The Idaho Fish and Game Commission recently recognized Mike Fairchild of Jerome as Idaho’s Hunter Education Instructor of the Year for 2025. During their March 2025 meeting in Boise, the Commission presented Fairchild with a plaque to honor his work to both teach and mentor new hunters over the last 14 years in southern Idaho.
Magic Valley hunter education instructor named Idaho’s 2025 Instructor of the Year
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Mike Fairchild of Jerome was named Idaho's 2025 Hunter Education Instructor of the Year
TanaRae Alberti, the Hunter Education Coordinator for Idaho Fish and Game in the Magic Valley Region, noted in her presentation to the Commission that Fairchild had taught 81 hunter education and field day classes across various locations in the Magic Valley. Through his unwavering dedication to ensuring Idaho’s hunting heritage continues he has helped certify an impressive 1,732 students, instilling in them the knowledge and skills necessary to be a responsible, ethical and safe hunter.
“I am honored and humbled to receive this award,” stated Fairchild, “but I don’t volunteer to be selected for awards, because my reward comes from seeing the excitement of newly certified hunters who are now ready to join with family and friends in their hunting adventures.”
Volunteer instructors are the backbone of Idaho’s Hunter Education program
Idaho Fish and Game’s Hunter Education Program is looking for new volunteer instructors to help ensure that the newest generation of hunters has a thorough understanding of safety, ethics and conservation.
Those who are interested can learn more about the program and how they can become an instructor by contacting your local Fish and Game regional office’s volunteer service coordinator. Additional information can be found on the Hunter Education volunteer page. Applications can be found online.