ILDNR Officer Receives NWTF Wildlife Officer of the Year Award

“Winning this award means a lot to me,” McKune said. “It makes the hard work worth it, and I want to give a shout out to my co-workers, because what I do wouldn't be possible without them.”

McKune received the NWTF’s Wildlife Officer of the Year Award at the 50th annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show, sponsored by Mossy Oak.

The Wildlife Officer of the Year Award is given to individuals who have excelled and demonstrated exceptional performance in the following areas: teamwork and innovation, attitude and leadership, and achievements and accomplishments.

McKune possesses the highest determination and drive to pursue those who violate Illinois Fish and Wildlife recreational laws. She has made multiple turkey cases in 2025, which are among the most difficult cases to make. McKune’s self-initiated turkey cases spanned five different counties during Illinois’ month-long turkey season. During that same period, she also cited fish snaggers, issued park violations, took several individuals into custody who had outstanding arrest warrants, issued DUI arrests and more.

McKune has only been a game warden for five years and has already built a great relationship with the public and has received several compliments and praises from the Illinois State Police and county sheriff departments.

She has also worked with Arizona Fish and Game on a dual residency mule deer case and the Missouri Fish and Game on a deer poaching case. In the spring of 2025, she worked with the Florida Fish and Game to make a case against individuals from Florida who illegally harvested a wild turkey and two deer in Washington County. The suspect, an individual from Florida, did not have a valid turkey permit, hunting license or habitat stamp.

She is enthusiastic about her job and conveys unmistakable motivation to her peers and the public. Her professionalism is unmatched, and it is apparent when she deals with the public during enforcement.

McKune spends countless hours teaching young sportsmen and women about the department and how to be good stewards of the land. She spent time at NWTF events doing skeet shoots and archery ranges. She attended an Earth Day event where over 2,000 kids went through her education trailer and learned about hunting, trapping and conservation.

At one of her presentations, McKune was approached by a 10-year-old girl who admired her. The next day, McKune went to the young girl’s school and escorted her to class in full uniform to stop other kids from bullying her.

In all, CPO McKune issued 27 citations and 18 written warnings related to the turkey cases in 2025. McKune does all this while juggling motherhood of her beautiful one year old.

“Amanda's love for the wild turkey and conservation is evident in her diligent work catching poachers and those who do not follow the laws that ensure the sustainability of our natural resources,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “Whether it is tracking one of her multiple turkey cases, catching fish poachers or issuing park violations, Amanda’s work ethic represents a staunch reverence for our natural resources. We are proud to honor her with the prestigious 2026 Wildlife Officer of the Year Award.”

About the National Wild Turkey Federation 

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 25 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Since 2022, the NWTF has also invested over $2.3 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $22 million to guide the management of the wild turkey and to ensure sustainable populations. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale to deliver healthy forests and wildlife habitats, clean and abundant water, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF is committed to creating a nation united by the life-changing power of the outdoors.