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Boise State, Idaho Fish and Game using virtual reality to teach hunters how to field dress big game

They recently put the finishing touches on the simulation, which will soon be used in Idaho hunter education classes.

BOISE, Idaho — Learning to hunt without ever leaving home. That's what some hunters are learning to do thanks to a unique partnership between Idaho Fish and Game and the Boise State College of Innovation.

The two have been working together to develop a virtual reality simulation to teach new hunters how to field dress big game.    

They recently put the finishing touches on the simulation, which will soon be piloted in a handful of Idaho hunter education classes.

The hope is that virtual reality technology will help new hunters understand the basics of field dressing animals.

"It's the same for hunter education, and learning how to field dress an elk," said Anthony Ellerston, director of Games, Interactive Media and Mobile program at Boise State. "You can watch a video on YouTube, and you can get a sense of how it's done. But what we give you with this simulation is the muscle memory. By making you physically go through the process, it's much more likely that you will remember it and perform it correctly."

This is usually taught through textbooks or videos.

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