Volunteer instructors are the backbone of Idaho’s Hunter Education program

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Magic Valley Region, is looking for new volunteer hunter education instructors to help ensure that the newest generation of Idaho hunters has a thorough understanding of safety, ethics and conservation.

New instructor orientation

The Magic Valley Regional Office in Jerome will be hosting an orientation meeting on November 23, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The orientation will explain the instructor certification process, as well as how to organize classes, use lessons plans and effective teaching techniques, select meeting sites, how to order supplies and how to register students.       

To teach hunter education in Idaho, an instructor must be certified by Fish and Game.

Instructors can specialize in hunting, bowhunting and/or trapping.

“The backbone of Idaho's hunter education training effort rests on the volunteer instructors, who give their time, passion and energy to the program,” said Brenda Beckley, Fish and Game's Hunter Education Program Coordinator, “our goal is to help lighten the load on our current volunteers by recruiting new instructors and providing additional classes needed to satisfy a growing demand in students.”

Despite the availability of an online Hunter Education course, many students prefer the interaction and expertise of an experienced hunter as an instructor, and in-person classes remain in high demand throughout the state.

Instructor requirements

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be knowledgeable about sporting firearms, wildlife and hunting.
• Pass a background check which includes fingerprinting

For more information or to register for the instructor orientation class, contact TanaRae Alberti, Magic Valley Region’s Volunteer Services Coordinator at (208) 324-4359.