Mentor program aids in training inexperienced hunters

Hunters who are in the age group where hunter education certification is required but have not yet completed a course may still be able to go hunting this year by participating in the Hunter Mentor Program.

Since the program was implemented in 2008, thousands of prospective hunters of varying ages have been mentored through the program. With few exceptions, hunter education is required of persons born after 1965 to participate in hunting activities using firearms. One exception is the Hunter Mentor Program.

Game and Fish hunter education coordinator Tristanna Bickford said that many of the mentees enroll in a hunter education class immediately after using the program while a number of others take a hunter education course within a few years of being mentored.

The Hunter Mentor Program allows hunters an exemption from completing a hunter education course as long as the mentor can fulfill all of the following requirements:

1. Be at least 18 years of age. Regardless of age, the mentor must have successfully completed a hunter safety course and possess a valid hunter education certificate while in the field with the mentee. 2. Possess a current and valid Wyoming hunting license while in the field with the mentee. 3. Sign the mentee’s special authorization certificate. 4. Document hunting license type/number on the mentee’s special authorization certificate. 5. Supervise only one (1) hunter mentee at a time in the field (a family member may mentor multiple immediate family members). 6. Maintain direct supervision (within sight and direct voice contact) of the hunter mentee at all times while in the field.

In 2014, the parameters of the Hunter Mentor Program were changed to allow those enrolled to re-enroll in subsequent years. The change also allowed mentors to take multiple immediate family mentors afield at the same time.

Anyone who plans to hunt in Wyoming can participate, but youth must be at least 12 years of age to hunt big game. Information on the Hunter Mentor Program and upcoming hunter education courses is available on the Game and Fish website wgfd.wyo.gov.

 

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