,>54+ :49 · Vol. 16 No .1–Spring 2 016 The International Hunter Education Association – United...

For Distribution in Canada, El Salvador, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa and the United States of America.

Volume 16, No. 1Spring 2016

TeachOutsideYour Comfort Zone

Wounded Warriorsin theWoods,

Outdoor Therapy for the Soul

BeyondtheHunt,

Tips for Talking AboutEthical Hunting

Vol. 16 No.1 – Spring 2016

The International Hunter Education Association – UnitedStates of America (IHEA-USA) is an organization involvingsome 70,000 instructors across the United States ofAmerica. The IHEA-USA is affiliated with the Association ofFish and Wildlife Agencies.

The Hunter & Shooting Sports Education Journal is theofficial publication of the International Hunter EducationAssociation-United States of America. It is published fourtimes annually (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) and distrib-uted to more than 70,000 administrators and volunteerinstructors in Canada, El Salvador, Mexico, New Zealand,Peru, South Africa and the United States of America, that areresponsible for education programs that total 750,000hunters annually. The purpose of the publication is toincrease the skill and effectiveness of hunter education inadministrators and instructors so they can improve theenthusiasm, safety, ethics and proficiency of their students asthey embark on lifetime enjoyment of hunting and theshooting sports.

The articles and stories contained herein are theopinions of the authors and not necessarily those of theIHEA-USA, its personnel or publishers. Material containedherein cannot be copied or reproduced in any form withoutthe express permission of the IHEA-USA.

Neither the IHEA-USA, nor its Publisher, sponsors, oradvisors assume any responsibility or liability for the accu-racy of the information and/or articles published herein.Under no circumstance will the IHEA-USA, nor its Publisher,its sponsors or advisors be liable for any form of loss,damage or expense arising or resulting from reliance uponthe information contained herein, whether the same isbased upon strict liability, tort or otherwise.

Send all advertising materials to:Focus Group, Inc.

2201 SW 152nd St., Suite #3Burien, WA 98166206-281-8520

Publisher: Focus Group, Inc.Brian Thurston

Editor: Susie KieferGraphic Design & Production:

Craig Robinson • Wireless GroupInternational Hunter Education Association-

United States of AmericaMission Statement:

Continuing the heritage of huntingworldwide by developing safe, responsible,

knowledgeable and involved hunters.

40064705

www.IHEA-USA.org 3

Cover Photo by Rod Slings, HSRC

This issue of the Journal made possible by:

Features

Departments

10 Beyond the Hunt: Part 1Tips for Talking AboutEthical HuntingBy Michael G. Sabbeth, Attorney,Denver, CO

Teach Outside YourComfort ZoneBy Gary Berlin,Volunteer Hunter EducationInstructor

12

4 President’s Corner: 2016 IHEA-USA Annual Conference Overview By Megan Wisecup, President IHEA-USA

6 Executive Director’s Comments: An Update on IHEA-USA’s Projects

By John McKay, Interim Executive Director IHEA-USA

8 USFWS Update: Teaching Non-Hunters About Hunter Education By Christina Milloy

23 SCI Update: Advocacy and Conservation, Tomorrow’s Leaders

Outdoor Therapyfor the SoulBy Bill Donnellan,Lead Ranger JenningsRandolph Lake

16

4 Hunter & Shooting Sports Education Journal • Spring 2016

T his year’s conference will onceagain be “international,” as thefirst-ever meeting of the new

International Hunter EducationAssociation (IHEA) will take place. Thenew IHEA is an international consortiumof national organizations representingprofessional hunter education personneland volunteer hunter educators. Thenational organizations have a commoninterest in promoting the developmentof safe, responsible and knowledgeablehunters and in the promotion of thehunting heritage worldwide. The mainpurpose of the organization is to providea collaborative platform for interna-tional entities of IHEA, the huntingindustry and hunting-related NGOs tocommunicate on issues of commoninterest involving hunter education andthe recruitment, retention and re-activa-tion of hunters. I would like to thank theIHEA Founding Committee, led byChris Willard (IHEA-USA) and ChrisBaldwin (IHEA-Canada), and whosemembers include representatives of theCouncil to Advance Hunting and theShooting Sports, the IHEA Foundation,the South African Hunters and GameConservation Association, theFederacion Mexicana De Caza A.C., the

National Rifle Association, and theNational Shooting Sports Associationfor their tremendous commitment increating a platform for collaborativeefforts amongst hunter education’sdiverse array of stakeholders.The Vermont Fish & Wildlife

Department will be hosting the 2016Annual Conference and has put togethera stellar agenda for attendees. Thefollowing topics are slated to be covered:– Keynote: Teddy Roosevelt IV– Challenges Facing Hunters &Hunting Tomorrow

– Trapping Matters Workshop– Digital Learning– Managing Your Message: EffectiveUses of Social Media by Hunters andFish and Wildlife Agencies

– Treestand Falls: A Multi-State,Multi-Year Analysis

– The Future of Wildlife in NorthAmerica and Beyond

– Hunter’s Motivations, Satisfactions,and Barriers to Participation

– New Hunter Topics– Land Access Topics

On Thursday, May 26 we will beoffering a track of presentations gearedtowards volunteer instructors. I would

like to encourage as many instructors aspossible to consider attending. It is agreat way to meet like-minded individ-uals and share a variety of knowledgeand resources. Topics to be discussedduring the Volunteer Instructor Trackwill include:– Hunter Recruitment, Retention, andReactivation: Where You Fit In

– Stories from Mountain SongExpeditions—New Women HunterMovement and Inclusivity

– Non-Traditional Hunters– Field Day 4-Ways—TreestandManufactures Association Training,Modules, Range Safety, andShotgunning

IHEA-USA is seeking sponsors,partners and exhibitors for the annualconference and throughout the year.This is a great opportunity for interestedparties to reach a focused demographic,expand your network contacts, andmake connections with those who needyour products and/or services. If you areinterested in more information on howyour business or organization can getinvolved with IHEA-USA, please don’thesitate to contact us.n

By Megan Wisecup, President IHEA-USA • [email protected]

President’s Corner

2016 IHEA-USA AnnualConference Overview

2016 IHEA-USA Annual Conference– Date: May 23-26, 2016– Place: Basin Harbor Club, Vergennes, VT– Full Conference Registration: $425/$450*– Volunteer Instructor Registration with IHEA-USA IndividualMembership: $200/$225*

– One Day Registration: $100/$125*– Guest Pass: $150/$175**Late registration fees go into effect beginning May 3rd.

For more information or to register, visit:http://ihea-usa.org/news-and-events/events/annual-conferences

Email: IHEA-USA Office Manager: [email protected] • IHEA-USA Executive Director: [email protected]: (303) 430-7233

H unter Ed Administrators, Staffand Instructors, Hello again!You may recall seeing—

maybe even reading—one of myPresident’s Corners in past Journals.After a brief 11 month retirement fromthe Nevada Department of Wildlife,The IHEA-USA Board approached mewith an offer I couldn’t refuse. While Inever imagined writing a column asExecutive Director, I’m pleased to beback working with all the dedicated,passionate folks in Hunter Education!Even though my job title has

“interim” attached, I want to assure youIHEA-USA’s work supporting HunterEducation programs across the countrycontinues. Here’s just a brief sample ofthe many new and ongoing projects andprograms IHEA-USA is involved in.

Hunter Education DeliveryResearch ProjectAt the recent IHEA-USA Winter

Board Meeting in Memphis, TN, theBoard voted to move forward with theHunter Education Delivery ResearchProject presented at the 2015 businessmeeting and contract with Matt Dunfee& Wildlife Management Institute (WMI)to design and conduct the research. TheBoard also voted to contribute an initial$10,000 towards the effort from theCabela’s Outdoor Fund Grant; with thepotential for additional funding if we’resuccessful securing another grant fromCabela’s. Simply put, we couldn’tconduct this effort and other importantwork without the support of Cabela’s,

WMI and other valued partners. Please stay tuned for more information

regarding this project. An update willalso be provided at the annual businessmeeting in Vermont on the progressto date.

