SULLIVAN COUNTY — Gary Muthig, a lifetime sportsman who has increased youth outreach in Sullivan County, was recently named as the Chairman of the New York State Fish and Wildlife Management Board (FWMB).

Muthig served as the Vice Chair for the past two years before being named to the new position.

The two major purposes of the FWMB are to encourage the preservation and development of fish and wildlife resources on privately-owned lands and waters and to improve public recreational access to fish and wildlife resources on privately-owned lands and waters.

The board was established in 1957 after the New York State Fish and Wildlife Management Act was passed by state legislature.

The members on the board are county-appointed, and serve as a voice for the different counties and regions in New York to make suggestions to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Muthig, a landowner in Sullivan County, is the Region 3 Sportsman Representative. He also serves as the Region 3 Director on the New York State Conservation Council and a trustee for the Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs of Sullivan County (FoSCoSC).

“It’s a big help because Region 3 is under-represented in the State,” Muthig explained. “Plus, I like to be involved in the sportsman’s community. You could say it’s in my blood.”

The Muthig family has been well-represented in Sullivan County through the years, with Gary, his father and his uncle all being honored as Past Sportsman of the Year.

Muthig’s youth outreach efforts include the Youth Fishing Tournament at Morningside Lake and the Youth Pheasant Hunt. The latter of the two, Muthig works alongside Butch Kortright, another long-time sportsman in Sullivan County.