SIC outdoor program to feature world-traveling field guide Jordan Hammersley

HARRISBURG - The Outfitter Wildlife Management, or OWL, program has been in the works for a while at Southeastern Illinois College, and it has finally come to fruition.

SIC will offer a one-year certificate program beginning in August.

Head trapshooting coach Jordan Hammersley, a native of Eldorado, will be teaching the OWL courses. Classes include wildlife business basics, hunting education, guiding in the outdoors, habitat and food plot installation, big game management, freshwater fishing and more. An advisory council of outdoor professionals guides the curriculum and students can choose to take an externship course with potential industry employers after completion of the certificate.

Career opportunities for the OWL certificate include fish and game warden, hunting or fishing/outfitting guide, outdoor recreation manager, range manager and travel guide among others. Employers in these fields include hunting resorts, outfitter companies, guide service companies, shooting sports facilities and more. The program also prepares budding outdoor entrepreneurs to start their own companies.

Over the past 14 years, Hammersley has been traveling the world as a field guide, starting out in Illinois and moving on to Colorado, Alaska, Africa and other locations. Prior to that, he worked as a wildlife biologist with a focus on endangered species research. Now he's made his home back in southern Illinois and is taking on a new career to build up the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts as the instructor for the SIC OWL program.

"Outfitting, wildlife, and conservation jobs are a booming industry, and have been for quite some time," Hammersley says. "In my courses, you'll learn how to become guides, conservation police, and wildlife biologists in a hands-on fashion that makes school exciting."

Hammersley has also revived the college's coed trapshooting team, rebranded the SIC Clay Breakers. All 2019-20 SIC trapshooting team members qualified for the Grand American World Trapshooting Championships in Sparta, before the cancellation due to COVID-19. The team still has some open spots for fall with scholarship incentives available.

For more information about the OWL program or the SIC Clay Breakers trapshooting team, visit www.sic.edu/owl or contact Hammersley at Jordan.hammersley@sic.edu or (618) 252-5400, ext. 2383. Appointments can now be made for registering in-person by emailing advising@sic.edu. Walk-ins are currently not accepted.