Chuck Sykes has been the Director of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries at the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources since December 2012.  His life as always been about conservation.  From hunting and fishing in Choctaw County to his hands-on experience, time in the field and education provided him a unique set of skills.

Chuck earned a degree in Wildlife Biology in 1992 from Auburn University in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Science.  He assimilated knowledge from the field with scientific instruction from the classroom to create a full-service natural resource consulting firm in 1999. Since then, he has managed hundreds of thousands of acres across the nation.  

In 2001, Chuck created “The Management Advantage” television program that aired on the Outdoor Channel for 11 years.  The Management Advantage was the first program solely dedicated to wildlife management and habitat restoration.  The program focused on educating the public about how to improve their properties for both game and non-game species instead of solely harvesting game.  

Chuck is a passionate professional, committed to conservation, Alabama’s hunting heritage, and protecting our wildlife and related natural resources.  He has brought new participants to hunting and fishing through the creation of Special Opportunity Areas and the Alabama Adult Mentored Hunting Program.  He involves young people, non-hunters, males and females in sharing and promoting conservation efforts.  

He has lived in the Montgomery area for more than 12 years and is the proud father of Syd, a six-year-old miniature Australian Shepard.   He also assists his father, Willie Sykes, with their family Charolais farm.