Ronald Weaner, of Biglerville, Adams County, was welcomed as the newest member of the Board of Game Commissioners at this week’s meeting, making this the first time since June of 2006 that the Board has been seated with its full complement of eight members.

District 6 is comprised of Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Mifflin, Lebanon, Lancaster, Perry, Snyder and York counties.

"I have been interested in the workings of the Game Commission for most of my adult life and feel that my varied wildlife-related experiences will enable me to serve on the Board," Weaner said. "I have been a lifelong hunter and a student of the Game Commission. My teaching emphasis in recent years has been wildlife management and forestry. Working with FFA members, in wildlife management related activities, has given me insight into hunter retention and youth recruitment. I have been a full-time dairy farmer for many years and understand a farmer's perspective on wildlife management and related issues. Also, being a local school board member has prepared me for a position with an organization such as the Pennsylvania Game Commission."

After graduating from Penn State with a degree in Agriculture Education, Weaner taught vocational agriculture in Snyder County for five years. Following that, he moved to Lancaster County and taught for two years.

In 1985, Weaner joined his father's dairy farming operation in Adams County and was a full-time dairy farmer for more than 10 years.

In 1996, after the dairy herd was sold, Weaner resumed teaching agriculture in York County. During his teaching career, he has taught courses in hunter responsibility, wildlife management and forestry, along with other traditional agriculture science and agriculture mechanics courses in grades seven through 12. In recent years, the wildlife management and forestry courses have been his prime area of interest.

"My classes work each year with the Game Commission and local sportsmen's groups, planting trees and wildlife foods on the State Game Lands near our school," Weaner said. "I have attended the Safari Club International's American Wilderness Leadership School in Wyoming, and have sent several students to the same program over the years. My Dover High School students have participated in the Youth Hunter Education Challenge program at the Scotia Range many times over the last ten years."

Weaner noted that Dover is one of the only public schools in Pennsylvania to sponsor a YHEC team, and has a very active FFA chapter that competes each year in local and state wildlife management Career Development Events.

Weaner has been the chairman of the state level CDE for at least eight years. During this time, he worked closely with Game Commission personnel at the state and regional levels, as well as local Wildlife Conservation Officers.

In the fall of 2006, Weaner completed a half-year sabbatical leave from teaching. His educational plan included more than one week of time working directly with Game Commission personnel in a variety of learning activities.

"I worked with the deer research team in Perry County, trapping and tracking deer," Weaner said. "I did a ride-along with the Cumberland County WCO for a few days, and spent time with foresters and land managers evaluating several local State Game Lands.

"These experiences gave me a much better understanding of Game Commission's operations and wildlife management techniques. I now have more wildlife management background and instruction materials to share with my students."

In 2002, Weaner was named the York County Conservation Educator of the Year by the York County Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs. He was appointed to the Wildlife Management Unit 5A deer management Citizen Advisory Committee, and began serving in February.

Weaner is a life member of the NRA and a member of Quality Deer Management Association. While living in Gettysburg, he served as a Gettysburg School Board member for 16 years, including a term as board president.

6/27/2008