Duane Raver’s Interesting Life
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]uane Raver was born and raised in central Iowa where he soon learned to fish and hunt and enjoy the world of nature. It was evident at an early age Duane had the gift of artistic talent and soon began to draw and paint fish, waterfowl, and upland game.
Duane Raver.
When it came time to make a decision about college, Duane made the choice of fish and wildlife biology with an emphasis on fishery management. Artwork was always a strong hobby during college, again with fish he caught as subjects. Duane graduated from Iowa State University in 1949 and worked as an assistant fishery biologist with the then Iowa Conservation Commission. In January of 1950, he received a call from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and was offered a position as a fishery biologist, surveying dozens of North Carolina lakes and reservoirs. When the Federal Aid to Fisheries program (DJ) was launched, Duane became the Fish Division’s first Federal Aid Coordinator. In 1960, after doing much of the artwork and some of the writing for the Commission’s magazine, “Wildlife in North Carolina,” while in the Fish Division, Duane transferred to the Education Division. He continued to do many of the magazine’s covers and other illustrations as well as other features. He progressed from Managing Editor to the magazine’s Editor and layout and design duties. During nights and weekends, Duane did many illustrations for several Southeastern states publications, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and educational and commercial books and magazines. His specialty of fish illustrations soon gained national attention.
Duane retired from the N.C. Wildlife Commission in 1979 to devote full time as a freelance wildlife illustrator. In 1984, he teamed with fisheries scientist Dr. Charles S. Manooch to produce the book Fisherman’s Guide – Fishes of the Southeastern United States, which was reprinted four times, most recently in 2007. The one hundred and fifty full color fish paintings in the book have formed the basis for many fish identification posters and publications nation wide.
During his career, Duane was named Wildlife Artist of the Year four times by the N.C. Wildlife Federation and, in 2003, was inducted into the Federation’s Hall of Fame. He has won numerous art awards and recognition by various sporting and conservation organizations for artwork contributions. In 2009, Duane was awarded The Order of the Longleaf Pine by the State of North Carolina.
Now 86, he still does wildlife artwork on a daily basis in his studio in his daughter’s taxidermy shop near Clayton, N.C.
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Striper.
Sheepshead.
Rainbow Trout.
Largemouth Bass.
