Help hunting's future - Become a Hunter Education Instructor

OROFINO - - Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) is encouraging those interested in the future of hunting, in improving sportsmanship in the field and in overall improvement of the safety and well-being of hunters to become a volunteer hunter education instructor.

Fish and Game will host a free workshop at the Clearwater Fish Hatchery in Ahsahka on Saturday, March 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to train adult volunteers in becoming certified instructors.

"I wish more parents would step up to the plate," said David Owsley, a veteran 20-year instructor from Orofino. "People should support their communities by getting involved in helping kids, and hunter education is a great place to start."

The orientation workshop is designed for all hunter and bow hunter education instructors, new applicants and department staff. The training will provide an opportunity for new instructors to meet established instructors and provide the annual training required of all certified instructors. Instructor application packages and fingerprinting for background checks will be available. Lunch will be provided for all participants.

To register for this class or for more on the hunter education program, contact Kent Henderson at the Clearwater Region office, 1540 Warner Ave. in Lewiston, 208-799-5010.

The hunter education program was developed with increased safety as its first basic goal and has been credited with the dramatic decrease of hunting-related fatalities. Since the 1970s, the fatality rate has fallen from 11-12 per year to an average of one-per year in the past five years. The classes teach young hunters safe handling of weapons, wildlife management, outdoor survival, laws, hunter responsibilities and ethics.

The hunter education program has over 900 active instructors who teach approximately 12,000 students annually. The Fish and Game Commission honors them based on an objective point system. The points accumulate for services rendered over the years, and at 35,000 points, top instructors are awarded an art print and a custom ring.

However, points and awards are not what motivate Owsley. "I do it primarily for the kids, but it's also very satisfying knowing I'm helping someone," he said. "A proud, smiling young hunter holding their hunter education certificate or their first deer makes it all worthwhile."