Darrell Hindman, of Living the Dream Outdoors Properties in Leasburg, placed a winning 5-digit bid for one of Ted Nugent’s guitars at the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame banquet held at the John A. And Genny Morris Conservation Center in Springfield, Missouri on August 8. 

Hindman, and approximately 500 other outdoor celebrities and outdoor enthusiasts, gathered for the 24th annual Legends of the Outdoors induction ceremony.

“We as an outdoor industry, cannot progress forward without first looking back and thanking those who either directly or indirectly, helped to place us where we are today,” Garry Mason, founder of Legends of the Outdoors, said. “The Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame was established to recognize outdoors sportsmen and sportswomen who, through their countless hours of hard work and devotion to the outdoors, in both hunting and fishing, have played an integral part in setting the standards and guidelines for the outdoor world to follow.”

The Legends of the Outdoors National Hall of Fame was established in 2002 by Garry Mason and his wife, Cindy. It honors legendary sportsmen and sportswomen across hunting, fishing, and the broader outdoor industry who set standards and guidelines for the outdoor world. 

Mason created the hall of fame because he felt traditional recognition was missing for every day and industry-shaping heroes of hunting and fishing. It encompasses all walks of the outdoor world, including media figures, guides, manufacturers, and conservation pioneers.  It has grown into one of the largest inclusive outdoor halls of fame in America, featuring over a hundred members. Missourians inducted this far include, Johnny Morris, Mark and Terry Drury, Ray Eye, Alex Rutledge and Cuba resident Bill Cooper. Other notables include Ray Scott, Will Primos, Bill Jordan, Cuz Strickland, Brenda Valentine, Fred Bear and Larry Weishuhn.

Names of potential inductees are submitted to the Legends of the Outdoors by both outdoor writers and previously inducted members. From here, a list of potential inductees is submitted to a select group of professional outdoor writers and sportsmen. They are asked to choose up to 8 candidates from the list and return the ballot with those names to the Legends of the Outdoors Board of Directors. The Board then takes the ballots and compiles a list for research of the candidates that received the most votes from this select group. A letter is sent to each potential inductee stating that they have been nominated to be a Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame member. They are then invited to attend to the next banquet to accept their award. 

The 2026 inductees to the Legends of the Outdoors included a wide variety of notables including: Tommy Garner, radio show host and outdoorsman, Paul Butski, famous turkey hunter, Captain Leiza Fitzgerald, professional fishing guide and outdoor education promoter, Tommy Scarborough, professional fishing guide and youth in the outdoors promoter, Dave Washburn, notable promoter of professornal bass fishing, Jeff Foiles, waterfowl hunting innovator and guide, Sandy Brady, professional guide, and media producer, and the legendary rock and roller and hunter Ted Nugent.

Others honored at the event included: Pamela-Marten-Wells, “Outdoor Woman of the Year,” Thunderstick Lodge, “Legendary Location of America,” Steve MacAadms, Wade Bourne Lifetime Achievement in Outdoor Communications and Media,” Daisy, “Legends of the Outdoors Manufacturing Excellence,” and Gerald Huehl, “Ray Scott American Trailblazer.”

Rob Keck opened the grand ceremonies with a moving prayer challenging everyone to do their best for conservation, followed by a stirring memoriam video of those Legends who have since “Gone Fishing” or “Gone Hunting”. Next, the national spokesman for Legend of the Outdoors, Ronnie “Cuz” Strickland, gave a general welcome to all those in attendance. Darrell Davis then sang the National Anthem, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. 

A live auction and entertainment by Darrell Davis kept the audience engaged, as did people stirring about to greet old friends of the outdoors and making new friends as well. The atmosphere proved electric.

Dozens of outdoor companies sponsored the Legends of the Outdoors event with many providing product donations of auction items. Hunting and fishing equipment, clothing, art works, and more stimulated the silent auction. Hunting trips across the country stimulated some fast paced bidding as the top outdoorsmen in the country vied for select hunting opportunities.

The highlight of the bidding war began when a signed, donated guitar from Ted Nugent hit the auction block. Dozens of hands shot up when the auctioneer began the bidding at $500. Hands thinned quickly as the bid hit $5,000 within 30 seconds. Soon, only two were left, Darrel Hindman of Leasburg, Missouri and Darren Hilyer of South Carolina. The audience cheered and joined the fun as the bids changed hands every two seconds until the bid figure ran well into the 5-digit category. 

Hindman finally folded, but Garry Mason and Ted Nugent sprang a welcome surprise on everyone. Nugent tossed in a second guitar, so both Hilyer and Hindman could own one of his Nugent-Bear autographed guitars. In addition, he included a hunting blind, personal guitar lessons, and two backstage tickets to any of his concerts. 

Sand Brady Pocket Cross gave an unusually inspiring address as he was inducted into the Legends of the Outdoors. He told of his triumph over alcohol and giving his life to Christ. To date Brady has passed out over 250,000 Pocket Crosses that he has made himself. The cross consists of an iron square nail adorned with feathers from various hunts…wild turkey, pheasant and duck. Mine is a treasure I’ll keep for a lifetime. Brady always parts with “Love you brother. Mean it.”