Mentored youth hunts are an excellent way to engage new hunters after receiving their hunter education certificates
Hunter education is a mandatory education class for anyone born on or after January 1, 1975, if they want to purchase a hunting license and hunt in Idaho. In the first eight months of 2023 over 400 students of all ages from across the Magic Valley Region were taught and passed the in-person course.
As a fall capstone event to the class, some of the first-time license holders who successfully passed the hunter education course are selected to participate in mentored hunts in the Magic Valley Region. These hunts include a mentored youth pheasant hunt at the Niagara Springs Wildlife Management Area and a mentored waterfowl hunt at the Hagerman Wildlife Management Area.
Every year, a significant number of hunter education classes are taught across the state by volunteer hunter education instructors. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a volunteer instructor to ensure that Idaho’s hunting heritage continues into the future, contact your local Idaho Fish and Game office.
Mentored youth pheasant hunt
In October 2023, Fish and Game staff along with individual volunteers and members of the High Desert Pointing Dog Club mentored 22 youth pheasant hunters at the Niagara Springs Wildlife Management Area. Youth participating in the event learned shotgun skills, had the opportunity to hunt alongside pointing dogs, were taught how to legally field dress a rooster pheasant and each youth had the opportunity to eat pheasants cooked at the event.
Mentored youth waterfowl hunt
In November 2023, Fish and Game staff along with volunteer mentors aided by their Labrador retrievers provided a mentored waterfowl hunt to six recent hunter education graduates at the Hagerman Wildlife Management Area. The young hunters learned waterfowl calling techniques and how to safely gauge distances when shooting waterfowl over decoys.