Important DocumentsRevisions/UpdatesThe IHEA-USA Board and staff has

been busy updating a number of guidancedocuments for the organization prior tothe hiring of the new Executive Director.Below is a list of the various documentsthat are currently under revision. Finalcopies will be made available to alladministrators upon their adoption.– IHEA-USA Board Policies &Procedures

– IHEA-USA Employee Handbook– IHEA-USA Strategic Plan– IHEA-USA Annual Report – IHEA-USA Business Plan – IHEA-USA Budget Report &Forecast

Research/Standards and EvaluationCommittee UpdatesThe Research Committee, along

with the Standards and EvaluationsCommittee, have been hard at worksetting the framework for new onlinecourse delivery standards. IHEA-USAhas partnered with the NationalAssociation of State Boating LawAdministrators (NASBLA) on this effortand both committees have been meetingfrequently over recent months to craftnew draft delivery “best practices” utiliz-

ing NASBLA’s expertise in this area.Below is a quick snapshot of the work

that has been underway. A complete draftof the Online Course Delivery Standardsincluding the weighted question scalewill be available for review byAdministrators as soon as it is available.

Online Course Delivery Standards– Delivery Standard 1 - Organization ofCourse Content

– Delivery Standard 2 - Minimum InitialStudy Time for an Online Course

– Delivery Standard 3 - Narration – Delivery Standard 4 - Effective Use ofAvailable Technology (including video,animations, interactive images, charts,tables, and graphs)

– Delivery Standard 5 - InformationTechnology Expectations

Weighted Question ScaleI. Reasons for Hunter Education and

Justification for Hunting - 12%II. Safe Firearms Handling - 42%III. Safe Firearm Field Practices - 24%IV. Hunting Laws, Regulations, and

Wildlife ID - 8%V. Personal Responsibility and Next

Steps - 14%VI. State Specific Information - 10%

Executive Director Search UpdateAfter conducting a nationwide

recruitment that yielded nearly 40 appli-cants, the IHEA-USA board narrowedthe field to three candidates during theirFebruary meeting. These three finalistsparticipated in in-person interviews atthe North American WildlifeConference in Pittsburgh, PA in mid-March. All of the candidates werehighly qualified and brought a wealth ofknowledge, skills and abilities to thetable. At the time of writing, delibera-tions were ongoing, but with any luckthe new Executive Director will be atthe helm when you read this and chart-ing a new course for the organizationwith the Board’s guidance.n


By John McKay, IHEA-USA Interim Executive Director

Executive Director’s Comments

An Update on IHEA-USA’s Projects

One of the main goals of the Journal is to provide a platform for the exchangeof ideas and teaching experience that can help improve the education

process of the more than 700,000 new hunters annually.In order to fulfill that goal we need the input of instructors in the

field. Please submit your stories and/or photos about teaching techniques thatwork for you, thoughts about the state of our hunting heritage today, anecdotal stories about “ithappened to me” in class, visual training aids, etc... don’t worry about spelling or grammar.Every submission that is chosen for print receives a gift from supporting manufacturers.Send your submission to Susie Kiefer at [email protected]. No computer? You can

mail your submission to: IHEA-USA Journal, PO Box 432, Wellington, CO 80549.

SendUs YourStories!


M any of us know the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service’sWildlife and Sport Fish

Restoration Program (WSFR) has a 75-year legacy of restoring America’swildlife populations and habitat, andprovides grants to state fish and wildlifeagencies specifically for hunter educa-tion. In fiscal year 2016, WSFR expectsto award $122,537,840 to states forbasic hunter education and $8,040,000for enhanced hunter education. Given our history, it may surprise

you that not all WSFR employees,nor USFWS employees from otherprograms, are familiar with hunting andthe shooting sports. While WSFR lead-ership has opportunities to see WildlifeRestoration funds at work during manysite visits during the year, many WSFRHeadquarters staff seldom have theopportunity to see how states useWildlife Restoration Program dollarson the ground. Some work in budget,finance, and administrative capacities,or on programs specific to sport fishingor coastal issues. This year, we decidedto plan a field trip for WSFR staff basedin Headquarters (Falls Church, VA) so

they could learn more about huntingand sports shooting, how states useWSFR dollars, and why the program isso important to our hunting and shoot-ing heritage. Some employees of otherUSFWS program attended as well. The excellent staff of Virginia’s

Department of Game and InlandFisheries (VA DGIF) helped us plan atraining day at their Phelps WildlifeManagement Area (WMA) facility. ThePhelps WMA is composed of 4,539 acresthat spans across southern Fauquier andCulpeper counties. Over 1,000 of theseacres are open, the result of their pastuse for agriculture, and additional open-ings are found within the area’s forestedland. Most of the area is rolling withlow hills and shallow valleys. WildlifeRestoration Funds were used to constructthe shooting facility on the property—atotal of $169,085 which includes thecosts of design, testing, and construction. VA DGIF staff, including Lee Walker,

the Agency Outreach Manager for VADGIF, provided a tour of the WMA andits facilities including shooting ranges,gave an overview of the VA DGIFHunter Education Program, taught

firearms safety, and provide the oppor-tunity for hands-on archery and shoot-ing on the sighting-in range! This wasthe first time some in our group hadever handled a firearm. David Dodson, Hunter Education

Program Manager for VA DGIF, taughtWSFR staff about Hunter Educationefforts in Virginia. VA DGIF servesabout 15,000 students per year—10,000self-study/classroom and 5,000 fullonline for adults. Over 600 volunteerinstructors help make this possiblealong with four regional VA DGIFcoordinators and one manager. VADGIF also offers live-fire classes,International Bowhunter EducationProgram classes, and Virginia TrappersAssociation classes. VA DGIF is proudthat 2014-15 had the lowest rate ofhunting-related shooting incidents since1968!Participating in this field day and

training helped WSFR Headquartersstaff who do not work directly with theWildlife Restoration program or HunterEducation to learn more about howstates use these dollars on the ground,and how the Hunter Education programmakes hunting a safe activity. If youwork for an agency with other staffwho do not work directly with theWildlife Restoration Program orHunter Education efforts, consider afield trip as a way to open the door tolearning more about the program, andto introduce hunting and shootingsports to potential new participants.n

Christina Milloy is a Fish andWildlife biologist with the USFWS’sWildlife and Sport Fish RestorationProgram. She is the national lead forThe Wildlife Restoration Program andHunter Education, in addition to otherresponsibilities. She can be reached at:[email protected].

By Christina Milloy

USFWS Update

Teaching Non-HuntersAbout Hunter Education

Photo Courtesy of Lee Walker, VA DGIF

T o shoot or not to shoot—that wasthe question. I was huntingpheasant at the Kiowa Creek

shooting club east of Denver, using anew Zoli 28 gauge over/under shotgun.My dog charged a thicket of corn husks.A pheasant flew out like a missile. Ishouldered the gun and established thelead, but as the bird gained distance, Iconcluded an ethical shot was not possi-ble. Consequently, I returned the gun toa safe position. Ethical behavior is the foundation for

safe, responsible hunting—indeed, forparticipating in any shooting sport. Wewant our students to be ethical partici-pants in hunting and shooting sports; tobe safe, not to hurt others and to presentthemselves in a positive way. Here isthe first in a series of tips on how toeffectively instruct students on huntingethics. “Good company and goodconversation are the verysinews of virtue.”—Izaak Walton, The Compleat Angler, 1653

1. Have a DialogueEvery reader knows dozens of rules

that promote ethical hunting: “Don’tshoot after dusk.” “Make sure the gun isunloaded when you cross a fence.” “Besure of the backstop before you pressthe trigger.” “Always point the gun in asafe direction.” The rules are valuableand necessary, but stating a checklist ofthem is not the most effective way toteach. Students learn best when they areengaged and challenged. Teaching ethics effectively, whether

for hunting or another discipline,requires explaining why something isethical or unethical rather than provid-ing a list of rules to obey. Ask studentswhy something is good and noses willwrinkle and brains will churn as ifkneading dough as they craft an answer.When I asked that question, my youngstudents often replied, “I’ve neverthought of that before!” Having a dialogue is the most effec-

tive way to impart information, activatethe mind, stir the soul and have studentsremember your words. A dialogue is ashared journey of analyzing issues and

identifying values through creativequestions to achieve understanding. Adialogue is the most effective way toteach ethics and ethical reasoning—andit leads to questions. Questions guide aconversation and indicate what isimportant. Questions bring out thevalues and knowledge of the listener, ofcourse, but they do more: they indicaterespect. It is through dialogue and questioning

that the instructor explores a subject in-depth, and evokes an analysis deeperthan what would develop by merelystating rules. For example: hunters andtarget shooters are told to pick up theirempty hulls. The rule is based on anobvious reality: not picking them uplitters and despoils the land. Therefore,the action is wrong. A dialogue, however, will likely iden-

tify other reasons for picking up the hullsthat stating the rule would not address,such as that the litter creates angrylandowners who are then likely toprohibit hunting on their property.Through dialogue, as opposed to beinggiven a rule, the student develops a


Beyond the Hunt: Part 1Tips for Talking About Ethical Hunting By Michael G. Sabbeth

Photo Courtesy of Thomas Saldias

deeper awareness of why something isright. Through discussion, the student ismore likely to understand that ethics gobeyond himself and that the door to ethi-cal behavior swings outward, not inward.

