By: Clay & Hannah Green
What could be more fun than a group of individuals who share a common interest getting together for a weekend? Perhaps a group with a common goal in mind? That is what the weekend of August 22nd, 2025, had in mind: The Indiana Hunter Education Instructor Academy.
From new conservation officers, Department of Natural Resources workers, veteran Hunter Education instructors, and the instructors of tomorrow. Coming together to gain new skills, discuss matters that are important to us, and make the Hunter Education program better for the State of Indiana. That is what the Hunter Education Instructor Academy is about.
Nestled away off South River Road in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, sits Ross Camp. A mostly wooded 200-acre county park that is the base of operations for the DNR Law Enforcement, Outdoor Education Section, where learning, training, and fun memories for those dedicated to “passing it on”. The Academy weekend consisted of a packed itinerary: learning, lively conversations, a charity auction, good food, and mingling with fellow hard-working individuals, old friends, and new acquaintances.
Friday started off the weekend like most any Hunter Education event…everyone breaking off to help do what they can, where they can. The volunteers work like a well-oiled machine from years of experience setting up the property for this event. Tree stands are getting tethered to the trees, people randomly saying “Ouch!” from the tent bungees, either popping their knuckles or pinching fingers (there is no in between), and people driving around on ATVs, double checking that they grabbed everything for their respective classes.
When 1:00 hits, this group of volunteers is unstoppable, except for a bottle of cold water! Ross Camp is transformed from a quiet county park to the Hunter Education headquarters for the weekend.
The day rolls on into dinner, where the Dining Hall becomes bustling with the noise of greetings, conversations from those who have crafted friendships with people from across the state and look forward to seeing each other at these events, and laughter. Dinner is served and is followed by a talk from Geriann Albers, the Furbearer and Turkey Program Lead from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife.
She shared some great information on the upcoming inaugural Bobcat season in Indiana. Her talk was very informative. It wasn’t just what a Bobcat is, but rather what the season will consist of and the history of this animal in the state, which dates back to 1905. Today, some of the general public who are surprised that the Bobcat population is considered large enough to allow a trapping season. Even in 1905, it was noted that “it is hard to confirm the establishment of these Bobcats or catamounts, but the thought of them held up in the surrounding deep swamp and woods could be thought of.”
Today, the data indicates that many Bobcats have returned to Indiana, with a higher concentration in the southern region. Geriann went on to discuss that starting November 8 through January 31, or when the 250 quotas have been met, we will have our inaugural Bobcat trapping season (for rules and regulations, please visit the DNR website).
After the presentation, the floor was opened to Q&A, where many had very good questions about not only the trapping rules and the data but about Bobcats in general. One person asked if they have “noticed a decline in turkey numbers in established bobcat areas.” Geriann stated that from the research that has been collected, the simple answer is “no”. Another asked about Bobcats and the relation to coyotes, to which I found out that in established Bobcat areas, coyotes will move out, but foxes will not. Geriann even answered questions about the arrival and established areas of our new friend, the armadillo. Following Geriann’s Bobcat discussion, Lt. Andy Hagerty and Officer Tony Mann gave an informative talk about the new Deer regulations. They were able to display the various calibers and answer any questions that the instructors may have regarding the new regulations.
Saturday morning, bright and early, we all gather in the Dining Hall to eat our breakfast and to prepare for the day. While our day on Saturday was filled with various classes, discussions, and range time, I wanted an opportunity to speak to someone new to the program and get their insights on the weekend. I had the lucky opportunity to be introduced to a new face, Dr. Amelia Tebbe, who was familiar with Ross Camp from her time at Becoming an Outdoor Woman (BOW).
It was through these conversations that I had learned she was selected for the Spring Wild Turkey Draw at Mississinewa Reservoir. She also signed up for Robby and Robyn Woodruff’s Turkey Class at BOW to prepare for her hunt where she also won the Turkey calling contest that weekend where her prize was a blind. She is not too far from the Woodruffs and was talking with Robyn about her Turkey hunt when Robyn talked her into becoming a new Hunter Education Instructor, which required her to attend the Academy. I asked her during lunch what her thoughts were so far, and she admitted that it had its similarities to BOW; however, it also differed in some regards. Which is only natural given the difference in the two different events. She not only went home with the knowledge from the weekend, but with a bag of essentials, teaching aids, and hopefully the urge to come back to whatever event we have next.
