Many may not know that California Hunter Education Instructors must attend additional training ever year. Each year this training encompasses different aspects of hunting related training, with in-depth presentations by keynote speakers. The presentations are given at 4 conferences throughout the state, one for each of the four DFG Enforcement Districts.

The North Coast District training was held at Livermore Gun Club in Livermore on Saturday May 15th 2010. 

Generally, the training session for the North coast District moves around between Ukiah and San Louis Obispo and gun clubs between. Lt. James Kasper is the district coordinator for the Department of Fish & Game and along with other DFG staff including Captain Roy Griffith the State Coordinator for Hunter Education, who organized a very interesting and fun day for the instructors.

Highlights of this training this year were presentations Dr. Dario Caloss, Tim Goldberg of Teamxtreme logowear and Bill Gaines of the California Outdoor Heritage Alliance. Much of the discussion was regarding the future of hunting in California, with a wealth of data and background research into the causes of the decline in the number of hunters, and the various attacks by organizations such as the HSUS against hunting. The size of the funding of the organizations such as HSUS, what their goals are, which is to eliminate all hunting in the United States, and starting with California, species by species, until their is no hunting what so ever! For more information on Wayne Pacelle and the HSUS goals check here

Pacelle has formed a 501 (c) 4 that uses its funds to defeat hunter friendly representatives such as Richard Pombo. He led successful efforts to ban the use of bait and dogs in hunting bears, cougars, and bobcats in Colorado (Amendment 10 in 1992), Massachusetts (Question One in 1996), Oregon (Measure 18 in 1994), and Washington (Initiative 655 in 1996); to ban the use of traps in California (Proposition 4 in 1998), Colorado (Amendment 14 in 1996), Massachusetts (Question One in 1996), and Washington (Initiative 713 in 2000). So the weight of evidence indicates that both Pacelle and the HSUS are anti-hunting. This is truly a shame as other than their rabid anti hunting position, the HSUS do good work for the protection of endangered species.

The California Hunter Education Instructor Association had the conclusion of their ATV raffle, for an Arctic Cat 400cc 4x4 ATV, and the Pacific Coast Hunter Education Instructor Association had several raffles for black powder rifles.

The food was excellent and the hosts Livermore Gun Club provided an excellent location for the event.