Maxton businessman Carl B. Clark has been presented the District 4 Hunter Safety Education Instructor of the Year award for his service.

The award was given by North Carolina Wildlife Commission Representative Kevin Crabtree at an appreciation dinner for District 4 members held Nov. 1 at Haynes Stone Cabin on Smyrna Church Road outside Laurinburg.

"Mr. Clark has been a volunteer Hunter Education instructor for 16 years and teaches the Hunter Education courses we offer in Scotland County," Crabtree said. "He has a good relationship with the local officer and works well with the enforcement staff. Mr. Clark consistently speaks of his main reason for being involved in Hunter Education is for the youth; he understands the importance of involving the next generation in hunting."

Clark, who received a Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun with the engraving of the Wildlife Commission diamond logo and bore the inscription "District 4 Hunter Ed. Instructor of the Year", was happy to have received the award.

"This was a very nice honor, and I am happy to have received this gift as an award," Clark said.

Owner of Maxton Supply Hardware Company for the past 12 years, Clark is also a member of the Laurinburg Optimist Club.

The successful completion of a hunter safety education course is necessary before a citizen can obtain a state hunting license, according to Crabtree.

"Unless an individual possessed a hunting license prior to July 1, 1991, a hunter safety course is a mandatory prerequisite to obtaining a license today," he said. "Mr. Clark, like numerous hunter safety education instructors throughout the state, volunteer their time and resources to offer this free service to the public."

Classes are held once a month in the Scotland county region during the months of August through December.

For information about the course schedule and how to register, visit www.ncwildlife.org.

Each year the North Carolina Wildlife Commission awards the Hunter Safety Education Instructor of the Year to a person in each district of the state. District 4 covers nine different counties in the southeastern region of North Carolina, including Scotland and Robeson Counties.