Saturday not only held classes and work for us (it’s hard to say “work” when it is fun), but also the Turn in a Poacher and Polluters (T.I.P) trailer made its appearance. T.I.P is a non-profit conservation organization that works hand-in-hand with the DNR Law Enforcement Division to protect our wildlife resources from poaching and pollution. You can call 1-800-TIP-IDNR (1-800-847-4367) 24/7 to report any poaching or polluting violations that you see. Brent Headland, VP-elect of Indiana Hunter Education Association (IHEA), serves on the T.I.P Citizen Advisory Board and was proud to talk about T.I.P and what the program has to offer. The trailer opens to display confiscated equipment, mounts that were taken illegally or brought to Indiana. There is also a QR code to scan and read about the story of each mount or confiscated gear. If you ever have an opportunity, check out the trailer and learn more about how you can prevent the poaching and pollution of our natural resources. To learn more about the T.I.P program, visit their webpage.
Following dinner on Saturday evening, IHEA held its annual meeting. There were new and fresh ideas on display.
The Marketing Committee officially launched at this meeting, where they put a heavy emphasis on social media and “From the Field.” From the launch of this team, people have already come forward to share their story, volunteered to help drive content, and help keep this organization fresh and vibrant. Who knows, maybe there will be some videos on how the Association and Cottage Cheese can go hand in hand! Long story short, the team has been in development for years, and now, with the green light, we are hitting the ground running and looking forward to the many ways to reach out to like-minded individuals who share a common passion.
Also during the meeting, the announcement of the elections results were read from our new electoral process, followed by a special meeting held for the election of the executive board. The changes that were amended to the Board of Directors earlier in the year were solidified with the recent elections for Northern Districts and South Regions At-Large Directors. This is the first time in many years that every possible elected position was filled. The Board of Directors is full, strong, and always looking for passionate individuals.
The results for this year’s elections are as follows:
- District 1: Mark Demske
- District 2: Doug Chapman
- District 3: Barbara Trenary
- District 4: Robyn Woodruff
- District 10: Jason Bell
- South Region: Stephen Spencer, Perry Frey, Craig Roberts, Jennifer Hasenour, and Gerald Lambert
- Executive Board: President Elect – Mark Demske, Vice President Elect – Brent Headland
I feel like this would be a missed opportunity not to recognize two people: Ray Rausch and Roger Hosbrook. Ray ran for the District 10 director which will be filled by Jason Bell. It was truly moving to see Ray receiving a standing ovation from everyone there for his 25 years on board. Ray, your dedication to the Association and the Hunter Education program is inspiring – one that I truly hope I can achieve one day. Thank you, Ray. Now, while Roger remains on the board of directors, he opted not to run for the President position. Roger has been a good president and has challenged many people to become more and be more. I know he is still going to do that. He has not put in the last four years as president just to let that forward momentum subside. He will still be here, pushing this organization from his district position instead of at the helm and where maybe he can show a bit more of his shenanigan spunk. Again, there are not enough thank you’s to go around for Ray and Roger.
But how do you wrap up such a large meeting? With an auction that will aide IHEA in their goals, of course! How do you get an auction going? Well, first you must throw a couple of handmade items from the Mahoney’s in there. Have you ever watched a group of young Indiana Conservation Officers go into a bidding war for Nancy Mahoney’s Blackberry Cobbler? Well, we did. Now, did they have a couple of people raising their hands for them? That part is up for debate. But what’s not up for debate…the price. Those officers paid $320 for the cobbler! Truly one of the highest prices in a long time. Another item that went so fast? A famous pelt hat made by none other than Jim Mahoney. All I know is trying to keep up with Josh Chapman when he has his eyes set on that hat is impossible, especially when you’re getting looks from your wife to knock it off (Hannah would have been fine with it, it’s to a good cause)!
I honestly don’t know which auction I look forward to more, the banquet or this one. In all, this auction raised over $2,000 for the Association. The highest to date!
The evening ended by singing a beautiful rendition of “Happy Birthday” to Nancy “Momma” Mahoney as she celebrated her 86th Birthday!
Sunday closed out this wonderful weekend with some additional class work and graduation. Watching the new instructors receiving their teaching tools made me remember how excited I was when I received my teaching bag a couple of years ago. I hope that all the new instructors and officers who attended this weekend really know that they have an army of like-minded individuals ready to support, cheer, and be there for them if they ever need help.
This weekend proved that while it’s nice to be around so many old friends, what I truly look forward to is seeing this group of Instructors grow, both with lessons and friendship. This weekend continues to be a weekend filled with people willing and eager to “Pass It On.”
View more images from the Indiana Hunter Instructor Academy
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