The Greatest Hunting Mentors

I've written a lot lately about mentors because I think they're important to our hunting heritage, and I think they too often go unnoticed. However, I failed to mention a group of individuals who are undoubtedly our greatest hunting mentors: hunter education instructors. Teaching a class in a Hunter Education Course may not fit your definition of mentoring, but when you look closely at the dedicated individuals who teach, you'll see it differently. And for many, calling them dedicated is inadequate. There is a core group within this collection who spend countless hours and weekends conducting classes. They don't do it for the money because there isn't any, and they don't look for recognition. They do it for the kids. And most take it a step further and introduce  youngsters to hunting when they aren't teaching. These instructors teach the curriculum, following the student manual, but they also communicate their passion for hunting, and that's really what mentoring is about. If it's been years since you took a hunter education class, you should take another one. Better yet, find a youngster who has an interest and enroll with them. The new alternative delivery that combines at-home internet study with a field day of shooting, gun handling and trail walks is not only educational, but students have a blast. And it's truly  gratifying to see these remarkable instructors at work.