2. Focus on the FactsAs the facts change, morality changes.

An ethical shot at a pheasant with a12-gauge gun may be unethical with a28-gauge gun. A 300-yard shot at an elkmay be ethical in the mid-day sun butunethical at dusk. Handing a shotgunwith the action open is more ethical thanhanding a shotgun with a closed action.You can think of many other examples. Instructors want to teach information

and reasoning. All judgments, particu-larly moral judgments, are fact-specific.Moral reasoning is the process of iden-tifying and then weighing facts in a moralcontext. Should a jury find the defendantguilty or not guilty? It depends on thefacts. Thus, the key to instructing onethical hunting is focusing on factswithin an ethical framework. Hunting, by its nature, involves killing

an animal. There’s no avoiding thatreality. Many variablescan determine whether hunting is ethi-cal, such as baiting animals, shootingfrom aircraft, driving animals intocorners of penned fences and so forth.

In this essay I address the ethicalchallenge to reduce the pain to theanimal. Ethical hunting, we come to

understand, requires many skillssuch as excellence in marksman-ship, knowledge of anatomy,awareness of wind and judgingdistances. These skills or fact-finding are

important because they lead to thetruth, but truth is not an end initself. Thus, the facts should becollected and interpreted within amoral framework, conclusionsshould be made based on thosefacts and actions should be takenbased on those conclusions. Moralreasoning will dictate, for example,that a shot should not be taken if adeer is two hundred yards away,the wind substantial, the visibilitylow and the shooter’s skills beyonda hundred yards minimal.

Let’s face it: truth without moralbehavior is morally worthless.n

Watch for Part II from Michael in theupcoming Summer IHEA-USA Journal.Michael Sabbeth is a lawyer in

Denver, Colorado. He lectures on ethicsand rhetoric to law associations andcivic and business groups. He is theauthor of the newly published book,The Good, The Bad & The Difference:How to Talk with Children AboutValues. Please visit his website atwww.kidsethicsbook.com

www.IHEA-USA.org 11

Photo Courtesy of NWTF

T he excitement was building for15-year-old Dominic and 17-year-old Shawn, as they steered

their motorized wheelchairs into theColorado Parks and Wildlife’s huntereducation classroom. Their friendNathan, who is 18 years old, could hardlycontain himself as he entered the roomholding his mother’s hand when he sawthe mounted turkey, fish, and big gameanimals displayed on the walls. Afternearly a year of preparation, accompa-nied by parents and mentors, the timehad arrived for these three special-needsguests, and their three non-impairedfriends to complete their hunter educa-tion Internet conclusion class. About a year ago, Chet Herzog, Board

Member with SYC (Special YouthChallenge) of Colorado, Inc., contactedKris Eng, Hunter Education Assistantwith the Colorado Division of Parks andWildlife’s (CPW) hunter educationoffice seeking a master level huntereducation instructor willing to teachyouth with special needs. Herzogexplained to Kris that SYC of Coloradois a non-profit faith-based ministrywhose mission is to teach youth with

special challenges how to participate inand enjoy hunting by providing trainingand outdoor experiences, includingturkey and elk hunts, for the youth andtheir families. Herzog said that he andhis organization hoped to take a numberof mobility-impaired and mentally-challenged youth, some with DuchenneMuscular Dystrophy and confined tomotorized wheelchairs, on a 2016 springturkey hunt. Kris sent me an email explaining the

needs of SYC Colorado and askedwhether I would be willing to providehunter education training for the group.The email piqued my interest, as I havea nephew with muscular dystrophy, so Iplaced a call to Chet to learn more abouthis organization and the needs of thementally and physically challengedfuture hunters. Chet reported that he is concerned

that youth with special challenges areleft behind because of their disability,only to hear second-hand about theexciting times their friends experiencewhile hunting. According to Herzog,SYC helps diminish their handicap byempowering the challenged youth to

succeed. Volunteers with SYC Coloradoinstruct the youth and their familiesabout firearms and hunting, and thenarrange fully-guided hunts where theyhunt from a blind with two experiencedguides as well as family members anduse firearms tailored to their specialneeds. Herzog advised that the impairedstudents will never hunt alone and willalways be accompanied and assistedduring any hunting adventure. According to Herzog, the firearms

used are equipped with an enlargedscreen attached to a rifle scope, allow-ing hunters who are unable to positionthe scope near their eye to properly aim.These firearms are equipped with adouble push-button electronic triggersystem that allows the firearm to fireonly when both electronic switches aredepressed simultaneously by the hunterand by the guide/mentor. Firing theshotgun or rifle can only occur after thehunter has the crosshairs positionedproperly on the game animal and theguide/mentor confirms the aiming posi-tion and the backstop.After conferring with Chet about his

organization, their mission, and their

Teach Outside Your Comfort Zone


By Gary Berlin, VolunteerHunter Education InstructorPhoto Courtesy of Gary Berlin

www.IHEA-USA.org 13

desire to take special challenged youthspring turkey hunting in 2016, I agreedto teach the hunter education conclusioncourse, free of charge, for members andguests of SYC Colorado. I suggestedthat for the best retention of the trainingmaterial, each student should enroll inand complete the HunterEdCourse.com(HEC) online conclusion course, as thiscourse was the least expensive of theoptions available in Colorado and thestudents could complete the course attheir own pace, assisted by a parent andreview the material repeatedly. Herzogassured me that all students could readat the 2nd or 3rd grade level, so takingthe online course assisted by a parent ormentor would not be a problem.I also made it perfectly clear to Chet

that my presenting a Colorado huntereducation card to a student uponcompletion of the class was not guaran-teed. I explained that each student hadto demonstrate safe gun handling skillsand successfully complete the final exameither in the written form or through myoral questioning. Herzog said he under-

stood the requirements and promised toshare the information with the parentsand mentors of those enrolled.An hour before the six students, along

with their parents and SYC mentorsarrived for class, Chet and two membersof SYC showed up at the range toassemble and test-fire the mobility-impaired shooting apparatus. An hour

later, the six students made their way intothe classroom, proudly presented theirHEC completion certificates as proof ofcourse completion, and took their placesin the front row. I had a captive audience and now it

was my turn to convert the online learn-ing into realistic hands-on training forthese six future hunters, and present it in

Photo Courtesy of Gary Berlin


a way that they all could understand.After my usual course introduction

and having everyone in the room intro-duce themselves, I asked each student totake a turn reading and explaining theten commandments of shooting safety.Upon completion of this first exercise, Iwas able to confirm that all studentscould competently read and comprehendthe material at a minimum of the mid-elementary school grade level. Knowingthe students’ baseline comprehensionlevel helped me tailor my delivery ofthe extended Internet conclusion classusing a combination of interactive

discussion, video and hands-on training. After many hours of classroom

discussion and frequent breaks, it wastime to cross the atrium and enter therange for the live-fire exercise. A basicrange safety introduction and demon-stration of the proper handling, loadingand unloading techniques for the singleshot bolt action rifles was provided tothe group and everyone was fitted witheye and ear protection. I explained thatwhen I turned on the exhaust fan, itwould be hard for anyone other than thetwo shooters on the shooting line to hearmy commands; therefore everyone

must remain behind the orange safetyline and give me the “thumbs up” toacknowledge my command. I then blewa whistle and instructed that if anyonehears the sound of the whistle, theymust immediately make all firearmssafe, with the action open, place themon the shooting bench and move behindthe safety line. I asked for a thumbs up,which I received from everyone. With one non-impaired student on the

