Help Hunting's Future - Become A Hunter Education Instructor

LEWISTON - - The Idaho Department of Fish and Game encourages experienced hunters who love kids to help the future of their sport by becoming a hunter education instructor. IDFG will host a free workshop in Lewiston on Saturday, April 13 to train adult volunteers in becoming certified instructors. "Teaching hunter education helps me introduce kids to a sport that has brought me so many great memories," said Phil Schultz, a veteran 20-year instructor. "It's also a good way to hook kids on the outdoors." Once individuals have completed the training and student-teach with an experienced instructor, they will be able to host a class of their own. The workshop will begin at 8 a.m. and run until 4 p.m. Lunch will be provided for all participants. To register for this class or for more on the hunter education program, contact Richard Oliver at the Clearwater Region office, 1540 Warner Ave. in Lewiston, 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 10,000 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.