In This Issue: National R3 Symposium, WAFWA, IHEA-USA & More
I recently attended several national meetings (see below) including the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) - USA Conference near Branson, Missouri -- my 40th year! It seemed like yesterday when I attended my first conference in Seattle, Washington, in 1985 -- then called the North American Association of Hunter Safety Coordinators.
IHEA-USA is YOUR professional organization, setting standards and reciprocity for hunter education courses held throughout North America and in many other countries. The first recommendations were made in 1981 by a "Hunter Education Committee" of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA). The IHEA Standards were developed by a committee of hunter education professionals and partners in 1999, a committee on which I was privileged to serve as chair. The standards were adopted by the full IHEA membership. They have since been updated twice and are currently being revised again (2024) by a committee of administrators and partners led by IHEA-USA Education Director, Jae Ellison. You will see them soon!
Photo: Joe Huggins, Arkansas Hunter Education Coordinator (1992), and I celebrated our longstanding involvement in and passion for Hunter Education at the recent IHEA-USA Conference in Missouri. Joe's handy work, using a collectible NRA firearm safety poster to adorn a clock face, was donated to the IHEA-USA auction, an annual fundraiser held at the end of each conference.
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Why are standards important? It means that someone taking a course in Mexico, Florida, Maine, Washington, and Hawaii, etc., meet the hunter education requirements in every other jurisdiction. As Instructors, we have trained millions of students, worldwide, in safe, responsible, knowledgeable and involved hunting & target shooting - our mission! We can be very proud of our accomplishments -- the result of visionaries in our past from federal and state agencies, as well as conservation organizations and the sporting arm, hunting and outdoor industries. I hope we never forget that fact as we teach new generations of hunters and target shooters. I say congratulations to all of YOU for making it happen at the grassroots level here in Texas!
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 New Hunter Education Administrators attend a "Professional Academy" orchestrated by IHEA-USA Executive Director, Alex Baer (front row, L), prior to the conference, an Academy that started in Missouri in 1987. Joe Huggins and I reviewed the history of IHEA and hunter education for the new folks. For a copy of IHEA's (NAAHSC-1972) and hunter education's history, please email me Steve Hall.
Steve Hall, Hunter Education Coordinator
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Missouri Dept of Conservation (MDC) did an outstanding job hosting the annual IHEA-USA 2024 Conference! They have hosted more IHEA-USA conferences than any other state -- followed by states like Florida and Texas (3 conferences). A BIG THANKS goes out to the entire staff who registered attendees and took care of their every need during the training, presentations, meals, award ceremonies and festivities. Several Missouri conservation education staff members even showed off their wild crafts (photo), activities they employ within many of their conservation and hunter education programs. Well-funded and excellent state agency, clever staff, and wonderful conference! Thanks MDC!
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 Indoor Stations - Rick Brazell, President, First Hunt Foundation, takes participants through the history, policies, risk protections and current status of a program with chapters and individuals taking folks on their first hunts throughout the US. Such programs achieve high success in R3 since they employ all components of the Outdoor Recreation Adoption Model (ORAM).
Outdoor Stations - MDC Staff led the outdoor activities including Hunting Incident Investigation Academy Stations they use to train officers from throughout the U.S. At this station, tree stand incidents were emphasized and participants were supposed to do their best CSI as to how the incident happened. Several other stations showed the importance of investigative techniques used in the field. IHEA-USA will begin a new "Train-the-trainer Academy" to train states to conduct their own Investigation Academies using new IHEA-USA Investigation Kits.
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Ginamaria Smith - Alaska, Carissa Daniels - North Carolina, Brenda Beckley - Idaho, and Ashley Van Egtern - Wisconsin, are veteran women hunter education administrators and leaders in the Association. They took time to pose for a photo while enjoying some scrumptious meals provided to IHEA Conference attendees. Hope all administrators and instructors can come next year (Week of May 12th - 2025) to the great state of Georgia (Jekyll Island) OR attend virtually like this year!
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Steve Hall, Hunter Education Coordinator, and others from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD, attended the fourth National "R3" Symposium in Mobile, Alabama at the end of May, sponsored by the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports. National R3 strategies and funding have gathered a lot of momentum. In Texas, we've hired two full-time "R3 Coordinators" at TPWD. On the Boating & Fishing side is Jason Mercer, and on the Hunting & Shooting Sports side is Braxton Hicks, most recently with the Texas Wildlife Association's Texas Youth Hunting Program. Here, Braxton is networking with National Wild Turkey Federation's Morgan Evans, R3 and Relevancy Coordinator, and Mandy Harling (R), Conservation Director. Below, the Council's Executive Director, Dr. Steven Leath, welcomes the participants to the Symposium.