firing line in the shooting lane besideone challenged individual using theshooting apparatus in the adjacent lane,the live fire exercise began. Eachstudent fired the required ten rounds,collected their target and after finishingall of the “high fiven’,” the next pairwas given permission to cross the safetyline and approach the bench. After all six shooters finished in the

range and the adrenalin rush subsided,the entire group moved back into theclassroom for the final written examreview. Dominic, who had beenextremely nervous and reluctant tospeak at the onset of class, was nowbubbling with energy and chatteringnon-stop, spewing answers to the reviewquestions, even when it wasn’t his turn.Shawn, older and much more composedand confident, knew he had the “test inthe bag,” while Nathan gladly repeatedthe answers of his five companions,proud of himself that he too knew theanswers to the questions. The otherthree students were equally anxious tocomplete the test and earn their orangehunter education card.At one point, it was Nathan’s turn to

answer a question, and when askedwhere he would shoot a big gameanimal to ensure a one shot clean kill,Nathan nervously started thinking aloud,mentioning many animal body parts,hoping to settle his mind on the best one.His mother, sitting directly beside himgave Nathan a hint by tapping her chest.Nathan seeing his mother’s non-verbalhint yelled out in a confident voice“Gary, I’d shoot it in the nipple!”Everyone in the room, myself

included, along with Nathan’s parentsand the other mentors and studentsroared with laughter. I congratulatedNathan for knowing the answer, butsuggested he rephrase his response by

Photo Courtesy of Gary Berlin

www.IHEA-USA.org 15

referring to the kill spot as “in the chestcavity where the vital organs are found.”Nathan proudly repeated the answer theway in which I phrased it and glowedwith pride.With an SYC mentor helping Dominic

and Nathan with the difficult wordscontained in the 50-question multiplechoice exam, one-by-one the students,with their parent alongside, presentedtheir completed test for me to grade.Standing (or sitting in the motorizedwheel chair) before me one at a time,the future hunters fidgeted while Igraded their tests. Shawn completed histest first, with the three non-impairedkids following right behind, thenDominic and Nathan.Marking incorrect answers using a

yellow highlighter, Dominic wouldgasp with each stroke of the pen. WhenI finished grading each student’s exam(and they all legitimately passed) with ascore exceeding 75%, each student,along with their parent and mentor, tooktheir answer sheet and test and reviewedeach question missed in order that theyknew the correct answer.Finally, the time had come and each

student was congratulated and awardedtheir orange Colorado hunter educationcard. With the smiles on their faces, thecongratulations being shared all aroundand posing for photos, you would havethought we were celebrating Christmasin February. I guess in a way we were.A couple of weeks have passed since

the SYC class concluded, and I havereceived phone calls, e-mails and lettersof thanks from all of the parents andmentors of the six students. Quite frankly,it should be me writing letters of thanksto SYC and the parents/mentors forallowing me to teach this class.Shawn’s father noted that it was great

that all six students, whether challengedor not, were treated equally. Heexplained to me that treating all studentsthe same allows the challenged studentsto interact as equals to the non-impairedstudents. Diane, Nathan’s mother, sentme a photo of Nathan posing with hiscard in-hand in front of the DPW bannerand wrote a note saying “it is amazingwhat we can learn with and from ourspecial needs community” and endedthe letter with “P.S. Don’t forget thebest place to shoot an elk…that wouldbe in the nipple Gary!!” I won’t soon forget the fun I had and

the knowledge I gained teaching thesesix kids hunter education. I’ve alreadyvolunteered for their next class in 2017. Should you as a hunter education

instructor ever be offered the opportu-nity to step outside your comfort zoneand teach a similar class, take the chance.I guarantee you’ll have as much fun asthe students you teach, and at the end ofthe day, you’ll probably learn more thanthe students in the class.nAbout the author—Gary Berlin served

in many capacities with the ColoradoDivision of Wildlife for 25 years and

has taught hunter education formore than 35 years. Since retiringfrom the State of Colorado, Garyworked for a police psychologistevaluating police officer applicantsand writing reports, served asExecutive Director of the IHEA,President and Legislative Liaison ofthe American Fly Fishing TradeAssociation, and until December 31,2015, Gary served as AgencyDirector and Equity Partner inOutdoor Roadmap LLC., DBAHunter Ed Course. Today Gary is a“professional volunteer,” huntereducation instructor and new pianostudent who has the skill to play awicked rendition of Mary Had aLittle Lamb. This article is copy-righted by the author.

Image taken by Nathan's mother, Diane

U .S. Army Corps of Engineersproject Jennings Randolph Lakeis located in Mineral County,

West Virginia and Garrett County,Maryland and has a large population ofwhitetail deer in the area. The lake staffneeded to reduce the size of the deerherd. After considering several options,the staff decided a controlled huntwould provide the desired solution. Thisled to the lake hosting a hunt for physi-

cally challenged persons. The lake staffestablished a Project Delivery Team torecruit sponsors and outside expertise insetting up the hunt. Combining theirefforts for the joint venture were theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers, WVHunter Education Association, WVDepartment of Natural ResourcesPolice and the Elk District VolunteerFire Company (EDVFC), This past November the project

hosted the 10th annual Bill NesbitMemorial Physically Challenged Hunton November 16th and 17th. The annualhunt gave eleven handicapped huntersand disabled veterans the opportunityto harvest a deer with the help ofHunter Safety instructors and dozens ofvolunteers. The Elk District Fire Hall was

temporarily turned into a “deer camp”as the hunters, family members, volun-teers, firemen and park rangers ofJennings Randolph Lake met there inthe morning for a safety briefing, andassignment of hunters with a volunteerhunter safety instructor. The groupproceeded to the Robert W. CraigCampground to begin the hunt.Participants were accompanied by avolunteer hunter education instructor inthe blinds to ensure safety during thehunt. The rest of the group used thecampground water treatment room as abase station. The water treatment roomwas converted into a warming station inthe event anyone needed to take a breakto get out of the cold weather or getsome food.The staff recruited a group of volun-

teers to assist the hunters getting in andout of the woods, processing the gameharvested and feeding all the huntersand volunteers. The event gives huntersa comfortable environment to get back

Outdoor Therapy for the Soul By Bill Donnellan, Lead RangerJennings Randolph LakePhotos Courtesy of Bill Donnellan


Photo Courtesy of Bill Donnellan

www.IHEA-USA.org 17

out into the woods and accommodatesfor their disabilities.“Hunting is an activity that a lot of us

take for granted, but for these gentlemen,the opportunity to get out there meansso much,” said Bill Donnellan, USACEJennings Randolph Lake park ranger.“Many of the participants experiencedtraumatic events that prevent them fromparticipating in routine activities.” “A lot of people that we have here

have hunted in the past and when some-thing traumatic happens to them theythink it’s over and they can’t doanything anymore,” said Rexrode,retired sergeant with the West VirginiaDepartment of Natural ResourcesPolice. “When people go hunting, it’sreally something they look forward toand when they think it’s over—it’sdisheartening to think they can never dothat again, and we’ve given themanother opportunity.”“This year we had five Wounded

Warriors participate,” said Rexrode, “Asa Vietnam veteran, I’m really glad wewere able to provide this opportunity,and personally it’s very special to me,”he said. One of our veterans is retired United

States Army Sergeant Luis Rosa whowanted to get into hunting but didn’thave a place to go. Luis attended ahunter safety course in Fredrick, MDand told the instructors he was lookingfor a place to hunt. Ira Click, StateCentral Regional Coordinator for MD

contacted Donnie Simmons,Western Regional Coordinatorfor hunter education foradvice. Donnie was familiarwith the hunt at JenningsRandolph Lake and is friendswith hunter education instruc-tor Jim Tichnell who hasvolunteered for the past nineyears at the event. Jim gaveLuis Ranger Donnellan’scontact information. RangerDonnellan spoke with Luis onOctober 30th and invited Mr.Rosa to the hunt.Rosa is a Wounded Warrior

who was on his seconddeployment when he was left atriple amputee with hearingand vision loss after an IED

explosion in Iraq in April 2008. Luiscontacted Ranger Donnellan and wasinvited to attend the hunt. Luis waspaired with hunter safety instructorHarold Bennett on day two of the hunt.As we were approaching the end of the

second day, we waited for them to bethe last one to be picked in order to giveLuis the opportunity to harvest a deer.On the previous day Harold sat withveteran Matthew Kauffman and theywere successful in harvesting a 150 classbuck. As daylight was waning, Haroldjokingly told Luis he has a 100-percentsuccess rate with the hunters he sat withover the years. Not long after that, abutton buck appeared and Luis placed aperfect shot. As we approached theblind, Luis was outside with a grin fromear to ear. We took some photos and aswe listened to Luis tell us all he wantedwas to feel normal again, we werereminded why we do this each year.This special event has become an

important part of the lake’s wildlifemanagement plan. Not only does it helpmanage the deer population, it is alsotherapeutic to all involved. As this eventevolves and grows every year there willbe new participants who are still adjustingto their handicaps, and some returninghunters to show them life goes on.n

