Want to give back? Want to give back helping future
outdoorsmen? Have you ever considered becoming a Hunter Education Voluntary
Instructor?
"There is always a need for new instructors,"
said John Mazur the Hunter Education Coordinator for the North Dakota Game
& Fish. "We have a pool of aging instructors reaching retirement from
the program and we are always looking to replace them with new instructors. There
are also instructors that move away or have other life obligations that prevent
them from instructing courses. The need to recruit at least 60 new instructors
a year is necessary to supplement turnover," explained John.
In 2015 there was 650 instructors in North Dakota. "Our
need varies depending on the location of the instructors. We could easily
utilize a minimum of 60 instructors in each of our larger cities (Fargo,
Bismarck, Minot, Grand Forks, and Dickinson) In our mid-range towns we could
utilize 25 instructors (Jamestown, Devils Lake, Williston, etc.) and in smaller
towns we could use 1-3 instructor teams consisting of 4-6 instructors per
team," said Mazur.
I had thought about this for a couple years and in 2015 I
started the process of becoming a certified instructor for the North Dakota
Game & Fish. The hardest part is taking the first step, actually signing up.
Once the process begins it is quite simple. There are multiple steps to take in
order to become certified but the Game & Fish will lead you through the
steps. John said, "The process varies for everyone depending on their
eagerness to get certified," when asked how long the process takes.
The first step is sending the Game & Fish a letter of
intent or e-mail. In the letter/e-mail make sure to have your full name and
mailing address. In a couple weeks you should receive a volunteer instructor
agreement card. You will need to fill out the information and mail it back. The
Game & Fish enforcement division will use this information to conduct a
background check.
Once approved, you will be sent a packet of information
that includes: an instructor’s manual, instructions for completing an online
instructor course, a W9 form to get reimbursed $13 for the online course fee, a
quiz to take after reading the instructor manual and a prepaid envelope to
return the completed quiz and W9 form.
If you are worried about taking the written and online
quizzes, don't be. The online course lets you read each chapter and then there
are about 10 questions at the end. You do need to get a certain percentage
right in order to pass. But if you read the material it should be no problem
for any hunter. If I remember correctly, the online course took me about two
hours to complete. The written quiz takes questions right out of the
instructor's manual. So again there is no need to worry about these exams.
You will then need to assist in teaching a hunter education
class under a certified instructor. I was nervous at the first night of class
but that goes away quickly when you meet the kids and see their eagerness to
take the class. If you do not know a certified instructor or where there is a
hunter education class in your area, the Game & Fish will help you in
making these contacts.
The class consists of 14 hours which are all taught in
the classroom. This may seem to be a daunting amount of time but once you start
the time goes by quickly.
When the class is over, the mentoring instructor sends
the Game & Fish paperwork that shows you helped with the course. After a
few weeks, you will receive a volunteer packet which includes an instructor ID
number.
If you do not want to become an instructor and still want
to help with a hunter education class, there are other ways to help. Classes
are always looking for guest speakers that talk about anything outdoors, help
doing gun safety practicals and helping on test night.
I have only helped with a couple years of hunter
education classes so far because of medical reasons but I am glad I am became a
certified instructor. The benefits are great which include sharpening your own
hunter safety knowledge, meeting local youth and ensuring that I am doing a
part to keep the youth safe and informed on what it is to become a responsible
hunter and outdoorsmen.
If you have questions, you can either call (701) 328-6615 or
email huntered@nd.gov
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