Hunters education ...needs more instructors !

[winshooter88]

Some friends of mine went through the process and became instructors last year. They said that with the classes they had to take and all the assisting in classes and evaluations it took them a year to complete and they had to travel all over the state to get it done. When I went through instructor certification it was a weekend class and then teach one class with an experienced local instructor for evaluation. I have trouble figuring out why anyone would jump through the hoops that they have to now to become an instructor, just to be chewed on by someone who doesn't like how you run your class. An instructor that has taught for years is thinking about quitting because of all the new rules. WDFW seems to like to kick themselves in the behind more and more all the time.

[huntingfool7]

The shortage of instructors is why they are encouraging Master Hunters to step up.

What is being done to encourage this?

[pianoman9701]

Why don't you be a solution to the problem and become an instructor 

Let me give you one reason.....to become an instructor is a pain in the butt!!  I completed the mentor program a couple years ago and just needed to be evaluated.  I was told the only place to be evaluated was north of Spokane and I had to be there for the entire class.  I don't understand that logic....drive 3 hours and stay for 2-3 days to be evaluated on 1-2 hours of instruction.  Complete BS if ask me.  I have been teaching for the last 15 years and have been hunting for the last 25-30 years.   There are multiple classes in my area with senior instructors, why do I need to travel so a certain person can evaluate me.  Needless to say I wasted a ton of time and never came away with my instructors liscense.   

I helped out in these classes for about 18 years and you have to spend a lot of your personal time to be trained.  This is all out of pocket like mentioned.  Being an instructor is a thankless job.  As you have seen, some guys bash instructors for not letting them in due to being late or missing a class ect.  Then you have to deal with all the new rule changes, legal follow through etc.  I am surprised anyone wants to do it anymore.

It's very cool that you've helped out for 18 years. I just love it. Been doing it for two years now and it's far from thankless for me. Parents appreciate what we do. The kids are so excited about being able to finally get their licenses. And, I love that I'm bringing new blood into hunting. I get very close to choked up when I see a class full of people who are there to learn about the thing (other than my family) I love most in my life - hunting. Teaching about conservation and sportsmanship are my favorites.

I'm taking an NRA RSO course in OR next month so I can help with the live fire, too. I would encourage anyone to sign up and teach.

[pianoman9701]

The shortage of instructors is why they are encouraging Master Hunters to step up.

What is being done to encourage this?

One thing they do is that teaching hours count toward the volunteer hours you need to stay current on the MH program.

[pianoman9701]

Some friends of mine went through the process and became instructors last year. They said that with the classes they had to take and all the assisting in classes and evaluations it took them a year to complete and they had to travel all over the state to get it done. When I went through instructor certification it was a weekend class and then teach one class with an experienced local instructor for evaluation. I have trouble figuring out why anyone would jump through the hoops that they have to now to become an instructor, just to be chewed on by someone who doesn't like how you run your class. An instructor that has taught for years is thinking about quitting because of all the new rules. WDFW seems to like to kick themselves in the behind more and more all the time.

The answer: because we don't want our sport to go away.

The hoops to jump through aren't really all that great and I've never had anyone in the program be anything but thankful that I do it. If I do something wrong, maybe someone suggests I do it differently, but other than that everyone is super positive toward my participation.

What are your priorities? If your priority is to find something that takes no training and effort, then sit home and watch TV. But, if your priority is to give something back for the years of enjoyment you've had hunting and being mentored by your parents and friends, then do what it takes to teach Hunter Education. Pointing fingers at the DFW for not recruiting enough or at Master Hunters for not participating enough while others sit on the sidelines is BS. Do something to make a difference in someone's life.

[D-Rock425]

That's it it's official I'm signing up to be an instructor.  I've been thinking about it for about two weeks now.

[pianoman9701]

The shortage of instructors is why they are encouraging Master Hunters to step up.

I hope they do since there won't be any new master hunters any time soon.

ya, I looked into MH and dang what a pile of suck that program is.

That's absolutely the opposite of my experience with the MH hunter program, but this thread is about Hunter Ed. Why don't you teach, KF? You'd have a lot of experience to benefit our young wanna-be hunters. OM me if you're interested.

[pianoman9701]

That's it it's official I'm signing up to be an instructor.  I've been thinking about it for about two weeks now.

You're like a super D Rockstar! Awesome.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Why don't you be a solution to the problem and become an instructor 

Actually I have looked into it ...seems most understand the problem ...I am not into feeding their type rehavior....I do not agree with the way they handle most things ..so why would I want to be a part of it 

[BOWHUNTER45]

seriously ...like I said ...make a guy drive his kid to a class thats 3 hours from his home ...and just for a field test ...I would think if I was an instructor I would say to the parent bring him over and I can have him field tested here ....instead of sorry ....we have no openings at this time and you need to drive 3 hours to have him complete his test ....I am seriously surprised there is that many kids wanting to complete hunters ed...not that I am not for it but the way the dept runs things and keeps charging us for less just leaves me in  Do they still use real guns to complete the course or are they fake ? Do they still let them shoot the guns ? its been about 12 yrs since I have been to one !

[pianoman9701]

Why don't you be a solution to the problem and become an instructor 

Actually I have looked into it ...seems most understand the problem ...I am not into feeding their type rehavior....I do not agree with the way they handle most things ..so why would I want to be a part of it 

Because it's not about you and it's not about the DFW. It's about getting new blood into hunting before we lose our sport to apathy. And, it's about doing something for someone else purely for that without expecting anything in return. It's true giving.

I have real problems with some of the things the DFW and Wildlife Commission does, as many of you are aware. That doesn't mean that kids who want to hunt in WA should suffer and not have a teacher to take a class.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I agree ..then they should do what it takes to make people want to be involved 

[pianoman9701]

I agree ..then they should do what it takes to make people want to be involved 

Why don't you make some suggestions to them on how to improve recruiting. Even better yet, train to become an instructor. It can't be all "they". Some of it has to be "we". And, I'm not pointing fingers, BH. We all need to take responsibility for those things which are important to us.

[Dick in the Dirt]

I went though the back ground check and a class to the point of having a mentor assigned to me and never heard a word after that. With all the running around that is expected from you to get certified   , figured it was going to cost me about $300-400 to jump though all the hoops. As long as the state is involved ,things will never improve.
A person would like to become involved,but with the state nothing but a circle jerk.

[pianoman9701]

I went though the back ground check and a class to the point of having a mentor assigned to me and never heard a word after that. With all the running around that is expected from you to get certified   , figured it was going to cost me about $300-400 to jump though all the hoops. As long as the state is involved ,things will never improve.
A person would like to become involved,but with the state nothing but a circle jerk.

Huh? Didn't cost me a cent. When I didn't hear if my certification went through, I called and got it in 2 days.