CONCORD — Are you an avid outdoorsman or woman?¬ Are you comfortable working in a team environment, helping young and old learn new knowledge and skills?¬
If the answer is yes and you're willing to invest 10 to 20 hours of your time each year to bring the love of the outdoors to a new generation, think about becoming a volunteer Hunter Education instructor.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is looking for energetic people to join the 500-plus volunteer instructors who have been helping teach Hunter Education in New Hampshire since 1948.
Far from being just a "safety" course, Hunter Education emphasizes core hunting ethics and safe practices, responsible gun handling, and knowledge of firearms and ammunition. Participants take part in a supervised, live-fire exercise, putting these core competencies into practice.
Students also learn about wildlife identification, conservation and the role of the hunter in wildlife management. In addition, conservation officers from the Fish and Game Department provide expert advice on N.H. hunting rules and regulations as part of the class.¬ The course culminates in a written examination and practical Field Day test in which participants demonstrate their new knowledge and skills.
The Bowhunter Education course also covers the core concepts of ethics, wildlife conservation, identification and management, but emphasizes bowhunting safety, archery equipment, tree-stand safety and proper shot placement.
Prerequisites for becoming a certified instructor are:
Complete an instructor application (hunter or bowhunter) and criminal records release form, and submit¬ to the Hunter Education Office (forms can be downloaded from http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm).
Complete the basic course as a student (hunter or bowhunter education).
Be 18 years of age or older.
Be free of misdemeanor or felony convictions, or Fish and Game violations, within the past seven years.
Once the application process is completed, attend one of the following training workshops coming up this spring (each session is one day, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.): Feb. 20, Hunter Ed:¬ Pelham Fish and Game Club, Pelham; April 24, Bowhunter Ed:¬ Fish and Game Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord; May 8, Hunter Ed:¬ Owl Brook Hunter Education Center, Holderness; May 22, Bowhunter Ed:¬ Owl Brook Hunter Education Center; June 5, Hunter Ed:¬ Fish and Game Region 1 Office, Lancaster.
