34 Nebraskaland • August-September 2024
In the year prior, the agency had recruited and trained 200
volunteer instructors. The program, however, was voluntary.
When the Legislature passed its bill in 1974, Game and
Parks immediately boosted its eff orts to recruit and train
instructors in every corner of the state, ensuring those
required to take the class were given the opportunity. By the
time the full bill took eff ect in 1976, 2,900 instructors were on
board and 17,439 youths had taken the in-person, classroom
course. Many schools off ered the class as well.
At the core of the program is fi rearm and hunting safety,
things like safe gun handling and situations when it is or
isn't safe to shoot at game. These are topics that youngsters,
especially 12-year-olds, might not understand or appreciate.
But Hunter Education is so much more. It covers the game
laws and regulations and why they exist, the importance of
being a responsible and ethical hunter — things that students
might not learn at home. The class also teaches the basics
of how to hunt and how to track and care for game. And it
delves into wildlife identifi cation, behavior, management
and conservation, helping foster a greater appreciation of the
species the youths will pursue.
"We wanted hunters to have more knowledge, skills and
abilities," Rawlinson said. "So that's been the premise of the
program, and from that comes safety and compliance."
Libby Badtke of Omaha hunts with guide Pat McCloskey
of Elkhorn during a mentored youth hunt at Pheasant
Haven Shooting Preserve near Elkhorn in 1996, the second
such hunt hosted in the state. KEN BOUC, NEBRASKALAND
Jeff Rawlinson, outdoor education specialist and education manager with Game and Parks, speaks to volunteer instructors
during the Nebraska Hunter Education Conference at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park in 2023. ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