Photo Courtesy of Bill Donnellan

A s instructors, we teach ourstudents many of the aspects ofpreparing for a hunt. We talk

about items and skills which a huntermight need in order to be ready for thehunt, including how to purchaselicenses and tags, what to include whenestablishing a hunting plan, and theneed for first aid skills, including how tosurvive the elements. Having hunted in numerous states

throughout the United States in the lastfew years, I thought I, as well as the restof the hunters in my party, wereprepared to hunt wherever we went. Wewere ready for everything, until theunthinkable happened.On a recent whitetail deer hunting trip

to the Texas Panhandle, I was accompa-nied by two other Hunter EducationInstructors and my great friends, SteveBalbo and Fletcher Diehl, as well asFletcher’s son, Mark Wickens. As thesun was breaking light in the east, weheaded out from San Diego, CA on ourway to Quail, TX. We had planned our

Texas trip for eight months. We plannedto drive two trucks for people, gear andcoolers, and we even had handheldradios so we could talk back and forthalong our journey. We drove toAlbuquerque, NM where we stoppedfor the night. On the morning of thesecond day, Steve and I learned thatFletcher had experienced a tough nightand wasn’t feeling well. Like most hunters I know, we do not

let a little “feeling bad” get to us duringa hunting trip so Fletcher decided thatwe should continue on to Texas. Laterthat day, we pulled into the Amarillo,TX airport and picked up my brother,Chris Brennan, a Maryland HunterEducation Instructor. We headed to thehotel for the night. After a good Texassteak dinner, we hit the pillows in antic-ipation of completing our journey toQuail, TX and starting our deer hunt thefollowing afternoon. On the morning of the third day,

Fletcher’s son, Mark, called to tell methat Fletcher had another bad night and

woke up feeling worse than he did theday before. Mark took Fletcher to anurgent care facility in Amarillo, TX. Thelocal urgent care conducted a physicalevaluation and took some x-rays, andafter further evaluation, told Fletcher togo directly to the hospital because hehad congestive heart failure. Fletcher was admitted to the intensive

care unit for treatment. He was 1,050miles from home, in a hospital withunfamiliar doctors, talking about heartbypass surgery. The good news was thatFletcher was lucky his son Mark waswith him, and he also had very goodinsurance. The bad news was that due toFletcher’s medical emergency, theyboth were going to miss the hunt. Ourplans had changed for the worse, butFletcher was being taken care of whichwas a priority. Steve Balbo, Chris, and Icontinued on to Quail, TX, whileFletcher’s vitals were being stabilized,so he could return to San Diego, CA forhis surgery. We talked to Fletcher andMark every day to get information on

Preparing for the Hunt: Are YouTruly Prepared?

By Gary F. Brennan,California Master HunterEducation InstructorPhoto Courtesy of Collene Lang


www.IHEA-USA.org 19

the patient, and keep them up-to-date onthe day’s hunting experiences. I hadasked Fletcher if he had any emergencyassistance insurance, and he said hismedical insurance would pay for thecosts associated with getting his flighthome. Fletcher’s daughter would flyinto Amarillo, TX to escort him home,while his son Mark drove Fletcher’struck back to San Diego, CA.Years ago when I started hunting out

of state, I purchased a supplementalinsurance plan which would ensure Igot home in the event I could not getthere on my own. These assistanceplans are affordable and offer assis-tance with finding doctors, gettingsecond opinions while you are hospi-talized, providing interpreters if youare in a non-English speaking coun-try, transporting you back home, andthey will even hire a professionaldriver to return your vehicle to yourhome no matter where you are in theworld. Assistance plans can bepurchased for single individuals or,for a few more dollars, they cancover your entire family. If Fletcher had not been stabilized

and allowed to return with the help ofhis daughter, he would have requiredan air ambulance medivac flight. Icontacted several companies whichprovide air ambulance services. Theaverage price for a three hour andthirty-six minute flight would cost$22,000. The cost of the medivacflights can include the followingservices: an aircraft set up for inten-sive care transportation, a criticalcare flight nurse and flight para-medic, all medical intervention andsupplies, bed-to-bed continuum ofclinical care, and ground transporta-tion on both ends. Passenger andluggage accompaniment is no addi-tional charge if there is room on theaircraft. Emergency assistance programs

like this one will cover all of the costsof returning you to your hometown,and assist in making arrangementsfor your family, if they are with you,while you are being cared for.Different companies offer differentlevels of coverage, but most are veryreasonable and will not break the

bank. Family coverage will provide youpeace of mind when you and the familyare on vacation or out hunting.As instructors, we should inform our

students or their parents about insurancewhich would cover the return to yourhometown in case of an emergency. Weshould also make our students awarethat assistance plans exist, and encour-age them to look into the various emer-gency assistance plans available. Oh, by

the way, Fletcher returned to San Diego,CA after staying in Amarillo, TX untilafter we had returned from the hunt. Hewent directly into a San Diego, CAhospital and underwent his heartsurgery. He is currently recovering athome surrounded by his family. OurTexas outfitter agreed he would honorFletcher and Mark’s deposit for a 2016hunt, and they can’t wait to get backinto the woods.n


T here are importantbasic fundamentals ofsafety to know and

understand as a new orseasoned turkey hunter.Based on thorough investiga-tions by trained investigatorsand utilizing the “lessonslearned,” we’ve been able togreatly reduce the number ofturkey hunting incidents.When we analyze theelements of each incident as aresearch project, we can seewhat is SAFE and what is not.The repeated causes we findas we investigate turkey hunt-ing incidents confirm whatare unsafe acts. Thus, weutilize this data to create

acceptable SAFE standards, or funda-mental rules, of safety. One lesson wehave learned is that when the toms aregobbling and the adrenaline is flowing,it can be all too easy to shoot as soon asyou see the turkey, or anything thatlooks like it might be the turkey! No matter if you hunt on private land

or public, it’s your responsibility to be aSAFE hunter. Your setup or blind justinside the woods lends concealment. It’svery important where you place yourdecoys; visibility is also an importantfactor to hunting defensively. There isalways a chance someone could bestalking your calls or your decoy nomatter if they have permission to be onthe same land or not. Remember, as acamouflaged turkey hunter, yourmission is to be concealed from thegame you are hunting. Keep in mind;there is always a chance you are notalone in the area you’re hunting in.Never wear or expose patriotic colors asa turkey hunter. Red, white, blue andalso black are the colors a turkey maydisplay, which could make you a target.Your decoys should be facing you at a

safe distance of 15 to 20 yards away, inclear view from where you are set up.The decoy will help draw a bird in andcause it to focus away from your posi-tion. The true ethical and SAFE turkeyhunter will call a bird into range, observ-ing the strutting and display until he orshe totally identifies the legal bird, that ithas a beard, spurs and that a clear shotcan be made, and also what’s beyond thetarget. Never shoot at just the fan of aturkey; make sure you process all theconfirming characteristics of a wildturkey before you shoot. It only takes amoment to stop, breathe, and check onelast time before you squeeze the trigger.Once you’ve harvested your bird, it willhelp if you conceal your bird and keepyourself safe when you are on the wayout of the woods headed home. Huntershave been injured while carrying orsetting their turkey down to rest, so being

Lessons Learned—Turkey Hunting 2016By Rod Slings Hunting and Shooting Related Consultants LLC, www.huntsrc.com

(Continued on page 22)

SAFE is always rule number one. The National Wild Turkey Federation

has a history of being an advocate ofturkey hunting safety. The NWTF’sadvice below comes from their websiteand outlines additional safety suggestions:www.nwtf.org/hunt/article/decoy-safety-strategies.Fields and planted wildlife openings

figure prominently into any turkeyhunter’s strategy. Birds will often headto fields to feed, and toms prefer to strutin open areas where it’s easier to be seen.

