sheehy, who will captain the VIP team. That team also includes the Director of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Jim Douglas.
Jon Koncak, an Olympic gold medalist and former NBA player, will hunt with the Nebraska Team.
The Nebraska One Box Pheasant Hunt is dedicated to improving the quality of life in Central Nebraska by promoting fellowship among sportsmen and supporting the creation of habitat for wildlife. The organization has also been instrumental in funding scholarships for local youth and for the creation of the One Box Gun Club.
As for the hunt itself, the first Nebraska One Box Pheasant Hunt was held in 1961. The organizers designed the hunt as a vehicle to attract people to Broken Bow. Since that time, the hunt has evolved into one of the country’s finest hunts.
The Pheasant Hunt is based on team competition. Each year, seven 5-man teams compete and are allowed only one box of shells (25).
Over the years, our community has been honored to have hosted a wide variety of dignitaries, celebrities, artists, astronauts and athletes who have participated in the hunt. Please check out the website at www.nebraskaonebox.com for a schedule of events.
Teams participating in this year’s hunt include:
Colorado Connection
Captain: Jim Lindberg, M.D.; Jim is a practicing Orthopedic Surgeon in Denver, Colo., since 1981. He is also an avid sporting clays shooter, bird hunter, salt and fresh water fly fisherman, and an average golfer. He is a Past One Box Pheasant Hunt new shooter and Captain of the 2012 Colorado Connection Team. Jim is also a member of multiple Shoot & Shout dove hunt teams.
Chris Higgins, age 50 of Highlands Ranch, Colo., is a geologist and owner of Higgins and Associates, LLC. Chris grew up hunting deer and elk on the western slopes of Colorado. He is an avid pheasant and quail hunter. He is also interested in fly fishing and sporting clays. He is a NSCA Master Class competitive shooter and a level 1 NSCA certified instructor. He is also the President of the Colorado Sporting Clays Association.
L.F. “Butch” Peede, Jr of. Parker, Colo., was born and raised in south Georgia. He has owned his own private practice in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Denver, Colo., since 1976. His grandfather and father were devoted quail hunters and he started at the age of three tagging along. Butch is an avid outdoorsman, bird hunter, clay shooter, fly fisherman, horseman, photographer, and dog trainer (amateur).
Joe Phillips, Aurora, Colo., is a native of Colorado. He enjoys spending time above 6000 ft hunting, fishing, camping, snowmobiling, and ATVing to the top of the mountains for fresh air. The love of the outdoors is what brought him to his favorite passion, sporting clays. He became a life member of the NSCA in 1995, and if he could he would shoot everyday of the year. He does try and shoot every weekend that he can, so that he can continue to gain knowledge and skill with the goal to win the National Championship. He says he is truly honored to be a participant in this year’s One Box Pheasant Hunt.
Warren Watson is the owner of Warren Watson School of Shot gunning since 1996. He is currently teaching at Quail Run near Denver, Colo.
P.I.C. Team
Captain: Doug Carlson, Omaha. Doug raised on a farm at Laurel, where his family owned and operated a 3,000 head feed yard. In 1983 an opportunity for a fulltime position with PIC was presented and he has been with PIC since June of 1983 and has held several positions with the company. Currently he is an account manager for the PIC supply chain in Nebraska and Kansas. Other interests include gardening, BBQ, and spending time with his grandkids. He has been married to Jean for 35 years and they have three children and six grandchildren.
Jonathon Hoek, DeMotte, Ind., was raised as a son of school teachers in the south suburbs of Chicago. He was inspired to agriculture by his grandfather at an early age. In 1986, he graduated with honors from Joliet Junior College with a degree in swine management.
Since graduation he has owned and managed a 550 sow farrow to finish operation from 1987-1997. In 1997, he divested the business and took a position with the Belstra Milling Co., Inc in the area of Animal Husbandry Strategy. Other interests are an active involvement in Christian school and church boards, and is currently President of Devine Hope Reformed Bible Seminary. He has been married to Laureen for 25 years and has four children and one grandchild. He enjoys hunting, travel, and reading business and reformed theology works.
