Dad gifts son lifetime membership

This year, one TWS member got the gift of a lifetime: Mike Gutzmer gave his son, Seth Gutzmer, a perpetual membership to TWS. The two are a father-son pair who have worked together since Seth was a child.

Seth, 28, always had a sense that he would follow in his father’s footsteps and work in the outdoors. “From a young age, I not only hunted and fished alongside him but also worked with him in the field, surveying wildlife, fish and plant communities,” Seth said. “Pursuing a profession in wildlife feels like a natural extension of how I was raised.”

Now, Seth works for Idaho Fish and Game as a regional wildlife biologist-landowner sportsman coordinator in the state’s Clearwater region. In his role, Seth builds relationships between the agency and private landowners to promote conservation.

Seth’s father, Mike, 68, also knew from childhood where he wanted to work. “I told my dad when I was five or six that I wanted to work with nature,” Mike said. The father grew up in eastern Nebraska, where he raised Seth and his three siblings. Mike now lives in Buckeye, Arizona, and works in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains with the consulting company he founded in 2007, New Century Environmental LLC. Mike received TWS’ 2020 Special Recognition Service Award for his contributions to the field and was named a TWS fellow in 2024.

Mike first became a TWS member in 2012 while working with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other Great Plains Tribes. Tasked with setting harvest limits and controlling disease, Mike wanted to be more connected to wildlife professionals across the country to ensure he was working at the cutting edge of wildlife management.

Seth first joined TWS in 2020 after encouragement from his father. “I have always appreciated the variety of articles and information TWS offers, which helps new and veteran professionals learn, grow and stay informed about current issues and developments in the natural resources field,” Seth said. Growing up in Nebraska, Seth said there were relatively few Certified Wildlife Biologists® around. “Becoming one was a goal I aspired to from an early age,” he said. Seth is currently an Associate Wildlife Biologist and is working toward his CWB certification.

Mike wanted to ensure that cost wasn’t a barrier for Seth, now or into the future. Mike said the gift was his way of showing Seth that involvement in professional societies is vital for a thriving career in wildlife biology. “It is a long journey, and you want to take every opportunity you can to learn as much as you can,” Mike said.

Seth is grateful for the membership and is looking forward to his future in the field. “This gift means a great deal to me not only because it supports my passion for wildlife and the natural resources field, but also because my journey with TWS began alongside my father,” Seth said. “Ultimately, I see TWS as a long-term professional home that will help me stay connected, informed and engaged as I work to conserve wildlife and support the next generation of wildlife professionals.”