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 The TPWD R3 Action Plan aims to bolster agency effectiveness, funding and relevance now and decades into the future. Jason's and Braxton's job is essentially to lead the way on behalf of TPWD in accomplishing the many strategies going forward. They must "herd cats" -- working internally with agency staff and externally with partners to improve outdoor opportunities, conveniences, awareness, etc. We must all seek to improve recreation, experiences and conservation in Texas!
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The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) convened this summer to work on hunting and shooting sports "R3 Strategies" in a two-day working group that hammered out the strategies for Western state fish and wildlife agencies going forward. Teams from licensing, hunter education, target ranges, communications, conservation education and outreach met to discuss issues, similar problems, the many possible solutions and, overall, the state of the Western States. Matt Dunfee, Wildlife Management Institute, considered the R3 Guru, was on hand to refresh participants of the overall goal of the National R3 Action Plan as it relates to each of the states attending. Matt did an superb job, as usual, navigating and facilitating strategies based on the now famous ORAM (Model). A big shout out and THANKS go to Scott Lavin, Arizona Game and Fish Dept., who serves as lead of the WAFWA R3 working group.
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Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Washington, was the site for this year's WAFWA Summer Conference, where registrants were treated to beautiful sunsets and scenic views. Thanks Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife staff for a great show!
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2023 TX Hunter Education LEGACY AWARD - Bill Plumley
William "Bill" Plumley, Georgetown, received his Legacy Award from Morgan Harbison, C TX Hunter Education Specialist (R) and Steve Hall, Hunter Education Coordinator in June in Austin. Bill taught hunter education many years at one of TPWD's retail partner locations – Bass Pro Shops in Round Rock. Bill earned over 10,000 incentive points and taught 3,102 students. He moved to Burnet during the COVID era and is trying to "get back in the game" since. He earned the 2019 Central Texas Hunter Education Instructor of the Year for his hard-earned efforts. Thanks, Bill, truly a legacy performance in the Texas Hunter Education Program!
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2023 Texas Hunter Education HALL OF FAME - John Davis
John Davis - Pflugerville, has been very active in the Texas Hunter Education Program since he started teaching in 2012 -- gaining 4,573 points in just over a decade. Much of his success is based on teaching at Airport Commerce Park in Austin, home to Hunter Education Staff and the Ed Werland Training Room. John has taught the most students in the greater Austin area, and plugs along teaching quality classroom & field courses. Congratulations, John, and thanks for your consistent dedication to the program! He accepted the award from Steve Hall, Hunter Education Coordinator, in front of one of his many classes of students on a hot Saturday in June.
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TX ARCHERY HALL OF FAME
At this year's Texas Archery Conference, the third annual, two more names were added to the Texas Archery Hall of Fame plaque. Texas Hunter Education Instructors and Texas National Archery in Schools Program Trainers, Kimberly 'Kim' Potts, - Emory and Danny Yarbrough - Athens were inducted this year in 2024. Kendrick Gray, TPWD Outreach Manager, said, “Their tireless efforts in outdoor education have impacted the lives of thousands of youth and adults here in Texas." Both are hard chargers, excellent instructors, and ensure the annual NASP statewide tournament runs smoothly. THANKS, and Congratulations!
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IHEA-USA AWARDS 2024
One of the many annual awards presented at the annual conference included the TOM GALLAGHER AWARD FOR TREE STAND SAFETY AWARENESS. This year's recipient was Trevor Lemon, North Carolina, "As one of the newest members of the Hunter Education team in NC, Trevor left the enforcement division to follow his passion in education. This past year, Trevor developed a block of instruction for instructors that included real-life incidents, scenarios, and equipment reviews. To end the training session, Trevor utilized one of the 180-pound training mannequins, a ladder stand, G-force impact patches from the NC Highway Patrol, and rope (to emphasize the lessons in a big way!)", said presenters, David Smith, Executive Director, Treestand Manufacturer's Association (L), and Glen Mayhew, Founding President, Tree Stand Safety Awareness Foundation.
Watch for more honorees in future issues of Target Talk including the Texas "50 in 50" Instructor of the Year, Mr. John Polasek, College Station.
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 AUSTIN – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) graduated the 66th Texas Game Wardens and Texas State Park Police cadet class May 31 at Bannockburn Baptist Church in Austin. The class included 31 game wardens and 10 state park police officers. Following their eight months of training at the Texas Game Warden Training Center in Hamilton County, the newly commissioned state peace officers were recognized during a special ceremony that included a keynote speaker, oath of office and commissioning by senior-level department staff and TPWD Executive Director David Yoskowitz. The graduates will begin their new careers stationed in counties and state parks throughout Texas. Their jobs are unique in the world of law enforcement as their responsibilities extend beyond the pavement.
