The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is currently seeking qualified hunter education volunteer instructors for its 2012 statewide education courses.

“There’s a long legacy of hunting in this great state,” said DFG Director Charlton H. Bonham. “At the department, we’re going to continue to seek ways to manage our resources for hunting and fishing as well as improve access and opportunity. But we need help in cultivating the next generation of sportsmen and sportswomen who will step in our shoes once we have gone. We thank those that already volunteer to teach our hunter education courses, and we’re looking to recruit even more.”

In 2009, approximately 30,000 students completed the state’s 10-hour minimum hunter education course.

The courses are offered throughout the state, on weekends and weekday evenings. The courses are taught by veteran hunters who volunteer their time to help ensure that the newest generation of hunters has a thorough understanding of safety, ethics and conservation.

“The backbone of California’s hunter education training effort rests on the volunteer instructors, who give their time, passion and energy to the program,” said Captain Roy Griffith,DFG’s Hunter Education Program Administrator. “These dedicated individuals have passed on a tradition and trained well over one million outdoor enthusiasts since the start of the program. As a result, they have increased safety and conservation within the community.”

To become a hunter education instructor, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years of age.

• Successfully complete the hunter education course prior to submitting an application.

• Have not have been convicted of any felony.

• Completed a course of study prior to taking a supervised examination covering the basic topics of hunter education.

The testing process to become a certified instructor takes about two hours and applicants must score a minimum of 80 percent.

After passing the exam, the volunteer will take an oath and work with an experienced instructor before leading their own class.

To retain current Hunter Education Instruction (HEI) certification, an instructor must teach one class per year and attend one conference.

More information on the requirements can be found at www.dfg.ca.gov/huntered.