FWC names Doug Brooks as the Victor Heller Hunter Safety Instructor of the Year

At its May Commission meeting in Ocala, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) named Doug Brooks of Osceola County as the 2025 Victor Heller Hunter Safety Instructor of the Year. The award recognizes a volunteer who significantly advances the cause of safe hunting through extraordinary service in training and education.

Brooks has served as the chief instructor for FWC’s hunter safety program in Osceola County since November 2008. Over the past 16 years, he has led 121 classes, contributing more than 1,400 hours of instruction and nearly 1,600 volunteer hours. Thanks to his leadership and commitment, over 2,000 individuals have earned their hunter safety certification. Each year, Brooks and his team typically conduct seven in-person hunter safety courses at the Triple N Ranch Shooting Range, reaching an average of 22 students per class. His dedication also extends beyond the classroom — Brooks played a key role in the creation of the Triple N Ranch Shooting Range. He was part of a local initiative that petitioned for a public shooting range in Osceola County, which ultimately led to the range's opening in 2017 through a partnership between the Osceola County Commission and the FWC.

“Doug is one of our most reliable instructors and is always consistently willing and able to organize and lead hunter safety classes for Osceola County,” said Joshua Suzuki, FWC’s Hunter Safety Coordinator for the Northeast Region. “He has consistently held and led classes every year since he became the area coordinator.”

Anyone interested in learning how to become a volunteer hunter safety instructor can go to MyFWC.com/HunterSafety and select “Volunteer.”