Each year in Idaho’s southeast region, volunteer instructors teach basic hunter and bowhunter education courses to more than 1,000 students. These men and women are invaluable to Idaho Fish and Game and to the hunting heritage many of us in Southeast Idaho cherish. Without them, it would be impossible to recruit new hunters; and because of them, we are able to ensure that these new hunters have been exposed to essential safety and ethics concepts.
If you are a safe and responsible rifle or archery hunter, if you like sharing your knowledge and skills with youth and others new to the sport, if you have a passion about being an ethical and safe hunter, perhaps you would consider becoming an Idaho hunter or bow hunter education instructor.
Join us at our upcoming New Instructor Orientation on April 6 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The orientation will be held at the Idaho Fish and Game Southeast Regional Office at 1345 Barton Road in Pocatello. Those who attend will learn about teaching hunter and bowhunter education and will start the process for becoming a certified instructor. The new instructor orientation is free, and dinner is provided.
If you wish to participate in the New Instructor Orientation, RSVP by calling Volunteer Services Coordinator Tessa Atwood at 208-232-4703 or by emailing her at tessa.atwood@idfg.idaho.gov. You may also let Atwood know if you cannot attend this particular class but are still interested in becoming an instructor. Fish and Game will be offering other New Instructor Orientations throughout the year.
Instructor orientations outline how to organize a class, select meeting sites, order supplies and get students registered and certified. Participants also learn how to use the hunter education curriculum and how to teach using various effective methods and styles.
Maybe you don’t think you would be comfortable teaching a class on your own, but would love a team-teaching opportunity. Maybe you don’t have 15 to 20 hours to give to a hunter education class, but you certainly could teach a field day. Maybe you can only teach one class a year. Whatever the situation, we can provide the classroom set-up that best fits you!
Truly, the heart of Idaho’s hunter/bowhunter education program is the corps of dedicated volunteers who provide the instruction and mentoring. Make a difference to the future of hunting in Idaho — become a bowhunter or hunter education instructor today.
Jennifer Jackson is the Regional Conservation Educator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, southeast region.
