Clear, 65° F
Dave saddled up for one last ride into the backcountry on Dec. 13, 2025. Born in Davenport, Iowa, in 1937, he grew up in the nearby small town of LeClaire. At 18, he left Iowa to follow his dream of living in the Rocky Mountain West. Dave moved to Jackson, Wyoming, where he got his first job with the U.S. Forest Service and learned backcountry horsemanship. He was later hired by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and started his 35-year career as a Wyoming game warden in Jackson.
After serving assignments elsewhere in the state, he spent 21 years as the Cody warden. During his time as a game warden, Dave was named Wyoming’s 1973 Wildlife Officer of the Year by Shikar Safari Club International. He also served as a past-president and lifetime member of both the Wyoming Game Wardens Association and the Wyoming Peace Officers Association.
A Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy graduate, Dave briefly studied forestry before earning a degree in police science from Central Wyoming College. In 1990, with special recognition from the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association, he retired from the Wyoming Game and Fish and moved with his wife of 62 years, Germaine, to their farm near Powell, where they established a 6-acre wetland and enjoyed watching the wildlife.
In his retirement, Dave continued his work in conservation. He served as the president of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation and was a member of the National Wildlife Federation for many years. In 1999, he published a book, “Wild Journey,” which chronicled his career as a game warden. Dave was inducted into the Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame in 2012, his proudest professional recognition. Dave truly loved Wyoming and its wildlife and wild spaces. Survivors include Germaine and his children, Cheryl Vukelich, Brian, Scott and their families.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, at the Cody Auditorium. Please join the family for a lunch following the service.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite conservation organization on Dave’s behalf.
