IHEA-USA Announces New Hunter Rewards Program and Investigation Instructor Academy

The International Hunter Education Association–USA (IHEA-USA), in partnership with Guidefitter, has launched PathPerks, a reward and recognition program designed for new hunter education graduates. Delivered in collaboration with state agencies and supported by leading manufacturers, the national program offers gear benefits from the outdoor industry to support new hunters as they take their first steps afield. It also extends exclusive discounts to hunter, bowhunter and trapper education instructors, as well as shooting sports educators.

“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Guidefitter to launch IHEA PathPerks,” said Megan Fedrick, director of operations at IHEA-USA. “This groundbreaking program offers significant discounts on gear for hunter education graduates. It aims to encourage more participation in hunting and makes it easier for new hunters to start their adventure with the essential equipment they need.”

By offering substantial savings from over 300 top outdoor brands, PathPerks lowers barriers to participation and connects new hunters with high-quality, trusted gear. Qualifying sportsmen can visit IHEA-USA’s student resource page and select the PathPerks option for details or to create an account.

Train-the-Trainer Incident Investigations Academy

IHEA-USA also announced the launch of a new Hunting Incident Investigations Academy (HIIA) Train-the-Trainer (TTT) program in August. The initiative is designed to expand hunting incident investigation training capacity nationwide.

Since 1993, the HIIA has provided specialized training to wildlife officers, preparing them to investigate hunting-related incidents with precision and professionalism. Traditionally offered in person, the Academy has now evolved into a blended format, allowing officers to complete self-paced online coursework before participating in hands-on, on-site instruction. Over the past three decades, this program has been hosted in 10 states and trained more than 1,400 officers.

The new Train-the-Trainer program takes this impact to the next level by equipping officers to deliver their own Basic HIIA courses in their state—and potentially in neighboring states—dramatically increasing the number of officers trained each year. With this model, IHEA-USA expects to train more officers in a single year than the traditional format could reach in five.

The inaugural TTT event, funded by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Multi-State Conservation Grant, was held in September 2024 at the Andy Dalton Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center in Ash Grove, Mo. It brought together 36 officers from 18 states.

During the three-day session, seasoned instructors guided participants through the process of building a Basic Academy from the ground up. Topics included accessing the national hunting incident database, assembling investigation kits, creating student teams, developing on-the-ground scenarios, conducting examinations, demonstrating blood spatter analysis and preparing investigative reports.

As new academies launch across the country, the program will strengthen investigative capacity, improve case outcomes, and enhance safety in the hunting community.