Advisor: Warner
The Kansas State University Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management (WOEM) degree program is the first Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree to train professional operational managers for hunting/shooting preserves and resorts, gamebird production companies, fishing resorts and outdoor experience companies. This program was designed with input from working professionals from across the United States. Wildlife and related outdoor enterprises exist in all 50 states, Canada, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
While students take courses in wildlife and fisheries management, this program is not a traditional wildlife and fisheries biology program of study. To create professional managers, this program incorporates a series of business, hospitality management, natural resources, wildlife and fisheries management courses with training in selected outdoor skills.
Outdoor skills courses in the WOEM Program include: firearms and firearms maintenance; rifle and handgun range design construction and operations; bowhunting equipment and skills; sporting clays range development and operations; trap and skeet range development and operations; and wildlife habitat/food plot installation and maintenance.
The students also take the following skills courses: principles and practices of big game hunting and guiding, principles and practices of upland gamebird, turkey and waterfowl hunting and guiding, and principles and practices of freshwater fishing and guiding.
Students in this program will gain a working knowledge of:
- Basic scientific principles governing the management of our natural resources (soils, water, grasslands, forests and wildlife)
- Business management and marketing
- Business finance and accounting
- Hospitality management, including lodging and food and beverage services and regulations
The WOEM internship extends from mid May to mid December following the student's junior year (summer/fall semesters).