The 2026 WCHF Induction Events will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in the late afternoon and early evening. The events will be held live on a virtual
platform and are free and open to the public, and donations are appreciated. To view the inductions, register at the link above.
Learn more about each inductee at Press-Release-2026-WCHF-Inductees-1.26.26.pdf
2026 WISCONSIN CONSERVATION HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
William Lunney, Keith McCaffery, and Neil Payne
The Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame (WCHF) Foundation, Inc., is pleased to announce the April
2026 Induction of William Lunney, Keith McCaffery, and Neil Payne. “Our 2026 inductees have
established lasting legacies in Wisconsin and continue to have a far-reaching impact across many
areas of conservation. We are grateful for their numerous contributions and are thrilled to celebrate
each of them on April 21, 2026.” said WCHF Foundation President Marco Mascitti. Each of these
individuals will be inducted into the WCHF on April 21, 2026 in live ceremonies held virtually and free for
the public to attend, donations are appreciated.
William G. Lunney
William G. Lunney has embodied a lifetime of service to the public and to the conservation of Wisconsin’s lands,
waters and wildlife. From the first success in 1969 helping to save regionally significant wetlands Dunn’s Marsh
and Upper Mud Lake Wetlands, to the recent creation of the historic multimillion dollar Private Foundation to
support Dane County Parks, Bill has been the energy propelling many local and statewide conservation
successes.
Keith McCaffery
Keith McCaffery was nominated for the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame for his extensive contributions to
deer management and conservation in Wisconsin. McCaffery has dedicated his career to the science-based
management of Wisconsin’s deer population, significantly impacting conservation practices. His research
established the significance of summer deer habitat to winter survival and productivity, influencing
management practices nationwide.
Neil Payne
Neil F. Payne’s life and career reflect a deep commitment to wildlife conservation and education, and to
Wisconsin, where his ancestors were the first to settle in the town of Mitchell in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.
In 1939, Neil was born into a blue-collar family in Plymouth, Wisconsin; he was a sixth-generation Wisconsinite.
His dad didn’t graduate from high school, and both parents, Forrest and Ruth, worked in a factory making toilet
seats. For a while they lived in a rented house without running water. Neil’s first memory was at age three, in
the back hall of the house, and being scared stiff of a mouse (he who would, as an adult, live-trap bear!). Neil
was raised in Sheboygan Falls, with a younger brother, Glenn, and a sister, Virginia, and developed an early
interest in nature and animals on his grandfather’s farm.