Set up just inside the woods whereyou can remain concealed, but have agood field of view to spot approachingbirds. If using decoys, establish a clearline of vision for at least 100 yards andthen place them at a set distance—about 20 yards from your position—sothat you can tell when the bird is inshotgun range.

Decoy Safety StrategiesNever transport decoys uncovered.

Many of the new decoys fold up for easy

storage in turkey vests. Make surethe decoy head is not stickingout of your vest.Always set up against a tree

that is taller than your head andwider than your shoulders.Establish a clear line of vision

for at least 100 yards and thenset up the decoys 20 yards fromyour position on the line.If you see another hunter, call

out in a loud, clear voice to alertthem to your position. Never

wave or make turkey sounds to alertanother hunter.Always check carefully that no one is

stalking your decoys before leavingyour position.

“Lesson’s Learned” is a regularfeature from the retired wildlife officersupervisors at Hunting and ShootingRelated Consultants LLC. They are alsoauthors of BLOOD on the LEAVESReal Hunting Accidents And Lessons InHunter Safety.n

(Continued from page 20)

T he American WildernessLeadership School,located near Jackson,

Wyoming, is recruiting highschool students ages 16-18 toits June 29-July 5, 2016seven-day workshop. Theworkshop focus is in learningthe North American Model ofConservation and wildlifemanagement and about beingan advocate for hunters andshooting sports. The program is held at the AWLS

facility in the Granite Creek recreationarea south of Jackson. Students learnabout being leaders and workingtogether. They learn about sage grouse

and wolves—how populations aremanaged in Wyoming and the legalprocesses that directly affect wildlifemanagement policies. The workshop includes field trips to

gas fields and sage grouse leks and

meeting with wildlife biolo-gists. Hiking in the surroundingmountains and an overnightcamping experience provideshands-on introductions toWyoming flora and fauna,knowledge about ecosystems,as well as techniques used insurvival situations. For more information about

this educational opportunity,contact Todd Roggenkamp,

SCI Foundation Director of Educationat the following email address:[email protected]; or callhim at (520) 620-1220. Applicationsare available for downloading atwww.safariclubfoundation.org.n

SCI Update

Advocacy and Conservation,Tomorrow’s Leaders

Photo Courtesy of American-Wilderness-Leadership-School


A t the 2016 Safari ClubInternational (SCI) conventionin Las Vegas, Nevada, IHEA-

Mexico discussed hunter education asan anti-poaching strategy for LatinAmerican countries that lack resourcesto staff robust wildlife law enforcementprograms. Edgar Wenzel, IHEA-Mexicopresident, reported that in addition toteaching how to hunt safely, ethicallyand legally, hunter education is the basisto form rural “brigadas de vigilancia” orcommunity patrols so that rural commu-nities themselves can get organized andprevent poaching. A usual comment bythe students is that they had not thoughtabout the life cycle of game animals andhad viewed hunting seasons as totallyarbitrary government actions. After thehunter education course, there is noexcuse for “I didn’t know.” It is particularly encouraging how

receptive rural communities are to thecourse. Mr. Wenzel related the effortsthat people make to attend the coursebut one case stood out. A woman in her80s walked about an hour to a bus stopon the highway, and then had a two hourbus ride to the community where the

course was held. She said that she likedto hunt rabbits with her revolver andthat it would be better to take the courseand be legal. In urban areas, an interesting devel-

opment is that civic organizations areinviting the hunter education instructorsto discuss hunting as a current issue thatthe membership should be informedabout. A couple of hunter educationinstructors presented talks to universitystudents in biology classes wherewildlife conservation and sustainable useare seldom taught. Another instructor is awildlife biologist and uses the huntereducation courses to get to knowcommunities and help them developtheir wildlife management plans so thatthey can sell hunting opportunities anddiversify the economy in their area.Hunting clubs are doing a tremendous

job to promote the courses. ClubDeportivo Cazadores Monterrey requiresall its members to take the hunter educa-tion course irrespective of whether ornot they hunt. An instructor attributes tohunter education the improvement insafety at sport shooting clubs.Today, IHEA-Mexico has 50 instruc-

tors and has certified 25,000hunters. Hunter Education isoptional in Mexico. The Mexicangovernment encourages thecourse by issuing a huntinglicense for an “undefined”number of years, which is notthe same as a lifetime huntinglicense. Hunting tags are all thatcertified resident hunters haveto buy.In 2007, Texas invited

Mexico’s Hunting Federation(FEMECA) to consider joiningIHEA, and the training ofMexican instructors became anIHEA project assisted by theWildlife Table of theU.S./Mexico Border Governors.Since then, Texas and Mexicohold joint advanced workshopsfor instructors on wildlife

management, teaching methods, hunterethics, comparative firearm regulationsand other topics. IHEA Mexico has alsomade great contributions to translatehunter education materials to Spanishand help Texas reach its Spanish-speak-ing population. Texas even has a HunterEducation Area Chief in Mexico.This is a great bi-national partnership

with potential to grow to the rest ofLatin America. At the SCI convention inFebruary, Mr. Wenzel offered to helpLatin American countries develop theirown programs by providing them a setof materials for their perusal, invitingthem to attend the courses in Mexicoand training a group of instructors intheir own countries. In response,Argentina requested IHEA training. A major challenge surfaced for IHEA

Mexico right after the SCI Conventionwhen a Mexican senator introducedlegislation to ban hunting and “turnMexico into the next Costa Rica” whereonly non-consumptive ecotourism isallowed. Mexico’s Hunting Federation(FEMECA) and IHEA Mexico are lead-ing the opposition to the bill and haveformed a coalition of stakeholders.n

IHEA-Mexico at SCI ConventionBy Maria Araujo, International Affairs Director and Hunter Education Instructor for Texas Parks and Wildlife

Photo Courtesy of Paty Wenzel


Patrick Klotzbach has been the South DakotaGFP HuntSAFE Program Coordinator sinceJanuary 2016. In 1955, the South DakotaLegislature made hunter safety education arequirement in state law and the first coursestaught in 1956. In 2012, the South Dakota HunterSafety and Firearms Education course certified its250,000th student. In 2015, 3,331 students werecertified with a total of 164 classes. Patrick loveshunting and fishing with friends and family. Heplays hockey in an adult hockey league and he alsoenjoys cooking and coffee.

B eginning in April 2015, Jennifer Pittmanassumed the role of Hunter EducationCoordinator for the Georgia DNR,

Wildlife Resources Division. She has been withthe department for over ten years as the Huntingand Shooting Education Supervisor. As Hunter Education Coordinator, duties

include directing the planning, development andpromotion of mandatory hunter education training;monitoring the annual budget; developing work

plans, completing grant applications and reports; approving procurementfor training supplies, materials and equipment; overseeing the compilationof statistical reports and charts; and administering the statewide volunteerinstructor program, among other duties.Jennifer has a B.A. in History and a Masters in Public Administration

from George Mason University. A Virginia native, she grew up hunting withher father and now, along with her husband, is raising two sons as avidoutdoorsmen. Jennifer is an Endowment Member of the National Rifle Association and

holds several instructor certifications in archery, shotgun, rifle and pistol. Asa competitive 3-D archer, she counts a state championship among her pastaccolades. Her passion for shooting and hunting helps fuel her dedication toher career in educating the public about these activities.

Getting To Know TheAdministrators

Joe Huggins has held the position of ArkansasHunter Education Coordinator since October 1992(23 years). He has worked for the Arkansas Gameand Fish Commission in the Education Divisionfor 30 years. He is married with three children.One is an emergency room nurse, one is a wildlifeofficer for AGFC, and one is a college studentpursuing a career as a wildlife officer. Joe enjoysbeing outside, hunting, fishing and spending timewith his kids.


