Volunteer Hunter Education Instructors from around the state were honored at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) 2023 Hunter Education Instructor Workshop last Saturday at Camp Grant Walker.
This year’s winner of the Todd Roberts Achievement Award, Lawrence “Larry” Lapeyrolerie, was announced. Lapeyrolerie was awarded the program’s highest volunteer honor for his 19 years of volunteer service, teaching multiple classes each year and certifying thousands of students over his volunteer career. He also assists LDWF by actively recruiting additional instructors and volunteering for National Hunting and Fishing day annually, among other volunteer contributions.
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 roughly 800 active instructors.
LDWF also recognized instructors for their above-and-beyond efforts to teach hunter education in 2022 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.