We are winding down the hunting and hunter education seasons, only to wind back up with workshops, conferences, the spring semester and spring turkey season!  No rest for all of you hunter educators and huntmasters!

January highlights included annual Texas Youth Hunting Program hunts, Dallas Safari Club Convention, NSSF SHOT Show and the training of TPWD Law Enforcement staff as Hunter and Bow Hunter Education Instructors. Hunter education staff met the last day of January to cap off quite a month!

Please save the date for attending the Annual Hunter Education Instructor Conference April 20-22nd --let's kick it up a notch this year!  I would love to see professional educators and game wardens attend this time -- we NEED YOU, and representation from both facets of the program have been lacking.  I know you are busy, but we need to invest time kicking back and relishing in our --YOUR -- accomplishments, and the annual conference is the way to do just that!

I look forward and feel very much privileged to serve you and your needs as we continue the outdoor heritage by teaching thousands of Texans in safe, responsible, knowledgeable and involved hunting and shooting practices --OUR MISSION!

PHOTO:  At the SHOT Show, I was able to meet up with David Richards, Boerne, longtime supporter and industry partner of the Texas Hunter Education Program. Through Dave's efforts, we will, once again, be gaining discounts on such items as Judging Whitetails on the Hoof booklets, binoculars and other products for the program. 

THANKS, Dave, for all you do for hunter education!

Steve Hall, TX Hunter Education Coordinator

PLAN TO ATTEND!

Camp Young Judaea, Wimberley, TX   Friday - Sunday - April 20-22nd

The Camp and Cabins have been reserved for YOU to join us this year at the Annual Conference, sponsored by YOUR Association - the Texas Hunter Education Instructor Association!

FEATURING:

• AREA CHIEF MEETING FRIDAY evening
  
• SEMINARS & TARGET SHOOTING on SATURDAY
  
• AWARDS BANQUET - SATURDAY evening
  
• THEIA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING SUNDAY morning

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Welcome Reception & Hospitality
  
• TPWD & THEIA UPDATES
• Hunting 101 Workshops
• Rifle, Handgun, Shotgun Shooting
• Partner & Mentor Programs
  
• Hunting Ethics & Persuasion Training by Michael Sabbeth, last year's Keynote 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: 

Dr. Bob Norton - Author of The Hunter - Development Stages and Ethics

INSTRUCTOR AWARDS BANQUET:

• HE Hall of Fame Recipients
• Volunteer of the Year (TX)
• Regional Volunteers of the Year
• Game Warden of the Year
• Professional Educator of  Year
• HE Instructor TEAM Award
• HE PARTNER Award (*NEW*)
  
• THEIA's "T.D. Carroll" Award

N TX, Monica Bickerstaff, D/FW monica.bickerstaff@tpwd.texas.gov; 972-263-1219 w; 469-601-8349 c

S TX, Brock Minton, Corpus brock.minton@tpwd.texas.gov; 361-825-3249 w; 361-944-3617 c

SE TX, Heidi Rao, Houston heidi.rao@tpwd.texas.gov; 281-534-0126 w; 713-829-1377 c

W TX, Randy Spradlin, Abilene randy.spradlin@tpwd.texas.gov; 512-923-3509 w/c

C TX, Morgan Harbison, College Station, morgan.harbison@tpwd.texas.gov; OR, Steve Hall, Austin steve.hall@tpwd.texas.gov; 512-389-8140; 512-550-7330 c

PHOTO - Hunter Education Staff (L to R): Morgan Harbison, Randy Spradlin, Brock Minton, Heidi Rao, Steve Hall and Monica Bickerstaff

The Texas Hunting Youth Program always has a bunch of hunts in January to cull does and spikes for landowners needing to take more animals off the land to achieve their wildlife management goals. Beginning hunters and their families are eager to oblige TYHP and take home tasty venison!

"Super Hunt" - Cave Creek Wildlife Management COOP - a total of 51 hunters harvested 78 deer on the annual hunt near Stonewall/Fredericksburg.

"Kreb's Memorial Hunt" - Harper  - Texas Hunter Education Instructor and TYHP Huntmaster, William (Will) Krebs hosts an annual hunt in memory of his son, Jacob Krebs who died in an accidental drowning while training for the Marines.  Will, his wife and family put a lot of effort into a hunt that involves many landowners, wounded veterans, TYHP hunters and a whole host of volunteers who "wouldn't miss it!"

Area Chief Hunter Education Instructors, Bob Boswell, David Hammonds and Duke Walton annually conduct/host hunter education activities at the annual Harper Hunt which have included air rifles, shotguns and archery equipment. The Texas State Rifle Association also sponsors their activities alongside the TPWD Hunter Education Program.  Keep it up, guys!  PHOTO: David Hammonds (L) and Duke Walton (R) posed with some of the 2018 youth hunters.

January 30-31st, GW Academy

(L to R):  Morgan Harbison, C TX Hunter Education Specialist and Renan Zambrano, TPWD Target Range Manager, evaluate cadets at the Game Warden Training Academy near Hamilton.  All HE Staff were present to conduct everything an instructor completes (Live-fire/shotgun, Hunter Skills Trail, Classroom and Teaching Exercises) -- plus Hunting Incident Investigations and working/recruiting volunteers in their counties.  Once settled in -- sometime this fall -- we hope you call up and visit the new wardens and assist them with our mission as they learn their new roles and communities! WELCOME aboard!

INTERNATIONAL HUNTER EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (IHEA-USA) - As one of the over 55,000+ (one of the largest volunteer corps in the USA) we are asking you to formally join IHEA-USA, the voice of hunter education across the country. Your Annual $30 IHEA-USA Membership assures that all hunter education instructors have a voice and ensures the consistency and relevance of the classes you teach. Your membership comes with these great benefits:

• Liability Insurance
• Exclusive "Instructor only" Product Discounts
  
• IHEA-USA Membership Card, Decal, Pin, Patch and Window Decal

For only $30 you get much more than what you paid for.  Lifetime memberships are also available and include all the annual membership items, but in addition, include a $100 Cabela's Gift Card, a nice Cabela’s brand duffel bag and other great items. 

GALLERY OF GUNS "Champions of Hunter Education" - JUNE 9th DEADLINE **

HUNTER EDUCATION STUDENT ESSAY - Two hunter education students (high school juniors or seniors at the time of the deadline date) will be selected from those who have submitted a 200-WORD essay to the IHEA-USA on the following topic:

Now that you have completed the Hunter Education course, please tell us about your specific hunting or shooting experience and how you applied the knowledge gained from the Hunter Education course.

A Gallery of Guns $2,500 ‘Future Leader in Conservation’ Scholastic Scholarship will be awarded to two high school juniors/seniors— hunter education students — from a pool of essays submitted to IHEA-USA in 2018. Student must submit (1) a copy of their Hunter Education certification card (must be completed prior to submission) and current hunting license if applicable, (2) a copy of their current report card, and (3) biography—along with (4) his/her essay. Under Gallery of Guns, the name of his/her Hunter Education Instructor will also be recognized.

For an ENTRY FORM, please contact your regional hunter education specialist or the Austin HE Office and we will email you a copy.  Forms will then be emailed to: iacihea.awards@gmail.com or mailed to: John Sears, IAC Chairman, Attn: Champions of Hunter Education, 10628 Bladensburg Rd., Ottumwa, IA 52501.