10 Commandments
of Firearm Safety

1. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

2. Treat every firearm as though it were loaded.

3. Unload firearm, open action except when ready to shoot.

4. Keep barrel clear and choose proper ammunition for firearm.

5.Be sure of your target before you pull the trigger.

6. Never point a firearm at anything you don't want to shoot.

7. Never climb or jump with a loaded firearm.

8. Never shoot at a flat, hard surface or water.

9. Store firearms and ammunition separately.

10. Avoid alcohol and drugs before and during shooting.

Mission Statement:

It is the mission of the Missouri Hunter Education Instructor’s Association to support and enhance the hunter education program in Missouri.

INCORPORATION:  The Missouri Hunter Education Instructor's Association is incorporated under the laws of the state of Missouri as a not-for-profit corporation.  The Association is a 501 ( c ) 3 organization under the rules of the Internal Revenue Service.

• OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION:           
• President
• Vice-President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Executive Officer

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:  One director is elected from each of the eight regions of the state as divided by the Missouri Department of Conservation.  The eight regional directors are elected for a term of three years in staggered years.  Members of that region elect directors at the annual meeting.  The directors elect the officers annually.  Each director may appoint a deputy director who may conduct business in the absence of the director.  Deputies are encouraged to attend the board meetings but do not have a vote in the presence of a director.  The immediate Past-President is also a member of the board of director for a one-year term.  An Executive Officer handles the day-to-day operation of membership, mailing, newsletter, and other administrative activities.

MEETINGS:  The board of directors' meets quarterly at a place determined by the President.  All directors serve as unpaid volunteers with no travel expenses reimbursed.  Directors may submit request for reimbursement for telephone and postage expenses.  An annual meeting of the association membership takes place at the annual Missouri Hunter Education Workshop hosted by the Mo. Dept. of Conservation.

MEMBERSHIP AND DUES:  Membership is open to certified Mo. Hunter Education Instructors as Regular members with annual dues of $10.  A Regular Sustaining membership is available for $25.  Regular members have full voting rights.  Currently no extended membership privileges are extended to sustaining members.

   An Associate membership is available to employees of the Dept. of Conservation and the Department of Natural Resources who do not wish to have voting rights.  Dues are $10 annually with a $25 sustaining membership available. A Life Membership is offered beginning in March of 2001.  Life Membership is $200.

   An Auxiliary membership is offered to non-certified persons who wish to support the Association with membership dues.  Auxiliary memberships must have the approval of the board of directors.  Auxiliary members do not have voting rights.

   An Affiliate membership for $25 is available to business or organizations supporting the purposes and goals of the Association.  Corporate memberships are $300 annually.

FUNDING:  A portion of the annual income is from membership dues of approximately 300-350 members.  The majority of funding comes from the annual Mo. Hunter Education Workshop auction.  A live auction and silent auction is operated by the Mo. Dept. of Conservation with proceeds donated to the Association.  Auction income varies between $3,000 and $6,000 annually. 

   A small portion of income is derived from sales of Association memorabilia. Normally there are no other fund raising activities.

NEWSLETTER:  A quarterly newsletter is published by the Association and mailed to all members.  A not-for-profit permit was obtained from the Post Office to take advantage of bulk mailing rates.  A mailing house is contracted to address, sort, and prepare the newsletter for delivery to the Post Office.

   The newsletter offers opportunity for members to contribute to the hunter education efforts of the membership.  Usual features include a Message from the President and an update from the hunter education program supervisor of the Dept. of Conservation.  Directors are invited to include regional reports.  Members may also contribute letters to the editor.

ACTIVITIES:  Some of the past activities offered to the membership were instructor-training activities including an Instructor Academy as well as a "Woodsmanship Workshop" and a "Marksmanship Workshop."  

   Each year an annual conference commemorative pin and training aid item is given to all conference attendees.  Training aids distributed in the past have included a Federal Cartridge Co. shot size paperweight, a Mossberg cable trigger lock, a complete set of dummy cartridges from Winchester, safety whistle and a laser pointer.  These items are available only to members attending the annual conference.

   Members also staff a Hunter Education booth at the Missouri State Fair ten days each August.  Other events staffed by the Association members include the Missouri Deer Classic and National Hunting and Fishing Day activities statewide.  The Association recently partnered with several law enforcement groups to help distribute firearm cable locks with the National Shooting Sports Foundation's Project HomeSafe.  Over 69,000 free cable locks were distributed to Missouri citizens.

   The Association has also established an internet website at:  http://www.mohuntered.com/

AWARDS:  The awards established by the Association include the "Ken Andersen Award" in memory of a deceased founding member.  This award may be given annually to the member who best represents the highest level of service as a hunter education instructor in the state.

   Each regional director also selects the "Regional Instructor of the Year". 

   Other awards include the "Friends of Mo. Hunter Education Instructor's Association" and the "Missouri Hunter Education Hall of Fame".  Awards may be given annually at the Instructor Workshop.  No current member of the board of directors is eligible for any of the above listed awards.

COMMITTEES:  The Association standing committees include membership, annual conference, and Youth Hunter Education Challenge.  Other committees are appointed as needed.

SUPPORTING ROLES: The Association is the official sponsor of the Missouri Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) annual state championship.  Contributions to YHEC have totaled $12,000 over the past several years.  Grants have also been made to the Missouri Becoming An Outdoors Woman program and support of several high school trap shooting events. 

For the past several years the Association has allocated $500 to support a board member's attendance at the annual International Hunter Education Association Conference.

AFFILIATIONS:  The Missouri Hunter Education Instructor's Association is affiliated with the National Rifle Association, the International Hunter Education Association, the Conservation Federation of Missouri, and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Alliance.  A representative of MHEIA sits on the Board of Directors of the Conservation Federation.

LEGAL:  The Association has been involved in Rules and Regulations activities of the Mo. Dept. of Conservation.  In 1998 the Association was instrumental in adding language to a proposed change in regulations regarding youth deer hunting permits.  Legislative interests are referred to the Conservation Federation of Missouri's lobbyist in the state legislature.

RECRUITMENT:  Efforts to invite instructors to join the Association are most effective with member to instructor contact.  Of the approximately 2,000 certified instructors in the state, about 300 are current members of the Association.  Those 300 members are responsible for at least 75% of the hunter education courses offered statewide annually. 

ADDRESS:  MHEIA, P.O. Box 4505, Springfield, MO  65808.