Austin was an accomplished, passionate hunter. That passion, combined with his many experiences in the field around other accomplished hunters and managers, facilitated his becoming a true steward of natural resources. It is this transition that Austin experienced that’s the true essence of the foundation.

When Austin was 5 years old, he began traveling everywhere with me. He visited dozens of hunting camps, met hundreds of people who shared his passion for hunting and the outdoors, and spent time soaking in knowledge from those he met. He spent time around people from all backgrounds of life, with varying degrees of education, and he learned from them all. Because he was always with me, and therefore always around someone that relied on the science that underlies stewardship and management, Austin trusted science. He trusted what he saw implemented based on proven methods, and he embraced the process of managing land to benefit wildlife species. Austin knew that if management and science served as the foundation of his hunting passion, then he’d have opportunities to be successful as a hunter. That knowledge came from experiences, and those experiences came from opportunities that Austin took full advantage of from both a hunting and learning perspective.

– Dr. Michael Chamberlain, Founder