William Peterburs
1921-1995
Inducted 1997

William Peterburs spent some twenty years of his life on a crusade against the use of lead shot for waterfowl hunting. Discovering that thousands of ducks, geese, and other waterfowl were dying of lead poisoning from the ingestion of lead shot lying in shallow waters, Peterburs traveled the state and nation to marshal support to require steel shot for waterfowl hunting. Though an unpopular stand, Peterburs never backed down from his position and, in 1991, lead shot was banned from all waterfowl hunting in the U.S. The first Wisconsin resident so honored, Peterburs received the Conservation Service Award, U.S. Department of Interior, 1978.