READ MORE!
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The annual Texas Parks and Wildlife Ag Clays State Championship was again held in early June at the National Sporting Complex, headquarters of the National Skeet Shooting and National Sporting Clays Associations. A total of 805 participants enjoyed a hot day busting clays -- 260 in trap, 230 in sporting,172 in super sporting and 145 in doubles trap.
There was a total of 35 teams (schools) who traveled to San Antonio to compete in the final tournament of 2024.Traffic on the Sporting Clays course during the Ag Clays state Championship at the National Shooting Complex was brisk.
Below: Grayson Bartek from Smithson Valley hammered away on the Sporting Clays course during the Ag Clays State Championship.
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 "My dad, William Charles Childress, would have been so proud of his great granddaughter today. She is second from the right - Landry Meyer. Times like this, you wish the young kids in the family could have known him...he passed away 26 years ago. But our memories are strong of our game warden father!"
Kathleen Childress Holt
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We had a very good day for the Texas North Local Youth Hunter Education Challenge. A total of18 YHEC participants and 17 volunteers attended and worked the various activities. There were also several parents and grandparents in attendance. Instructor Joseph Hammonds led the .22 Light Rifle station, Instructor Mike Rantala (orange shirt) led the shotgun station, and instructor, retired Sargent First Class, Richard Buchfink, led Orienteering (YHEC shirt). Area Chiefs David & Jeanette Hammonds coordinated the event as well as the Responsibility Exam. Overall Junior Winner was Levi Gottlieb -Burleson and the overall Senior Winner was Cody Rantala - Grandview. Congratulations to all who participated and volunteered in the event!
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Sponsors included the National Rifle Association (YHEC program brochure, T-shirts, literature, advertising, financial assistance, Arlington Sportsman’s Club (facilities - ranges, building and clay targets, volunteers), Texas Hunter Education Instructor Association (volunteers, financial assistance, goodie bags), Texas State Rifle Association (volunteers, ammo), and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (volunteers, goodie bags).
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Student Air Rifle - Basic Air Rifle Instructor Training
Congratulations to this new group of BARI’s (Basic Air Rifle Instructors)! This group consisted of teachers and community members, excited to bring a new opportunity to youth! The Student Air Rifle Program-SAR ‘s purpose is to increase involvement in shooting sports, enhance educational performance, and promote positive youth development through firearms safety and target shooting education.
Instructors Scott Lightle (L) and Larry Hysmith (R), along with other SAR trainers from Southeast Texas (greater Houston), trained the new recruits. Great job!
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"Today I had the absolute pleasure to introduce some fabulous ladies to firearms, specifically Air Rifle, at the TPWD BOSS (Becoming an Outdoor Super Senior) LADY Event at Long Acres Ranch. It’s an absolute joy getting to share my passion and teach others about firearm safety, firearm handling, the shooting sports, but mostly getting them behind triggers! This was also a great opportunity to incorporate some of the Student Air Rifle Program-SAR methodology into my station." Hannah Muegge
Photos: Hannah is a longtime TSRA, Texas and National Champion Marksman, especially with Air Rifles, TSRA Member and the newest SAR BARI. Above she demonstrates the 11 steps to Air Riflery Success to the BOSS participants, then takes them through bench air rifle exercises.
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ADVENTURE HUNTING 101 Workshop - Pharr Rifle & Pistol Club
 Hope you had a great weekend amigos. Just wanting to provide you with a current update regarding the Rio Grande Valley area. Our Team of Volunteer Hunter Education Instructors & TYHP Huntmasters along with Chris Mitchell, TYHP Director, conducted an Adventure Hunting Skills 101 Workshop this Saturday, June 8th in the Rio Grande Valley. We had (12) youngsters and their parents attend. It was a great turn out and extremely satisfying in preparing young hunters for the pursue of Big Game. I apologize the photo is not the best but it was at the end of the day and we all just wanted to get out of the hot sun!"
Fernando "Fernie" Rocha (Area Chief)
Hunter Ed Instructors/Huntmasters: Dolores (Loree) Rocha, Ignacio (Nacho) Perez, Ricardo (Rick) Orozzco, Mark Ayoob, Ruben Rangel, and Danny Santian
YOUTH SHOOTING SPORTS
The 16th Annual Youth Shooting Sports Event was held at the Matador Matador Wildlife Management Area (WMA) back in May. Ag students from Memphis and Childress ISD High Schools experienced shotgun, rifle, muzzleloader, handgun, archery and atlatl. W TX Hunter Education Specialist Randy Spradlin, Area Chief, Jimmy Caughron (Runnels County), several biologists from the Panhandle and Game Warden, Matt Cruse (game laws photo below) conducted the event which is a culmination of live-fire activities and topics from their hunter education classes taken during the semester.
