MN Firearms Safety

Primary Instructors

About Don and Bob.
Quite some time ago now, both of us became Certified MN DNR Firearms Safety Instructors for a very selfish reason; we couldn’t find a firearms safety class to enroll our kids into, so both of us underwent the certification process to become instructors.  Although never discussed in great detail, both of us knew the intent was to make sure our kids went through the class and then the future was unclear.

Well, it has been quite some time ago that the last child in our two families completed our class.  There was a discussion at the end of the class that the youngest completed; it was short and to the point and went something like this.

“So, we got them all through the class, do we do another class next year?”

“Absolutely.”

End of discussion and to this day yet, we continue to teach firearms safety classes.

So the next logical question is, “But why?”

Why do we continue to teach the firearms safety classes?  It definitely is not for money.  All MN DNR firearms safety instructors are VOLUNTEERS.  That’s right; we receive absolutely no compensation for being instructors; well at least not the typical type of compensation, i.e., money or items of value.  And it doesn’t stop with just us; from a recent newsletter for instructors, it was reported that the DNR recognized around 100 volunteer firearms safety instructors for twenty or more years of service and roughly 400 volunteers for between 5 and 19 years of service.  There are about 1,600 active firearms safety instructors in the state, so that means roughly 33% of the active instructors have five or more years of experience.  And remember, each and every one of us is a volunteer!

So what is the compensation we receive?
This is almost like a trick question since it’s mentioned earlier we are volunteers.  Maybe ‘no items of value,’ should have been clarified to mean ‘no tangible items of value.’  It is really hard to express the reward each of us receives as the class winds down and we discuss the individual results of the tests with each student.  It almost is like each student becomes “our kid” during the course and being able to congratulate them at the end results in a realization that all of us, as instructors, have made a difference in the students’ lives.  What we have done is provide a life lasting education and memory for each and every one of the students.  It’s a feeling not only of accomplishment, but also of pride, as well as carrying with us the knowledge that the shooting/hunting community will remain a safe environment.

We would like to continue being firearms safety instructors for a long time to come.  Any financial assistance parents, businesses, corporations or even students could provide will help us continue. (See Donations.)

Assistant Instructor

About Ricky
Ricky Booth is Don’s son.  Ricky became a certified instructor at age 19 after being a Student Instructor for the class for four years.  .  As a full time college student, Ricky’s time is challenged, but he makes every attempt to be at each class to manage the audio/visual aids and oversee the laser rifle range.  Over this last year, he has gradually blended himself into the teaching with new ideas and imaginative methods that keep everyone guessing.

Assistant Instructor

About Mike
Mike is always present in the classroom on those fun, busy days when the typical classroom setting is replaced with the hands on group settings, assisting in making sure the students are properly handling firearms safely; are comfortable with the numerous styles of carrying a firearm and know the benefit of each carry; correctly exhibit the various shooting positions; and understand how to safely cross a fence with a firearm.  Mike also is our liaison with the Minnetonka Sportsmens Club to reserve the Club’s facilities for our Range Testing.