Greg Wilke, Ainsworth, was born on a family farm near Columbus. Once he went into business of his own, he focused on swine breeding stock. He currently supplies breeding stock for 20,000 sows which produces 500,000 pigs. Over time he has focused on developing wildlife habitat, planting over 30,000 trees. He enjoys the outdoors and providing habitat for wildlife. He was a board member of the lower Platte Natural Resource for 12 years. He is currently a board member on Middle Niobrara Natural Resource District in Valentine.
John Glidden, Ainsworth, enjoys all types of hunting, from waterfowl or upland game, to archery deer and elk. He is on a team that hunts in the Sandhills Sharptail Shootout in
Mullen. They won the hunt in 1999, 2010, and 2011.
Art Sauder is the founder of Livestock Services in Great Bend, Kan. LSI is a swine production company focused on weanling pig through finishing production, specializing in replacement gilt development for the leading genetic supplier in the industry, PIC. A graduate of Oklahoma State University, Suader has been “waiting for next year” for 34 years. Coming to Broken Bow brings back memories of growing up in the ranching country of northern Nevada.
Nebraska Team
Captain: Thomas McCaslin, Broken Bow, is a true native of Custer County. Thomas was born and raised in Broken Bow, and even at a young age, he was always interested in the outdoors and spent much of his time hunting or working on the family ranch. In 2002, he married his best friend Anne, and together they have two daughters, Kenna, age 8 and Halle, age 6. Both girls love spending time outside, especially at the family ranch.
Thomas has worked in sales in Broken Bow since graduating college in 2000, and became the Dealer Principal at Gateway Motors in 2006. In 2000, Thomas was a guide for the Shoot N Shout, as well as a past shooter guide for the Nebraska One Box Pheasant Hunt. Over the years he has also been a scorekeeper, and he and Anne hosted a new team in 2003. In 2008 Thomas and Anne became Nebraska One Box Pheasant Hunt board members and were the chair people in 2011.
Co-Captain Dave McCulley has over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry, and holds licenses for securities and insurance. He has designed software for the financial planning industry and taught courses in the use of computer modeling tools for financial planning professionals. Dave is past president of the Rotary Club of Duluth (Georgia), a Rotary Foundation Benefactor, and a Paul Harris Fellow. He has served on numerous boards for community, non-profit, and civic organizations. He is a life member of the River Bend Gun Club where he competes in recreational shooting events. Dave is an avid outdoorsman, favoring Italian shotguns, American, single shot rifles, and fishing with light tackle.
Larry Towner - Manager for the Riverbend Gun Club (Georgia) - A sporting enthusiast since the mid 1970s, Larry enjoys hunting deer, pheasant, ruffed grouse, waterfowl, woodcock, pronghorn antelope, and coyotes, with either a rifle, shotgun, or bow. A saltwater fishing enthusiast, he particularly likes flats fishing for bonefish, tarpon, permit, trout or redfish. He also enjoys offshore fishing for sailfish, dolphin, and tuna. Self employed most of his career, he specializes in marketing and operations.
Jon Koncak attended Southern Methodist University (SMU). He was an All American selection in 1983-84 and 1984-85. He is one of two players in SMU history to have his jersey retired and be inducted into their athletic Hall of Fame. He was an Olympic Gold Medalist in mens basketball in the 1984 Olymplic Games. He was the fifth pick in the 1985 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. He played with the Hawks for 10 years, before signing with the Orlando Magic. He is an avid outdoorsman.
Joe Books was born and raised in Broken Bow, and currently resides in Cozad, with wife Gwen, and two sons Riley and Chandler. He is a conductor for Union Pacific Railroad, and has been hunting with his grandfathers and father from the time he was a small child. He has participated in air rifle and small bore competitions, and also guided large game for United States Outfitters.