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South TX BUCKSKIN BRIGADE
Game Warden Arturo Salinas - Uvalde County, prepares cadets prior going in to a camp full of violations as part of the “Who Done It?” Tye Stephens, Ranch Management, showed students the many ways to capture deer, including net gun capture deer from helicopter. Austin Stolte (TPWD Biologist, Hunter Education Instructor and Huntmaster and Onalise Stevenson (TPWD Biologist) also was on hand to demonstrates the safety procedures during live fire exercises prior to shooting .22 rim-fire at the range.
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Photo: Brock Minton, S TX Hunter Education Specialist demonstrates safety, loading and firing procedures during the big bore .243 rifle and sighting-in exercises. Brigade Cadets also participated in NASP - style archery after a brief demonstration of safety and procedures conducted by Mikayla Killam. Brock, Randy Spradlin, W TX Hunter Education Specialist, and Steve Hall, Hunter Education Coordinator, have participated in Buckskin and Bobwhite Brigade Camps for over two decades, teaching hunter education, communications, live-fire and related activities.
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OUTDOOR WOMEN's Programs
Texas Women's Outdoors (TWO) held the first meet-n-greet of the summer at the Tricky Fish in Fort Worth in early June. A total of 20 women attended to discover new hunting, fishing, and outdoor partners. The ladies showed their excitement for late June events including wild game (tallow) processing and tallow candle making at Still Waters Retreat in Springtown, and instructor training in TPWD Education Programs. Game Warden Mallory Lindsay, Lubbock and Heather Johnson, TPWD Biologist, are speaking at the Lubbock TWO chapter meeting July 2nd at the Elk's Lodge. The presentation will be "Women on the Wing" Hunt Opportunities.
Monica Spradlin - TPWD Hunter Education Instructor and TWO Member
BOWHUNTER EDUCATION - Bass Pro Shops - San Antonio
Area Chiefs, Charles Marcus - Helotes, and Nathan Dee - San Antonio gave veterans (three marines and one navy) an advanced bowhunting 101 experience. Charles Marcus said, "The Veterans were super excited to take up bow hunting. We walked over to the Bow Shop Area and spent the next hour going over bows, releases, different arrow tips from fixed to expandable blades, and arm guards -- trying to incorporate a lot of the book as well as including clothing. (It sunk in when I showed them the difference of wearing an XL vs 2 XL -- with XL they could not pull the bow back)." He added, " It was like corralling a bunch of kids! Oh yeah, and Nathan did a great job teaching and demonstrating!"
 L to R: James Boen, Donald Current, Eddy Arce, Philip Veracruz and Hunter and Bowhunter Education Instructor, Nathan Dee - San Antonio
Muzzleloading 101
The dynamic duo of Charles Preslar - Garland, and Jose Garcia - Irving, once again held a Muzzleloading 101 for those wanting to learn more about the methods of hunting --one of the series of Hunting 101s in Hunter Education Instructor Tool Chests. Charles said, "One of the students, Catharina, drove in from San Antonio, a 4.5-hour drive; said she wanted to learn about black powder rifle!"
 L to R: Estrella R., Catharina G., Josh S., Terry S., Steve S., Jose S. and Instructors, Jose Garcia, Outside of photo on R - Charlie Preslar
Girl Scouts Learn Muzzleloading
Many times, Charlie Preslar and Jose Garcia take their Muzzleloading 101 on the road to schools, outreach events, hunter education courses and rendezvous. Jose said, "Besides teaching Hunter Ed once a month, I spend time at Scout Sumner Camp teaching Scouts to shoot Muzzleloader Rifle. Last week it was a Girls Scout Troop". Jose is a longtime scoutmaster and shooting sports instructor and he and Charlie have earned many awards as Texas Hunter Education Instructors. Thanks for taking Hunter Education to higher levels!
