News  Michael Roche Awarded Hunter Education Instructor of the Year

On September 23, 2026, Michael Roche was presented with the Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor of the Year Award in honor of his many years of volunteer service. Roche, a lifelong hunter, angler, and educator, accepted the award during a ceremony at MassWildlife’s Field Headquarters in Westborough, which brought together Fisheries and Wildlife Board members, MassWildlife staff, leaders of sporting and conservation organizations, colleagues, friends, and family.

Roche was named Hunter Education Instructor of the Year for Massachusetts at International Hunter Education Association (IHEA)’s Annual Conference, which was held in Phoenix, AZ in June of this year. The IHEA is a non-profit organization representing professional hunter education personnel and volunteer instructors. Because Roche was not present at the IHEA Conference, MassWildlife presented Roche with the award at a separate ceremony in his home state of Massachusetts.

“I appreciate this award because my involvement with Hunter Education has allowed me to provide so many people the opportunity to become safe and knowledgeable hunters who understand and appreciate the role that hunting plays in conservation,” said Roche. 

Roche’s connection to the outdoors in Massachusetts runs deep. Appointed to the Fisheries and Wildlife Board in 1987 at age 37—the youngest member ever—he served the Commonwealth for 35 years, including lengthy terms as Secretary and Vice Chair. His passion for outdoor recreation began in childhood and led him to champion numerous programs across the state. 

Roche has volunteered for 50 years as an instructor with MassWildlife’s Hunter Education program, teaching nearly 80 courses and reaching over 3,000 students. Mike hosts hunter education at Ralph C. Mahar Regional High School in Orange, making it the only course run at a school in the Commonwealth. Members of Mike’s teaching team describe him as a dedicated, engaging, and passionate teacher who has passed on the important lessons of conservation, ethics, and safety to thousands of students. 

“Through his dedication and service as a Hunter Education instructor, Mike has helped thousands of students build the knowledge, skills, and sense of responsibility that are essential to safe and ethical hunting,” said MassWildlife Director Eve Schlüter. “We are proud to celebrate Mike and this well-earned national recognition.” 

MassWildlife offers a variety of courses to train new hunters, including Basic Hunter Education. Basic Hunter Education is required for all first-time adult hunters before they can purchase a hunting license. In Massachusetts, these courses are at least 12 hours long and offered for free throughout the state. The curriculum covers a variety of topics, including the safe handling and storage of hunting arms and ammunition, hunting laws and ethics, care and handling of game, and wildlife conservation. Students also learn practical skills, like identifying firearm action designs, safely loading and unloading, carrying a firearm in the field, crossing obstacles, and understanding safe zones of fire when hunting with others. 

MassWildlife relies on a dedicated team of over 250 volunteer instructors to teach hunter education courses across the Commonwealth. If you're passionate about the outdoors and want to help pass on the hunting tradition, please consider becoming a hunter education instructor. To learn more, contact MassWildlife at (508) 389-7820 or hunter.education@mass.gov.