VIP Team
Captain: Rick Sheehy, Lt Gov of Nebraska, was appointed Lieutenant Governor by Nebraska’s 39th Governor Dave Heineman, and was sworn into office Jan. 24, 2005. His experience as a local elected official and as a paramedic made him uniquely suited for the responsibility of coordinating Nebraska’s statewide homeland security efforts. Sheehy has a long history of public service. He was twice elected Mayor of Hastings beginning in 2000. Before becoming Mayor, he served six years on the Hastings City Council, including four years as president of the council. He has two grown children, Maggie, who is studying at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Joel who is a graduate from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
James N Douglas- Director for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, is a 38-year career veteran with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC), and assumed the mantle of agency director in April 2012. Prior to his post, he held several key positions with NGPC, including serving as Chief of the Resource Services Division, Administrator of the Wildlife Division and most recently as Deputy Director of the agency.
Douglas has held a number of leadership positions with non-government conservation organizations as well, and has served as chairman of several key boards. Douglas enjoys hunting all sorts of game animals and fishing, as well as other outdoor pursuits.
Sam Sampson is the founder and President of Sampson Construction in Lincoln. All Sam wants to do is hunt and fish in Nebraska. He enjoys chasing all types of species, but he really loves to hunt pheasants and Canada Geese. He has helped with numerous projects with Pheasants Forever, as well as habitat work on his own land. He is a Life Member of Pheasants Forever and served on the State Counsel. He also volunteers and donates to help with many Nebraska Game and Parks related projects each year.
Grand National Waterfowl Slot -- Randy White
Michael Williams, Deerfield Beach, Fla., is the son-in-law of Past Shooter and long time supporter Nick Newen’s. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in the suburb of Strongsville, about 20 minutes south of downtown. After high school, he spent six years in the Navy as a Nuclear Electrician’s Mate, the last four of those aboard the USS Key West (SSN-722), a Los Angeles Class fast attack submarine. It was in the Navy that his interest in firearms grew, after earning an Expert Medal for both pistol and rifle. He first shot clays during a visit to his in-laws a few years back and really enjoyed it. So, when his father-in-law asked him if he would be interested in being nominated for this years VIP team his response was a resounding “yes!”
Team Aurora
Captain, David Baker Charlotte, NC, has been a lifelong bird hunter from the time he followed his father around the mountains of Western North Carolina carrying the bird bag. David is part of a second generation club in South Carolina that hosts an annual Labor Day Dove hunt for over 100 guns. David is a member of DU, Pheasants Forever, the NRA, Delta Waterfowl, and NCSA. David graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is co-owner of Aurora Management Partners, and corporate restructuring firm.
David Lankewicz, has lived in Hickory, NC raising a family for the last 22 years. He became an avid sportsman while growing up in the ocean, bay, and bayous of Mobile, Ala. After attending Auburn University, he served our country as a US Naval Officer for six years. Since then, he has been involved in high tech industries with fiber optics and batteries. Currently, David is the Global Purchasing Director for Saft Batteries, the world leader for manufacture of batteries for the space, defense, and energy storage markets. While enjoying all outdoor activities, David loves to bird hunt. He has been traveling to Nebraska in the fall for the last 35 years to pheasant and duck hunt.
Bill Medearis is a native Charlottean, and like a majority of southerners enjoys hunting and fishing, traditions past down through generations. As a young boy, Bill spent most Saturdays at the shooting range with his dad, an amateur trap shooter. If dove were in season father and son were in the field. One week each season is reserved for an outer banks trip with friends in hopes of bagging geese, swan and diving ducks. Bill and group friends have extended the season for the last several years hunting in Saskatchewan then moving the trip to Argentina combining water fowl and upland hunts. This will be Bill’s first trip to Nebraska.
Mike Lukas, Mobile, Ala., is an avid outdoorsman and is blessed to live in Mobile, where he can pursue his sporting passions on land and in the Gulf of Mexico. After attending the University of South Alabama and obtaining his residential building license, Mike started hi own contracting business Lukas Construction Inc. over 20 years ago.Mike and David Lankewicz grew up together hunting and fishing under the tutelage of Mike’s father, Andy Lukas. Andy brought both of them to Nebraska 35 years ago and introduced them to pheasant hunting.
