Kovar's Native Programs

Check out Judy's Oct 2005 New P&Y Buck (Number 9)

Meet Judy Kovar - one of bowhunting's greastest ambassadors. She annually influences hundreds of thousands of school children - and - others - with a strong archery, bowhunting and conservation.

For several years now, archery industry leaders have voiced concern that bowhunting is no longer experiencing the great increases in participation it enjoyed during the 80's and early 90's. They say more young people need to be recruited into archery, and hunting of all types. Recent industry studies imply that when older bowhunters leave the sport, the entry of new, younger archers does not come close to replacing their numbers. Age, they say is catching up with archery. The average age of bowhunting participants is increasing at an alarming rate.

Kovar addresses these industry concerns. Through her imaginative program, Kovar reaches the young and impressionable segment of the American population with a pro-hunting and conservation message. And she succeeds using a very unique method.

It is well known among sportsmen and hunting organizations that young people are often bombarded with anti-hunting propaganda. Often-in-school and regularly on television. Kovar uses her Native American heritage to present her pro-hunting seminar and message to young people. As a Northern plains Cheyenne and a granddaughter of a Northern Cheyenne medicine man Kovar tells young people about the great respect that Native Americans have always exhibited for wildlife and the environment. She expertly transforms a history lesson into a hunting conservation and archery advertisement.

Kovar wears her traditional white elk hide dress as she begins her presentation to groups of wide-eyed school children. Following her presentation the kids are given a "hands-on" opportunity touching skins, hides, bows, arrows, pelts, furs as well as bone tools, needles, flint and steel arrowheads and other late 1800's primitave tools. Often when schools are close to Kovar's home range, she includes full body animal mounts.

Kovar's approach has attracted the attention of major archery manufacturing and hunting organizations. She has received financial support in the form of grants from the Pope and Young Club since 1993 through 2004. The Foundation For North American Big Game, 1993 and 1995. She is also furthered supported by sponsorship by Martin Archery, Scent-Lok, Predator/ clothing, Double Bull Archery, and local archery clubs and private individuals.

Though she's been a hunter practically her entire life, Kovar took up bowhunting in 1985 - upon the suggestion of a man who later became her husband, Herman Kovar. Early in life she learned to stalk animals, read sign, hunt and trap. Also included was the digging of roots and herb for medicine and food.

During her teenage years she helped put game on the table and prepare furs for the market. She continues to practice other Native forms of woodcraft and wildlife conservation from the woods and fields near her home in Hardin, Illinois.

She met Herman while she was employed by the State of Illinois at a turkey checking station. Soon after their first meeting he presented her with a Martin DynaBo and a dozen arrows. Ironically her first bowhunting trophy was a 27-pound gobbler with a 11 1/2 inch beard. During her initial bowhunting season she harvested a doe and small buck. After Oct. 30th 2004, Judy now has EIGHT bucks listed in the Pope and Young record book. She also has the record for the largest mountain lion taken by a bow, by a woman in the State of Montana. She also used her bow to harvest numerous wild turkeys and other game animals.

The months of October, November and December of 2003 saw Judy presenting her heritage presentations to over 48,000 adults and children/students. During the first six months of 2001, Judy Kovar has been a positive influence on more than 150,000 young people during her school programs. In 1997, she toured South Dakota and in 9 days shw saw 7,832 students and adults. For the year 1999 she logged a mind boggling 75,000 miles. Judy started the year 2000 by doing a 6 day school speaking tour in Wisconsin and Minnesota, logging over 1,500 miles. And for the 2001 year, she also did a 9 day tour of Iowa schools planned for late April. She has been a featured speaker at Target Communication's Deer Classics for 1992 through 1995 and again in 2000. She will also be speaking at Target Deer Classics in 2005. February 0f 2001, Judy spoke at the Indiana Deer Classic and in March at the Missouri Deer Classic. In addition, she attends many other sportsman's exhibitions on behalf of archery as a field representative for Martin Archery, Scent-Lok, Predator, Double Bull Blinds. December of 2003, saw Judy officially welcomed into the BOWHUNTER magazine family.

M.R. James, Founder and Editor added Judy as the newest addition to the BOWHUNTER*masthead. Being listed on the BOWHUNTER masthead/contributors list is a big achievement and accomplishment for me. It is indeed a great honor!

While it is impossible to measure the immense impact Judy Kovar has had on archery and bowhunting in a few short years, it is also hard to imagine what it would be like without her. Undoubtedly, as she continues her work. she will have a major influence on the future of archery and bowhunting - which is why so many organizations support her activities.

Without her unique approach, she reaches a very important segment of our population in desperate need of conservation, wildlife and hunting education.