Fish and Game is honored to announce Sammie Hendricks from the Upper Snake Region as Idaho’s Hunter Education Instructor of the Year for 2023. Hendricks was presented with this prestigious award at the July 24, Commission Meeting and again honored by his peers at the Hunter Education Instructor Banquet this August in Idaho Falls.
“Sammie is a model of what we look for in a certified volunteer instructor,” says Gerren Steel, Hunter Education Coordinator for Fish and Game. “His high ethical standard is a reflection of his commitment, both when hunting and in everyday life.”
Hendricks has been a Hunter Education Instructor since 1980, which means he has been educating and influencing hunters for over four decades. Throughout his career as an instructor, Hendricks has taught over 188 classes, certified over 2,800 students and donated over 2,000 hours of his personal time.
Additionally, Hendricks was a founding member of the Idaho Hunter Education Association (IHEA) Upper Snake Chapter where he has held various position from president to board member. As a representative with IHEA, Hendricks donates his time to host shooting trailer events, youth hunts and shooting skills clinics.
“With every student that he teaches Sammie goes above and beyond,” says Steel. “His commitment and passion to safe and ethical hunting is unsurpassed.”
Fish and Game would like to thank Hendricks for his long-term dedication to the Hunters Education programs he has so generously donated his time toward. His positive influence on the next generation of hunters makes him truly deserving of being Idaho’s Hunter Education Instructor of the Year.