Volunteer hunter education instructors from around the state were honored at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) 2022 Hunter Education Instructor Workshop last Saturday, April 23, at Camp Grant Walker.
Michael “Mike” Lorio was announced as this year’s winner of the Todd Roberts Achievement Award, the program’s highest volunteer honor, for his 28 years of volunteer service, teaching multiple classes each year and certifying thousands of students over his volunteer career. Mike also assists LDWF by actively recruiting additional instructors to teach hunter safety in his community.
The Todd Roberts Achievement Award recognizes a volunteer instructor that has made significant and outstanding contributions to the LDWF State Hunter Education Program over a period of years. It is given out annually by the Hunter Education Program to a single volunteer instructor out of nearly 800 active instructors.
LDWF also recognized instructors for their above and beyond efforts to teach hunter education in 2021 with Outstanding Volunteer Instructor awards. Additionally, Years of Service awards were given to those instructors who have taught hunter education for more than five consecutive years.
Workshop attendees were also provided in-service training sessions, with updates on chronic wasting disease, hunting incidents, and issues affecting hunting and hunter education during the workshop.
For more information on LDWF’s Hunter Education program, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/hunter-and-trapper-education.