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TYHP HUNTMASTER TRAINING
TYHP Huntmaster Training season is underway! Chris Mitchell, TYHP Director says there are three more trainings this year:
- JUL 27 - Hagerman NWR, Sherman
- AUG 24 - Alazan Bayou WMA, Nacogdoches
- SEP 20-21 - Roberts Ranch, Comfort
REGISTER NOW! https://www.texas-wildlife.org/twa-events/
TPWD Law Enforcement Academy - R3 Women's Hunter Education Course
Monica Bickerstaff, N TX Hunter Education Specialist, reported, "All women seemed to have fun and they learned a lot. We gave Area Chief Hunter Education Instructor, Cheryl LeJune - Tomball (L - Kneeling), the reins. She and co-instructor, Krista Liewald (R - Kneeling), along with Sharon Hayes (third from L - standing), did great! I'm working with Sharon to become a Hunter Education instructor! Participants, Patty David, Alba Nieves, Janis Johnson and Maggie Berger did great coordinating details of the event’s R3 component. Academy personnel were very helpful with all aspects, including Lt. Game Warden, Angel Miller, who spent approximately 30 minutes speaking to those in attendance.
Matador WMA Firearms Workshop
"Hello everyone, we had a successful firearms workshop at Matador WMA last week. Please see the attached article to learn more about what we did. Hope to see you all at future events. Thanks!"
Heather Johnson, Region 1: TPWD Migratory Game Bird Specialist
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This project is a joint effort of The Wildlife Management Institute, Southwick Associates, and DJ Case & Associates to develop a better understanding of new adult hunters in the United States and the journey they take from their first interest in hunting through their entire hunting experience. In addition, it offers R3 practitioners' strategies and tactics to support and encourage new hunters along that journey. (Multi-state Grant #F22AP01126)
Effective Targeting Adult Hunters - New Hunter Personas & Journey Maps
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Hunter Education Courses Planned
"We are planning a weeklong Hunter Education series of courses, at the Texas Wildlife Association Headquarters. The concept is basic Classroom Course from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and a Field Course from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. We are providing the classroom, range ( using Gamo air rifles) and hunter skills trail. We've also recruited a top-notch group of hunter education instructors from Central Texas" - Chris Mitchell, Director, Texas Youth Hunting Program; cmitchell@Texas-wildlife.org
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Big Game Scoring 101
* August 24th - 10AM to 6PM
* Bass Pro Shops San Antonio
Area Chief, David Rios, Texas Parks & Wildlife biologist. has set up a Big Game Scoring Workshop in San Antonio just in time for the hunting seasons this fall. Each participant will receive a scoring kit and learn to measure and score big game animals in Texas. You must register here: REGISTRATION LINK
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 Certified Texas Big Game Awards (TGBA) scorers are unpaid volunteers and can accept no kind of compensation for scoring trophies. I have set up and will lead a Big Game Scoring 101 with fellow TBGA scorer and Hunter Education Instructor, Daniel Tidwell - Uvalde, in cooperation with Area Chief, Charles Marcus - Helotes, at Bass Pro Shops - San Antonio in August. - David Rios, Area Chief Hunter Education Instructor - Uvalde, TPWD Certified Wildlife Biologist®
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Shooting Sports Texas – June 2024
Are you a new gun owner who wants to become more comfortable with your firearm or an experienced target shooter looking to hone your skills? Perhaps you're a hunter preparing for the next season, or maybe you're looking for a new sport or way to enjoy recreational time with friends and family. Sign Up for Shooting Sports E-Newsletter and Updates.
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Morgan Harbison, C TX: morgan.harbison@tpwd.texas.gov; 512-413-0194
Monica Bickerstaff, N TX (DFW): monica.bickerstaff@tpwd.texas.gov; 469-601-8349 c
Kevin Vo, Austin, Hunter Ed. Admin: kevin.vo@tpwd.texas.gov; 512-389-4999 (general); 512-389-8142 (direct); Email Support: Instructor@tpwd.texas.gov
Steve Hall, Austin, Hunter Ed. Coord: steve.hall@tpwd.texas.gov; 512-389-8140 w; 512-550-7330 c
Brock Minton, S TX: brock.minton@tpwd.texas.gov; 361-944-3617 c
Heidi Rao, SE TX (Houston): heidi.rao@tpwd.texas.gov; 713-829-1377 c
Randy Spradlin, W TX: randy.spradlin@tpwd.texas.gov; 512-923-3509 c
Texas Hunter Education Resources
Hunter Education Overview | Instructor Resources | Student Resources
Operation Game Thief | Texas Game Warden Association
Texas Youth Hunting Program | Texas 4-H Shooting Sports
National Hunter Education Resources
International Hunter Education Association | NRA PROGRAMS & Services
NSSF Hunting & Ranges | Texas Hunter Education Instructor Association
Texas State Rifle Association | Hunters Connect
National Bowhunter Education Foundation | Ashby Bowhunting Foundation
National Archery in Schools Program | Student Air Rifle Program
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