D eer season means time withfamily and friends. I live inIowa, however I still hunt in

my home state of Minnesota. The onlyplans that I make for the first threeweekends in November is to be in thewoods hunting the greatest game, withthe most important people in my life. Itwould be nice if things could be sosimple.On the morning of November 11th,

1998, my world was turned upsidedown. I was on my stand when I hearda shot coming from my brother’s stand.I knew that he didn’t like to field dresshis own deer, so I climbed down frommy stand and wandered over to givehim a hand. I found him lying on theground close to death with a bulletwound to the head. We did all we couldto save his life, but he went to be withthe Lord that day. He was 26 years old

and awaiting the birth of his first child.It took me ten years before I ventured

out to sit on another stand. In that time Igot married and had three wonderfulboys. Some of my fondest memorieswere in the woods with my dad, uncleand friends. I needed to share this expe-rience with my boys. I have to tell youthat the first few years with my oldestboy were extremely hard. After he wasallowed to hunt in a stand by himself, Iremember how hard it was for me to sitthere and not worry about him. It wasall I could do to sit in my stand afterhearing a shot in the woods withoutgoing to check to see if he was ok. Iwould have to say that getting back intothe woods and hunting with my boys wasa wonderful decision, we have sharedsome incredible experiences with mydad, uncle and friends. I wish my brotherwas here to share these memories with us.With the death of my brother I made

a decision to find a positive way to keephis memory alive. About six years afterhis death I was fortunate to work with afantastic middle school science teacher.As part of her science class she taughtHunter Education. Her love for her

Making A Positive DifferenceBy Gary Irons, Iowa Instructor

students and her excitement for theoutdoors was contagious. After takingthe required instructor classes, I wasable to assist her in teaching the HunterEducation portion of her Earth Scienceclass. A few years later a decision wasmade to drop the class from the sciencecurriculum. I made the decision to teacha few Hunter Education classes in oursmall Iowa community outside of theschool setting. A few years later I wasapproached by my high schoolprincipal about possibly bringingHunter Education back into theschool as an exploratory class. Ijumped at the chance to be able toteach all of the 6th grade studentsfirearm safety. I have been aHunter Education instructor forthe past 15 years, the last six aspart of our school curriculum. Thepast three years I have been ableto take the entire 6th grade classlive shooting at a local trap range.We break the students into

three groups and teach proper gunhandling, archery, and trap shoot-ing. It has been a great experiencethat the kids absolutely love. Ourschool is able to do this becauseof the cooperation of our localDNR officers and the generosityof the Ventura Gun Club. I feellike I am able to give back to thesport that has given so much tome. I am also able to remembermy brother’s life by helping toensure that another family doesnot have to go through such ahorrible experience. If I can helpprevent one hunting accident, allof the volunteer hours will be wellworth it. I have had the opportu-nity to work with some greatDNR officers in District 5. I havehad the joy of having all three ofmy boys in my Hunter Educationclass, and I get to share the sport Ilove with every 6th grade studentin our school. Our community islucky to have a school district thatfeels that Hunter Educationbelongs in our schools. HunterEducation is not just about teach-ing students about hunting, it isalso about instructing studentsabout safe gun handling, respect-

ing our natural resources, being safe inthe outdoors, and reinforces the lessonson good character taught in our school.I have taken a difficult experience

and made it into something positive forkids. Most volunteers will tell you thatthey take more from the experiencethan they give. I know that this is thecase with me. Being a Hunter Educatorinstructor has helped me heal from myloss, so that I can share the wonderful

world of deer hunting with my boys. Ithas introduced me to our fantastic IowaDNR officers, and has given me theopportunity to make a small differencein my community. I strongly encourageyou to talk to your local school districtabout including Hunter Education intothe school curriculum if possible, orsupporting a local trap shooting team. Ipromise you will enjoy the time youspend with the kids.n

www.IHEA-USA.org 29


T his activity was developed as analternative to a lecture about thefundamentals of wildlife biology.

It seems to appeal to all learning styles,can be easily adapted to each classroomenvironment, and provides an interactiveactivity for a hunter education program.I have utilized this activity in the huntereducation classes I have conducted inIdaho, Nevada, and Alaska over the pasttwenty-five plus years. It always bringssmiles to observers and participants alike.

Harding “Habitat” Carrying CapacityPURPOSE:To understand the wildlife

management concepts of carryingcapacity, seasonal changes in animalpopulations, habitat components, andlimiting factor through an interactiveclassroom activity.

MATERIALS: A board, chart, orscreen on which the class can recordseasonal observations of animalnumbers and 5-12 each of three types ofobjects (e.g. packaged rolls of toiletpaper, packaged rolls of paper towels,water bottles, and empty coffee cans allwork well).

INTRODUCTION: Carrying capacityis the number of each kind of plant oranimal a given habitat area can support.The carrying capacity of the habitat maychange with the different seasons, and

from year to year due to fluctuations ina variety of factors such as precipita-tion, human influences, temperature,invasive species, etc. When there aremore animals of a given species than acertain habitat can support, the excessanimals of that species must makechanges or they will likely die. Thecomponent of the habitat that is in theshortest supply for a species is calledthe “limiting factor” (e.g. lack of wateris usually the limiting factor for deserthabitats).

PROCEDURE: 1. Discuss with the students the terms:

habitat, the components of habitat,limiting factor, and carrying capacity.2. Randomly arrange three different-

sized objects. Identify each of the threegroups of objects as being a differentspecies of animal that would be foundin the same habitat with similar needs(e.g. coffee cans are moose, toilet paperrolls are deer, elk, or caribou, and papertowel rolls are horses). Note: selecting adomesticated animal as one of the species,their competition with wild animals canbe illustrated, especially using papertowels since they are easier to grasp.3. Select a student to volunteer as the

“habitat.” 4. Allow the student 15 seconds to see

how many of the “animals” they can

What is Your Carrying Capacity?By Barry Whitehill, Alaska Hunter Education Instructor


hold at one time. With the student stillholding the animals, record on the boarda graph labeled “<Students Name>Habitat” that has the number of eachanimal species on the left side of thegraph. This represents the peak popula-tion for each of the three species duringspring, when animal populations are attheir highest level due to birthing.Animals that drop at this point are lefton the ground but are counted and

recorded as a drop in population goinginto summer.5. Instruct the student to safely follow

a circular path around the room tosimulate the seasons while supportingtheir animals. Along the bottom of thegraph, label the seasons of the year. Thestart represents “spring;” the first portionof the course is “summer;” along theback portion is “fall;” and the stretchback to the start is “winter.” Keep track

of the number and kind of animals lostduring each “season.” 6. Plot on the graph for each species

their remaining number at each seasonof the year, from spring through winter.Discuss with the class what might beresponsible for a drop in numbers, ornot, at each season point on the graph.Factors like disease, wildfire, drought,human activities, migration, predation,hunting, weather, etc., can be explored.Repeat the activity with otherstudents to demonstrate that differenthabitats have different carryingcapacities. Often there is a studentwho attempts to “cheat” MotherNature by stuffing animals insidetheir clothing. Not a problem, butthat is when I make the statementthat “Mother Nature always batslast” and move onto the next step. 7. While the student is at their

carrying capacity, discuss thecomponents that make up “habitat.”They can be demonstrated by havingthe students visualize that the left armis “food,” the right arm is “water,”the left leg is “shelter,” the right leg is“space,” and their trunk is “arrange-ment.” As the discussion drags on,the student gets antsy and a littlefatigued holding the items. That isthe moment I tell the student thatthey cannot use their right armbecause their habitat has suffered adrought. Water is the “limitingfactor,” so they must now go aroundthe room holding their animals with-out using their right arm.

DISCUSSION:– What is carrying capacity?– Give three examples of factorsthat can influence carryingcapacity?

– How can the carrying capacitychange with the season?

– What are some things that happento animals if they exceed carryingcapacity?

– What are the components ofhabitat?

– Why is the carrying capacitydifferent for each type of animalspecies in the habitat?

– What is limiting factor?…and the list of questions goes on.n


T he article, “Not Everyone Gets aTrophy,” took me back anumber of years to a student

course I taught while employed by theOhio Division of Wildlife as a DistrictEducation Officer. A young man didn’tpass the course and his parents took thetime to discuss his situation with me.They were concerned that, because theyoung man had problems with author-ity figures, perhaps my uniform hadcontributed to his difficulty. I don’trecall the boy being disruptive or inat-tentive and explained to the parentsthat now that the student had gonethrough the course once, he shouldhave no difficulty the second timearound. I recommended another course

in the area, taught by one of our volun-teer instructors who was an older,grandfatherly-like gentleman and oneof our top instructors. I was sure thestudent would do well in his class. Ifollowed up on this student, attendingthe last class of the course to see howhe fared. Until that time, I hadn’t real-ized that the instructor was also adeputy sheriff and taught in fulluniform! Oh well…no worries, thestudent did pass and the smile on hisface reflected the trophy he’d won. Weall learn from our experiences andsometimes those situations where wefall short of our expectations are theones that motivate us and make thesuccess all the more sweet.