Robert Mason, Charlotte, NC, was born in Charlotte and has spent all of his childhood and most of his adult life there after graduating from the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University. Today, Robert is President and CEO of R.E. Mason Company, an industrial automation services and engineering business, serving the process industries on the Carolinas and Virginia. Hunting and fishing with family and friends is where Robert prefers to spend his free time year round.
Nebraska Bird Hunters
Captain: Russ Strehle, was born in Columbus, and after graduation began work in the commercial construction industry. In 1992, Russ began to contract homes in the Columbus area. In 2008 Russ started a second business that sells building materials to area Contractors. Russ attended his first One Box Hunt in 2007 with Dann Smith as his captain. Russ is a member of the NRA and is always trying to make more time in his life to enjoy hunting.
Greg Coulter was born in Fargo, ND, and lived in the Midwest for most of his life. He has hunted birds in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Colorado, Canada. He moved to Broken Bow in 1986, and began working with BD. Then he moved to Tavistock, England; Kinnelon, New Jersey, and now Columbus, Nebr., all with BD. Last years duck season was especially great as he had three generations of Coulter’s in one duck blind for two days of limits on Mallards.
Mike Drinnin grew up and worked on the family farm near Columbus with his mother and father, which he currently owns and operates with his wife Beth, Drinnin Feedlots Inc. Three years ago Mike and Beth leased a feedlot near Palmer, that operates as Drinnin West Cattle Company. Mike has been very active in the Nebraska Cattlemen Organization serving as Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and Board Member. Hunting upland birds, turkey, waterfowl, deer, elk, and fishing have been his love since he was able to handle a gun.
Russ Krings grew up on a farm near Creston, and after attending UNL, he returned home to raise hogs and row crop farm with his father. In 1992 Russell and his wife Kerry moved to Saint Louis, Mo., where he worked for the Missouri Turf Company. In 1996 they returned to Nebraska where he has since worked in the construction industry. Russell enjoys all types of hunting from elk hunting with archery equipment to upland bird hunting. He is a member of the NRA, RMEF, Pheasants Forever and the Huntin' Fool.
Royal Flush
Captain: Josh Sewell - Former Husker and Denver Bronco. Josh currently plays for Team Alabama of the All American Football League. He was the first selection by Team Alabama in the 1st round at the 6th overall pick in the 2008 AAFL Draft. Sewell was part of a Lincoln Southeast High School football team that took consecutive state titles in 1997 and 1998, playing both defense (nose tackle) and offense (offensive guard) while earning all-city and all-state honors to accompany his Class A heavyweight powerlifting championship. He committed to Indiana State, redshirting for his freshman season of 1999, and ultimately played only one season, 2000, before transferring to the University of Nebraska and sitting out the 2001 season in compliance of NCAA transfer eligibility rules. He resumed in 2002 as a junior, playing in five games as a reserve center. A productive senior season saw Sewell start all 13 Cornhusker games and earn honorable mention All-Big 12 and second-team academic All-Big 12 honors.
Dick Thompson Jr., was born in Pottstown, Penn., where he joined his father in the real estate business. After a career as a real estate broker and developer, he has joined the ranks of the “semi-retired” in Florida. Currently, he is a certified residential real estate appraiser in Ft. Myers, Fla. He enjoys fishing and following pro football. He is married and has two grandchildren.
Rick Thompson M.D. attended the University of Pennsylvainia for undergrad where he played on the Ivy league champion rugby team. He finished with a Doctor of Medicine from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1999. He was in private practice in Lancaster, Penn., for four years as Director of Thoracic Surgery at Lancaster General Hospital before arriving in Lincoln last year. Currently, he is Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Bryan Heart Institute, Division Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Bryan/LGH Medical Center, and Director of the Ventricular Assist Device Program at Bryan Hospital. Rick is joined in this years hunt by his Dad.
Tim Tewes - bio not available.
David Neil was born, raised, and educated in Tennessee. His life was changed dramatically in 2003, while being the solo anesthesia provider on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The first organized hunt for David was for pheasants in Presho SD. Now he hunts pheasants, grouse, turkey, ducks, geese, elk, deer, bear, and most any varmint. During his travels, Highway 2 and Broken Bow’s Arrow Hotel have became a haven away from home more than a few times.