M. Gault "Bunny" Beeson
Jr., founder and National president of Wildlife Action,
Inc., was born and raised in Mullins, SC, leaving the area
for four years of military service in the U.S. Air Force.
While stationed in Topeka, Kansas, he attended Washburn
University.
Dedicated to community service
since his youth, he became an Eagle Scout and received
the God and Country Award, later serving as scoutmaster
for 15 years. Recognizing the need for a sports facility
in Mullins, he organized a group of concerned citizens,
planned, founded and implemented construction of the Mullin's
Recreational Complex.
He founded and operated a variety
of business enterprises dealing in retail and real estate.
In 1977, he and 6 other men believed they could make a
difference in conserving wildlife and formed an organization
called Wildlife Action. Chartered by the state that same
year, these men put up duck boxes to increase duck population.
In 1983, WLA membership was opened to the public as Beeson
spent more time volunteering his efforts to this new conservation
organization than working in his sporting goods store.
Finally, realizing that in order
for WLA to accomplish the project he dreamed, he must give
up his business and work full-time for WLA, in December
1986, Beeson sold his business and began fulfilling the
responsibilities of Wildlife Action's President Chief Executive
Officer. Membership in WLA today stands at over 14,000
nationwide.
He served for 8 years as chairman
of the Marion County Fish and Game Commission, was a member
of the S.C. Governor's Sub Committee for the Land Procurement
and Utilization Committee and served on the S.C. Wildlife
and Marine Resource Department's panel for the Habitat
Enhancement and Land Protection Act of 1986. He was also
a member of the Advisory Board for the S.C. Wildlife and
Marine Resource Department's "Project Wild" program. He received the S.C. Governor's "Take Pride in America" Award in 1986 for his involvement in conservation programs in that state and
was also honored with the coveted 1986, S.C. Wildlife Federation "Communication Conservation" Award for a project to conserve the first wildlife refuge in Marion County.
In 1988, he received the local Woodmen of the World Conservation
award.
In January 1990, he was honored
by 6th Congressional Representative Robin Tallon with a
plaque commemorating a speech Tallon made on the floor
of the U.S. House of Representatives commending Beeson "for his relentless efforts to conserve wildlife land natural habitat" and praising Wildlife Action for its many accomplishments. In May 1994, Beeson
received from S.C. House of Representatives an award honoring
him for his outstanding service to S.C. Also that same
year he was honored by Southern Living Magazine as Southerner
of the year.
In 1995 the Governor of South
Carolina awarded him the South Carolina Environmental Awareness
Award.
In October, 2000 the City of Mullins,
by proclamation of Mayor Wayne George, honored Beeson for
his outstanding contributions to Mullins Recreation by
naming the football facility after President Beeson.
On May 15, 2002 President Beeson
was honored by S.C. State House of Representatives member
James Battle with a plaque commemorating a speech Battle
made on the House floor commending Beeson "for his outstanding contributions to preserving wildlife habitat and natural
resources throughout the nation as Wildlife Action, Inc.
celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary".
In 2003 Beeson became a Master
Wildlifer and he continues to serve on the S.C. Water Resources
Commission's Little Pee Dee River Advisory Committee, and
on the Board of Directors for the S.C. Nature-Based Tourism
Association. He also serves as a member of the Palmetto
Pride Council, appointed by the Governor.
In 2011, Bunny was awarded the distinguished
Order of the Palmetto, given only by the governor. This is the
state’s highest civilian honor and was given in recognition of his
lifetime achievements and contributions to conservation.
Beeson enjoys hunting, fishing
and photography, but he devotes all his energies and efforts
to the development of one of the southeast's fastest growing
volunteer conservation organizations: Wildlife Action.
WLA's slogan "To Put Back More Than We Take" is also Beeson's personal creed as he attempts to promote the values of true
sportsmanship and conservation of our natural resources.