Idaho Fish and Game wants new hunters. So it created a video game to help them learn

“In hunter education, sometimes we’ll show a video (of field dressing), but it doesn’t build that muscle memory,” said Ian Malepeai, director of marketing for Fish and Game.

The high-tech hunting simulation is a modern solution for a modern problem. Years ago, families often passed hunting down as a tradition. That has become less and less common, leading to declining hunter numbers and a loss of knowledge about hunting for much of the population.

“The idea of recruitment, retention and reactivation (of hunters) is relatively new,” Malepeai said. “State agencies are really looking at how they can increase participation.”