June 12th, 2025 - On April 10th in Phoenix, Arizona, Mike Schlegel was awarded the Lee Gladfelter Memorial Award at the 34th Biennial Pope & Young Club convention. This award recognizes a wildlife professional who, through their efforts, has made a significant contribution to bowhunting and wildlife conservation.
In 1965 Schlegel graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Fish and Wildlife Management. He went on to receive his Master’s Degree in Fish and Wildlife Management from OSU in 1969.
Schlegel’s lengthy career with Idaho Department of Fish & Game started in 1970 when he was a Conservation Officer for ID F&G. In 1971 he became the research biologist assigned to the Lochsa Elk Ecology project. His study on calf elk survival, showing predation by black bears was the major cause of calf mortality, was instrumental in changing elk management in Idaho.
He presented seminars on this research at the University of Idaho, Washington State University, Oregon State University, and the University of Montana. He represented the ID Dept. of F&G on the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Gray Wolf Recovery Team.
Schlegel was the primary ungulate capture biologist for ID F&G, capturing mule deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, antelope, black bear, mountain lion, and caribou in Canada to supplement the caribou herd in northern ID.
From 1983 – 1996 he was promoted to Wildlife Manager in McCall, ID where he monitored all the above species. He retired from ID F&G in 1996 – but – he didn’t retire from wildlife work. Since 1996 Schlegel’s worked for several helicopter companies conducting animal capture projects, worked on a five-year Idaho power dam relicensing project in which he captured and attached transmitter collars on 125 mule deer.
Until 2023 he was a member of the instructor staff for Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow. This organization conducts workshops for college students and professionals in the wildlife field who do not hunt or fish. Also, in 2023 he was a co-author of the book “The Lochsa Elk Herd”.
He began bowhunting in 1954 and has hunted with a bow for 70 years using a longbow, recurve and compound.
Schlegel is a Senior member of Pope & Young (P&Y), a measurer and associate editor for P&Y’s “Ethic” quarterly magazine. He was P&Y Conservation Chair from 2004-2014 and a Board Director from 2019-2020.
He’s a life member of the Professional Bowhunters Society and served on their conservation committee for several years. He’s also a member of Compton Traditional Bowhunters, Idaho State Bowhunters and Idaho Traditional Bowhunters.
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