Dr. Josh Millspaugh, Boone and Crockett Club Professor of Wildlife Conservation at the University of Montana, Missoula, has been awarded the 2019 Excellence in Elk Country - Wildlife Research/Biologist Award from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF).

Dr. Millspaugh is the Endowed Chair of the Club's wildlife conservation program at the university, part of a nationwide program the Club has established at major universities. The award honors an individual scientist or wildlife biologist whose career has demonstrated desire and dedication to benefit the scientific management of elk or elk habitat. 

"The honor is well deserved," said James L. Cummins, the Boone and Crockett Club's vice president of conservation. "Anyone who knows or has worked with Josh has seen his tireless commitment to wildlife and his students. I don't know anyone who dedicates their lives to conservation who thinks about awards. They all just suit up and get to work, and Josh is a worker."

Millspaugh has been leading the RMEF sponsored research to look at the Foundation's habitat enhancement treatments projects and their effect on vegetation, elk use, and resident bird use and pollinator prevalence before and after treatments with two graduate students. 

"We are very pleased to recognize Josh with this award," said Blake Henning, RMEF's Chief Conservation Officer.  "Josh has been conducting elk research for many years and in many different places including Missouri, Kentucky, South Dakota and Montana.  With more than 200 articles authored or co-authored on wildlife related topics, he is a most worthy recipient."

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is committed to elk and elk country having conserved more than 7.4 million acres for elk and other wildlife. The Foundation works to open and improve public access, fund and advocate for science-based resource management, and ensure the future of America's hunting heritage.

The Boone and Crockett Club has Fellowship Programs at nine major universities, established to harness the power of human resources, facilitate partnerships with natural resource agencies, and sustain well-define research that benefit diverse ecological and social settings.