A person never retires from the activities which are a part of his life. Yet after thirty-five years of leadership roles within the Pope and Young Club, Glenn Hisey has changed the direction of his involvement with the museum he was instrumental in bringing to Chatfield in 2004. It is impossible in writing about Hisey’s retirement to separate him from the Pope and Young Club, which began in 1961.
“Bowhunting involves so much more than most people imagine. The Club really began when Fred Bear acquired and donated an Art Young bow, ‘old
grizzly’. That bow, along with several items belonging to Saxton Pope, Art Young, and other Pioneer Bowhunters, were placed in a 20 x 12 foot museum in the business of Glenn St. Charles,” states Hisey.
Founder and first Pope and Young president, Glenn St. Charles and his son, Joe, put together a private collection of bowhunting memorabilia. “In 1997, the Pope and Young Club purchased half of the collection and the St. Charles Family donated the other half to the Club. The collection continued to grow and be housed in Seattle, Wash., until 2003, when the collection needed to be moved someplace,” says Hisey. “Coincidentally, a building in Chatfield, Minn., became available around that time. We brought in our board of directors and had a meeting with the Chatfield City Council. Through the efforts of then Mayor Greg Forbes, Joel Young, and Pete Petersen, a favorable impression of Chatfield was given. Next, the board met with the Root River State Bank’s Charles and Chuck Johnson. An offer was made and accepted contingent on approval of the Club’s membership. The members overwhelmingly approved the purchase of the property, and the planning began.”
Hearing of his enthusiasm for the Museum, it is important to understand that Hisey’s dedication to the sport of bowhunting began many years before, with his first position as an official measurer in 1981. Official measurers are the representatives of the Pope and Young Club who are out in the field, coming in contact with bowhunters, and measuring their animals for possible entry into the Pope and Young Club records program. These skilled volunteers are trained to measure all 29 big game species of North America.
In 1985, the Pope & Young Club began measurer training seminars to educate potential new measurers, focusing on accuracy and integrity in measuring, which is vital to truly be able to compare these trophies against one another. Hisey was one of the original instructors, and has continued to train new measurers over the last 31 years, in total training over 700 of the Club’s 800 official measurers throughout North America.
“Of the Club’s over 105,000 entries, Dad has hand-processed each and every one of the last 93,000+ entries,” exclaims Hisey’s daughter, Karla Hamersma of Spring Valley. “For eight years, he also held the position of records chairman, then held the title of first vice-president (FVP). Over the years, Dad has served as a panel measurer (an elite group of the best measurers brought together to measure the largest of each species for each two-year recording period) 18 times – there’s only one person that has served on more panels, and that’s our good friend, Larry Streiff, of Rochester!”
A tremendous change in involvement and commitment came when in 2004, the Pope and Young Club/St. Charles Museum of Bowhunting was moved from Seattle, Wash., to Chatfield, Minn. Hisey and his late son, Kevin, along with numerous volunteers, went to work to build a permanent home for the Pope and Young Club’s Museum.
From design work, construction, set-up of the displays and eventual expansion, Glenn and Kevin spent many on and off-hours seeing the concept come to fruition. “With help from local museum committee and P&Y members, Larry Streiff of Rochester, Jerry Finley of Chatfield, and Randy Doyle of Eyota, staff members Julie Cordes of Kenyon and Karla Hamersma of Spring Valley, plus all of our families, and many others from near and far, the Pope and Young Club/St. Charles Museum of Bowhunting was completed and opened in the Fall of 2004,” says Hisey.
Since its opening when Hisey became the museum director, thousands of visitors from around the world are inspired by Glenn’s handiwork and dedication to bowhunting’s legacy. “The Pope and Young Club/St. Charles Museum of Bowhunting was from the beginning open to the public, free of charge,” says Hisey. “ We encourage everyone in Fillmore County to stop in to the museum to see it for yourself. You will be amazed at all the history, artifacts and memorabilia, not to mention the impressive conservation message of the Model of North American Wildlife Conservation. With representative mounts of all 29 big game species, plus several World’s Records and former World’s Records, the big game exhibit is unforgettable.”
One room in the museum has been given to house the Minnesota Archery Hall of Fame collection and for their induction ceremonies. “Also, located in this museum are the largest collection of broadheads on public display, with many rare and several one-of-a-kind heads,” mentions Hisey. “This collection has been one of my favorite passions to cultivate, expand and share with visitors.”
Hisey has relished his time spent as museum director, the years as the Club’s FVP, and working with his son, Kevin who became the executive secretary until he passed away in February of 2015. Glenn is pleased to have been able to have authored many articles and chapters in record books and the Measurer’s Manual, and was the editor on several of the Pope and Young Club’s record books. Yet meeting, knowing, and becoming friends with local hunters as well as some of the great bowhunters of all-time – Glenn St. Charles, Fred Bear, G. Fred Asbell, Chuck Adams – has been a special honor for Hisey.
Several expansions were made over the years. One expansion was the 2011 brainchild of Kevin Hisey. He was able to design a section dedicated to the North American wildlife conservation message. Hisey explains, “This area highlights Theodore Roosevelt, who is considered to be the greatest conservation-minded President of all time. It walks you through the early days of modern conservation showcasing Pinchot, Muir and Grinnell. Separately, there is a display about Aldo Leopold, an
author and conservationist that helped lead many to the conservation movement.” This display was finished in time for the Club’s 50th Anniversary in 2011.
“For the last 35 years, my dad has faithfully and loyally served the Pope and Young Club. It was a labor of love,” states Hamersma, who held the position of membership services representative for fifteen years, resigning in April 2016. “The Pope & Young Club has always stood for ethics and fair chase. Dad enjoyed working for the good of bowhunting, and the history and heritage of the lifestyle we all love! I will always hold special memories of my years working with him, Kevin, and Julie Cordes of Kenyon (formerly of Chatfield). We were an amazing team, and we were all so proud to be able to work for an organization that stood for so much.”
On April 4, 2016, Glenn Hisey retired from his positions of executive secretary and director of records for the Pope and Young Club. Joe Bell, of Prescott City, Ariz., has been hired for a new position – executive director.
If a plaque was presented to Glenn Hisey as he retired April 4, 2016 it might read, “Congratulations Glenn Hisey for your 35 years of faithful and loyal service to the Pope and Young Club, 1981-2016,” with his service record listed below:
• Official Measurer – 1981
• Panel Measurer – since 1981 -18 times
• Measurer Training Instructor – since 1985
• Second Vice-President -1987 to 1990
• Executive Secretary – 1989 to 2000
• Director of Records – 1989 to 2016
• Records Chair – 2000 to 2008
• Museum Director – 2004 – 2016
• First Vice-President – 2008 to 2014
• Executive Secretary – 2015 to 2016
Hisey is grateful to the Pope & Young Club measurers and friends that he has met through the years. “Thank you for all your support and help through the years. This museum is a crown jewel in Fillmore County. Readers should make a point to see this national museum committed to bowhunting and the North American wildlife conservation message.”
Visit the Pope and Young Museum at 273 Mill Creek Road, Chatfield, Minn. Hours are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call them at (507) 867-4144.
Anonymous says
I would like the Thank the Hisey family for all the years of promoting Bowhunting and the P&Y club.