Time to add another teaching cert… WY is cool!

[WYelker]

So this may not seem like a big deal to some… WY is now offering a Teacher “Endorsement” for hunter education. This will allow teachers to be paid and use part of the regular school day to teach a hunters education course.

This will increase access for the youth, and increase the number of certified instructors in the state.

I am currently working with my principal to have this count for credit for students…

https://county10.com/wyoming-introduces-hunter-education-endorsement-for-teachers/

 

[Dave N]

Good for you. Hope it's approved!

 

[Djfan]

I am in the process of getting mine complete, too. It's all in, just haven't heard back yet. The local G&F officer here told me that we have no one teaching it here in Weston County.

Where are you?

 

[Gellar]

I’ve been teaching hunters Ed in public schools for nearly 15 years. Having a teacher who is a certified instructor or at least interested makes the process much easier. I’ve never had a parent who is upset about their kid taking the class. It’s actually the opposite. Nevertheless a few kids are wondering why they have to take the class so the very first day I explain to the kids it’s not so much hunters education but firearm education. I ask the kids to raise their hand if they have a firearm in their home. I’m sure Wyoming will be similar to Iowa and about half the kids will raise their hand. Next I ask them if an aunt or uncle or grandma and grandpa have a gun in their house. That question leaves only a few who do not have their hand raised so I ask them to look around the room and raise their hand if one of their friends has a firearm in their home. The rest of the hand raise. So I explain to them everyone is around a firearm and they need to know how to safely handle a firearm if they are in that situation.

The biggest obstacles I face to hunters Ed in schools are getting the kids to bring the information they need and a parents permission slip back in order to register them through the state. And some of the schools I’ve worked with drag the class on by only allowing 40 or 45 minutes a few times a week. If you can get the class done in 3 or 4 days maximum that is best. One of the schools I started working with a few years ago did not want the hunters safety guns to be used during class. After the first year using wooden cut out guns I met with the principal, superintendent and school board and they decided to allow us to use the hunters education approved guns.

 

[Visiting Hunter]

That's awesome. Good for you guys

 

[WYelker]

I am in the process of getting mine complete, too. It's all in, just haven't heard back yet. The local G&F officer here told me that we have no one teaching it here in Weston County.

Where are you?

I am in Fremont County. Lander/Riverton. I just submitted my volunteer application to the Game and Fish. It will be interesting to see if they add a chunk of instructors or not…

I do help with 4H Archery, Rifle, Pistol.

I do not think this is a huge win in WY at this time. But watching other states as they grow and change, it is a huge deal for the future of WY. In 20 years this will likely be pretty important.

 

[Djfan]

I am in Fremont County. Lander/Riverton. I just submitted my volunteer application to the Game and Fish. It will be interesting to see if they add a chunk of instructors or not…

I do help with 4H Archery, Rifle, Pistol.

I do not think this is a huge win in WY at this time. But watching other states as they grow and change, it is a huge deal for the future of WY. In 20 years this will likely be pretty important.

Agreed. I was involved in the 4H while I lived in Carbon County. Not here yet. I am pretty busy with the NWTF here in Weston County - chapter president at this point - so I am busy enough.

Hope to run into you sometime!

 

[Indianajoe]

I took hunter ed in school in Indiana. I am now an instructor as well as an archery and outdoor skills instructor for my county's 4h program. as others have said it is more of a firearm safety class. teaching it in class would definitely save a kids life from time to time.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Good programs all around. Thanks to all instructors for your work with the youth. You are helping and impacting their lives in ways you will never see. Your services are appreciated!

Keep up the good work. Happy hunting, TheGrayRider a/k/a Tom.

 

[Hammsolo]

As a fellow teacher, but in Washington, I am jealous! I’d be all in.