National News Update!

Fall is officially here, and to welcome our first IHEA newsletter of the season, we have some excellent national news for you…If you read this publication regularly, you may recall we highlighted a growing story relating to a misinterpretation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) earlier this year in our previous issue. Prior to the quick-spreading headlines everywhere, the IHEA and our partners at the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) had been working to address this with the proper parties. Thanks to the expeditious actions of our Alaska Fish & Game hunter education partners, our community responded quickly. And now, less than six months later, the House of Representatives has passed Act HR 5110, entitled “Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act”. Amazingly, the Senate passed the same legislation the very next day. Just one week later, the President added his signature to complete the Act!

What does this all mean for the hunter education community? The quick answer is that hunter education programs, National Archery in the Schools (NASP), and other shooting sports can once again be funded by federal education money. In some cases, this was jeopardized by the recent interpretation of the BSCA, and programs set to launch were paused and confusion about the financial future of some programs began to spread. Not only has this been rectified, but the swiftness by which this news was addressed and amended demonstrates how important hunter and shooting sports education is to national leadership. Hunter education volunteers and program administrators working hard to help others learn to hunt safely should feel validated in your noble pursuit and appreciated for your hard work. It’s not every day that the U.S. Congress gets together and substantiates, through overwhelming support, the importance of your efforts.

We hope you continue reading this issue of the IHEA Newsletter and take advantage of the programs and resources mentioned below. We work hard to help you, so you can continue helping others!

Alex Baer

IHEA-USA Executive Director

abaer@ihea-usa.org

Inert, Orange Gun Update!

We know that many of you have been waiting a LONG TIME to get new inert, orange gun sets for your classrooms. We have been given an ETA and models! Looks like we should have product (barring any unforeseen production problems) in January of 2024.

Five Gun Sets Include

• 1 Mossberg Silver Reserve Eventide Over/Under Shotgun, 12GA
• 1 Mossberg Model 500 Pump-Action Shotgun, 12GA
• 1 Mossberg Model 940 Semi-Automatic Shotgun, 12GA
• 1 Mossberg Patriot Bolt-Action Rifle Short-Action
• All Mossberg guns with have a long gun carrying case
• A lever action .22lr TBD
• Plastic carrying case for all firearms
• Pricing TBD - We will let you know when we know!

Have a Passion for Mentoring? Want to Expand Your Teaching Strategies? LearnHunting.org is for YOU!

Whether it's helping an adult hunter experience success for a lifetime of hunting enjoyment, or expanding your teaching ability, LearnHunting.org is your destination for education. 

• Easily control the time that you want to commit to mentoring
• Choose from a growing library of continuing education for yourself
• Take pride in knowing that you are a critical piece in the R3 movement through your commitment to continued education!

As a younger man, absent of the responsibilities and joys of a young family, I considered myself a "reader". I dabble now, but I once tore through books, always non-fiction, learning as much as I could about education, the connection between humans and the natural world, lessons learned from adventures gone awry, and polar exploration. This reading frenzy brought me to a quote in a book entitled "The Last American Man" written by Elizabeth Gilbert. This book tells the tale of the American male identity through the life of a man named Eustace Conway. You may have heard of Eustace; he's garnered acclaim through a number of media outlets, including the show "Mountain Men" on the History Channel. He is a man who has chosen to live his life differently, bypassing modern technology to better connect to nature and his own unique objectives in life. He is an interesting character for which much conversation could be had, but we're here to discuss one quote that he provided for Elizabeth Gilbert's book - when speaking about the plight of the modern human, "Eustace sees a chilling sight - a citizenry so removed from the rhythms of nature that we march through our lives as mere sleepwalkers, blinded, deafened, and senseless. Robotically existing in sterilized surroundings that numb the mind, weaken the body, and atrophy the soul. But Eustace believes we can get our humanity back. When we contemplate the venerable age of a mountain, we get it. When we observe the superb order of water and sunlight, we get it. When we experience firsthand the brutal poetry of the food chain, we get it. When we are mindful of every nuance of our natural world, we finally get the picture: that we are each given only one dazzling moment of life here on Earth, and we must stand before that reality both humbled and elevated…". 

I read this quote well over a decade ago, and I can still, as evidenced, quote it word for word. That is because it has so heavily influenced my educational practices as an outdoor educator. There are several valuable lessons to learn from this quote, but one that comes to mind is the importance of experience in the learning process. Conway highlights that experience is what facilitates understanding. In Hunter Education, the access to experiential education for students falls along a broad spectrum from online-only learning to hands-on learning with an instructor in the field. Offering this array of options is valuable in recruiting new hunters as they are able to find a means to take a course that works best individually. So how do we help students "get it" that may not have learned through experiential means? Reach out to new hunters, take them hunting, answer their questions, and help them connect to the community and the natural spaces we hunt in. IHEA-USA has built a platform specifically to help you play a role in a new hunter's development called LearnHunting.org. We have new hunters creating accounts daily that are looking for help from an experienced hunter. I encourage you, if you are able to help a new hunter, to provide the experiential learning opportunity they need to build the confidence to become a hunter; consider visiting LearnHunting.org and creating an account to "help others learn how to hunt". The leadership and education that you provide can make all the difference to a new hunter. 