Reader Response to Winter 2015 Article,“Not Everyone Gets a Trophy”

—Sara Jean Peters, Ohio Division of Wildlife (retired)

&

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nn MasterCard nn Visa Card # ____________________________________________

Name on Card/Signature______________________________________Expiration Date: __________________________

ATTENTION:Include $2 Per OrderShipping & Handling

Mail your order to: IHEA-USA • 800 East 73rd Ave., Unit 2 • Denver, CO 80229

10 Commandments of Firearm SafetyLimited Edition Commemorative Patch Order Form

nn 2000 Patch ......( )

nn 2001 Patch ......( )

nn 2002 Patch ......( )

nn 2003 Patch ......( )

nn 2004 Patch ......( )

nn 2005 Patch ......( )

nn 2006 Patch ......( )

nn 2007 Patch ......( )

nn 2008 Patch ......( )

nn 2009 Patch ......( )

Indicate which patch orderedand how many:

SAMPLE: r 2005 Patch....( 3 )

Matching lapel pin includedif available.


H IVIZ Shooting Systems announcesthat their latest LITEWAVE™

innovation is now available on their verypopular COMPSIGHT® for shotguns.Designed specifically for competitiveshotgun sports, the new COMPSIGHToffers a low-profile base featuring inter-changeable LitePipe™ sizes in variouscolors, giving competitive and recreationalshooters and hunters alike an edge in alllighting conditions. The design itselffeatures a state-of-the-art exoskeletonframe allowing an unprecedented amountof light to enter the LitePipe™, offering

an even brighter sight picture whilemaintaining extreme durability. All COMPSIGHT® LITEWAVE™

sights fit most common shotguns with aremovable front bead and are packagedwith five thread sizes to fit most threadpatterns. They also include sevenreplacement LitePipes (three each ofred and green in .105, .120, and .135diameter and one white in .135) meetingthe sight-picture and light requirementsof a variety of shooters.Recommended retail: $41.95. Check

them out at hivizsights.com.

B irchwood Casey® has introducedtwo great new Dueling Tree

Targets for fast-paced shooting action

that you can see and hear—perfect foryour Hunter Education qualificationday, or just backyard plinking fun.Available in both .22 rimfire and

airgun versions, the World of Targets®Dueling Tree has four steel plates thatdodge from side to side when hit,providing constant shooting action.Made from heavy steel and sturdyconstruction, these targets will stand upwell to long-term range use, and thereare no springs or mechanisms requiredfor the target to reset, making them

almost maintenance free. Easy toassemble and set up without tools, eachpaddle also includes either orange orgreen replaceable Target Spots™ forincreased visibility. Both targets comewith a hard molded case for ease oftransportation. The Dueling Tree .22 Rimfire Target

Stand sells for $186.70 and the airgunversion for $168.00. Both targets areproudly made in the USA.For more information visit online at

birchwoodcasey.com.

L ansky Sharpeners adds anotherlandmark to their ever-expanding

product line with the release of the newBlademedic™ Knife Sharpener, an all-inclusive sharpening tool for fieldrepairs on every type of knife blade. TheBlademedic™ offers four differentsharpening elements in one small,portable packet incorporating diamond,ceramic and whetstone material intoone tool.Perfect for sharpening your knives in

the field, Blademedic has the ability totackle regular or serrated blades, or guthooks as well, and it features a diamondtaper rod. This tool is perfect for remov-ing nicks and burs on machetes, axesand knives or to gently sharpen a hard-to-reach gut hook. This full sharpeningsystem is small enough to fit in yourchange pocket and tough enough tohandle even the most intense repairs.Learn more about Blademedic at

lansky.com.

HIVIZ® Improves the Visibility Game for Shotgunners

The Blademedic™ Knife Sharpener from Lansky MakesSharpening Anything in the Field a Snap

The New Dueling Tree Target Stands fromBirchwood Casey® Provide Fast-Paced Shooting Fun

New Products for Instructors

Please Remember the IHEA-USA When Writing Your WillA s you know, the International Hunter

Education Association – UnitedStates of America has a commitment topreserving and protecting our right to huntas well as our hunting heritage. By provid-ing for the IHEA-USA in your will or trustyou will help to ensure that future genera-tions will get to experience the same kindof outdoor experiences that you hold sodearly. Please read this testimonial:"The mission of the International

Hunter Education Association – UnitedStates of America is so pure that forthose of us that hunt and believe ineducation first and legislation last, Ipersonally have included in my Last Willand Testament 1/2 of my estate beawarded to the IHEA-USA. Hunting forme has been one of life's great disci-plines and made me a better person inso many ways. Having an understandingof our connection with the land, how we

both collectively and individually influenceour natural resources and the opportunityto actively participate in the managementof those resources is key to the future ofour hunting heritage."–Tim Lawhern

You can set aside:• A specific dollar amount • A percentage of your estate's value • All or part of the remainder of yourestate in your will or trust

• All or part of the proceeds of a LifeInsurance policy or Retirement PlanAll donations received from this

program will be deposited into ourPlanned Giving Endowment and will beutilized for long-term funding of the organ-ization. The interest earned from thisEndowment will be used for general oper-ations for the IHEA-USA. We urge you to consult your attorney in

preparing your will or trust and hope thatthe following language will be helpful inproviding a bequest to IHEA-USA:"I give, devise and bequeath___% of

what remains of my estate (or $_______)to the International Hunter EducationAssociation – United States of America(Tax ID # 37-1145157), a charitablecorporation presently having offices at800 East 73rd Avenue, Unit 2, Denver,CO 80229"IHEA-USA is a non-profit 501(c)3

corporation organized and existing underthe laws of the State of Colorado.Bequests of any size are gratefully

accepted and sincerely appreciated.However, while IHEA-USA can accept giftsof land, we are not in a position to holdproperty for any reason. Any land givenoutright or bequeathed to IHEA-USA willbe immediately sold. The proceeds ofwhich will be used to fund our programs.


Breaththrough® CleanDiscounts are now available for instructors from

Breakthrough Clean on their uniquely engineered firearmscare products. Clean your firearms faster and safer with theirunique cleaning products that eliminate more contaminantsthan most leading gun cleaners, and try out their lubricants—offering ultimate protection that easily withstands extremetemperatures with minimal application. Breakthrough Clean’sproducts are also non-toxic, non-hazardous, non-staining,odorless, and eco-friendly, so they’re safe for you, yourfirearm, and your environment.Gabriel Cabrera states “Having the opportunity to work

with the IHEA has allowed us to invest our focus on thisindustry’s most precious resource: the instructor. We are morethan excited to be able to create a program that takes care ofthese stewards of our industry.”Download discount forms at IHEA-USA.com.

onXmapsonXmaps reminds instructors of their 30% discount on

“never-lost” software. Advise your students on how to know exactly whether they

are on hunting land or trespassing on private property whilethey get useful topographical tools, and a clear vision ofwhere they are in the field.onXmaps offers great “never-lost” map software for Garmin

GPS, computers and mobile devices. Matt Seidel, MarketingDirector, states, “onXmaps is excited to continue to partnerwith IHEA-USA, providing instructors and students with anew mapping resource to easily determine land ownershipwhile out in the field. One crucial part of recruiting newhunters is finding and accessing a place to hunt. The ability toeasily locate public lands, private landowner information andhunting units while in the field makes it easy for new and oldhunters alike to enjoy their hunting experience.”

Instructor Discount Corner

Hunter Education Instructors have the opportunity to purchase many items at a discounted rate on the "Special Offers" section of the IHEA-USA website! Foryour exclusive access go to: www.ihea-usa.com/instructors/special-offers-for-instructors. Just click on the company hyperlink you are interested in and,when prompted, enter "gohunt" as your password. The password has no space and is all lowercase.

Instructor Access for IHEA-USA WebsiteFor more information go to: www.ihea-usa.com/instructors/special-offers-for-instructors

,>54+ :49 · Vol. 16 No .1–Spring 2 016 The International Hunter Education Association – United...

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Transcript of ,>54+ :49 · Vol. 16 No .1–Spring 2 016 The International Hunter Education Association – United...