Jae Ellison

Director of Education

jellison@ihea-usa.org

Instructor Discount Corner

Because You Work Hard for No Money😁

Check out the latest Instructor Discounts from these brands that care about YOU!👇

Get a great discount on these amazing e-bikes and most QuietKat branded gear! See yourself riding off into the woods this hunting season on a QuietKat!

A long-time supporter of Hunter Education, the Ruger brand is a staple in hunting. They are honored to offer IHEA-USA members discounts on their American-made products. 

From traditional to modern blades, Case has a knife for everyone. Check out their Instructor Discount today & gear up for your next outdoor adventure.

To take advantage of these and other valuable offers to instructors, login, and shop the IHEA Instructor Discount Page today!

Safety First, Safety Always.

This is a common phrase used in my home. My six-year-old can even quote it, and he understands that it applies to most things that we do in life. Throughout my career in wildlife enforcement and hunter education there has always been a focus to put safety first. I have been through a multitude of training and safety courses, and I have had more background checks than I can count. I am glad that I have clearance so those that I serve can feel secure.

IHEA sets the safety standard for safe hunting, but other layers are needed to provide security in our field. Our goal is to enjoy outdoor recreation without incident, but we also want to provide that same level of security while we learn and while we train. Unfortunately, statistics show that 20% of the workforce will be arrested in a seven-year period. We want to help the states take a proactive stance to provide the best volunteers for our industry.  We have started with implementing safety checks in LearnHunting.org so that we can foster healthy relationships with those that want to mentor and those that want to learn to hunt. We know that administrators want to offer the same safety measures in their hunter education classrooms. Sometimes the resources are there to provide that safety; sometimes they are not. Starting this fall, we will be offering safety checks for agency volunteers that that not only teach hunter education, but those that teach in all areas of conservation. This may include, but is not limited to shooting sports coaches, aquatic education instructors, and museum volunteers.

IHEA has partnered with a national firm to provide safety checks and monitoring to state wildlife agencies. The service will run volunteers through the National Criminal Database, Individual state resources, the Department of Corrections, Sex Offender data, and the Security Watch list. It will also report any previous wildlife violations. Once a baseline is established, the safety checks will run on an annual basis. Information on the safety checks will be accessed by the State Administrator, and the state will determine how to proceed. IHEA will provide the service, but the states will upload their own information and receive their own reports for their volunteers.

These services can be costly and sometimes unobtainable for certain areas of the country. This is why IHEA is excited to provide cost-effective safety checks to our agency partners. Please let me know if this is a solution that IHEA can provide for your state.

Megan Fedrick

Director of Partnerships and Development

mfedrick@ihea-usa.org

FROM THE DESK OF KEVIN LOCKWOOD

IHEA-USA Instructor Advisory Committee Chair

Last week, I ventured into the hinterlands of southwest Wisconsin for an uncle’s funeral. Several of us were reminiscing in a garage over a set of antlers hanging on the wall. The rack size was not exceptional by Wisconsin standards, but size doesn’t matter as much as the story behind the hunt, which my uncle’s brother was telling.

Unfortunately, the anticipated “story” was abbreviated and incomplete without the original storyteller present to tell it. As any hunter knows, I am sure there was a story. The rack captured my imagination over the long drive home and periodically since. It left me pondering the “racks” I’ll leave behind and what stories others will tell.

For example, while looking over my spring turkey a few months ago,  my wide-eyed  grandson asked, “Papa, can I go hunting with you?” My heart was overflowing when I smiled, “Sure thing, buddy. Count on it.”

I think about my sons, who are in the Reactivating R3 stage. One son has tested different ideology than he was raised with and that is ok. Conservation and ethics were always at the core of our hunting discussions, though. This foundation combined with his desire to eat organically brought him full circle to consider hunting again.

I consider a friend and her new husband contacted me through Facebook recently to ask about a class so they could begin hunting with her dad. I was glad to see them in class this last weekend. 

An employee recently asked me to check a firearm her dad left in her basement 30 years ago. She brought a muzzleloader outside to me, and a quick check with the ramrod confirmed it still had a charge in it. Pulling the hammer back, I found it was still capped! I tried not to overreact, but her intuition kicked in so she asked if it could have gone off. I affirmed her suspicion as calmly as possible. It had moved houses three times and had been pointed up towards bedrooms. Potential crisis averted.

I also have been helping mentor younger instructors. I’m pleased to say I anticipate one young man developing into a leader among future volunteer instructors.

That old deer rack has served a few purposes. Once, it told an entertaining story through the man who harvested it. It has given pause to respect an animal that was taken to provide meals for a big family. It energizes me to mentor and teach new hunters. And, it reminds me that there are “racks” we’ll each leave behind someday. May they always cause similar joyful thoughts and reactions.

Stay safe out there this season and Pass It On!

–Kevin Lockwood

IACChair@ihea-usa.org

(574) 286-7239

Venison Sausage Gumbo

Pheasant season is right around the corner, so it's time to whip up something delicious, and woodsy mushrooms and tart elderberry sauce are a perfect complement in this tasty bird recipe.

Check out the latest content for your classroom from the Hunters Connect channel.

• Survival of the Safest: Gear up and Conquer the Wild with Treestand Safety Skills
• Master the Wind: The Ultimate Guide to Harnessing Nature for a Successful Big Game Hunt
• Mastering Big Game Animal Behavior

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