No Budget, No Hunter Ed AGAIN

[Curly]

It does seem that these days the classes teach a lot of stuff that isn't necessary to firearm safety.

I took hunters ed in 1978 or 79. If I'm remembering right, it was a few evenings of 1 - 1.5 hours a night and a short  written exam at the final evening. No shooting of firearms and I don't think we even handled a firearm in class.

I'm not saying we should go back to the way it used to be, but couldn't it be streamlined a little more to discuss mostly safety? If time is the biggest hurdle then why not eliminate some of the fluff?    Then more classes could be taught.

Isn't the main objective of the class to teach safe firearm handling so that firearm related accidents are minimized?

[GUscottie]

I think they should eliminate the hunters ed requirement altogether.

I'll bite because this seems like an ignorant statement. What would you propose instead?  Many people get into hunting that didn't grow up in hunting families or they have very limited firearm experience. I don't thing that the hunters education requirement is the greatest training, but it's better than nothing IMHO.

I would propose nothing.

It isn't up to the state to provide/mandate firearms training to anyone.

Washington is a shall issue state for CCW. Why should hunting licenses be any different?

Then people, like myself, couldn't hunt in other states. Wyoming for example, requires you to carry your HE card with you while in the field. You can (and will) be fined. I got a stiff warning for not having my HE card with me. He showed me the statute that required it. If we, Washington, don't have a HE requirement, we would have to attend an HE course in other states to hunt...Not at all efficient or logical in my opinion.

[jay.sharkbait]

I think they should eliminate the hunters ed requirement altogether.

I'll bite because this seems like an ignorant statement. What would you propose instead?  Many people get into hunting that didn't grow up in hunting families or they have very limited firearm experience. I don't thing that the hunters education requirement is the greatest training, but it's better than nothing IMHO.

I would propose nothing.

It isn't up to the state to provide/mandate firearms training to anyone.

Washington is a shall issue state for CCW. Why should hunting licenses be any different?

Then people, like myself, couldn't hunt in other states. Wyoming for example, requires you to carry your HE card with you while in the field. You can (and will) be fined. I got a stiff warning for not having my HE card with me. He showed me the statute that required it. If we, Washington, don't have a HE requirement, we would have to attend an HE course in other states to hunt...Not at all efficient or logical in my opinion.

I thought we were talking about Wa......

[JJD]

It does seem that these days the classes teach a lot of stuff that isn't necessary to firearm safety.

I took hunters ed in 1978 or 79. If I'm remembering right, it was a few evenings of 1 - 1.5 hours a night and a short  written exam at the final evening. No shooting of firearms and I don't think we even handled a firearm in class.

I'm not saying we should go back to the way it used to be, but couldn't it be streamlined a little more to discuss mostly safety? If time is the biggest hurdle then why not eliminate some of the fluff?    Then more classes could be taught.

Isn't the main objective of the class to teach safe firearm handling so that firearm related accidents are minimized?

Hunter Ed is about more than firearms safety although the  original purpose was to reduce hunting incidents.
  It also helps students understand wildlife management, ethics and why they are needed. I believe wildlife management is necessary, but I don't always agree on how it's implemented in this state.  I would venture to guess that nearly 50% of the students who go through my traditional class will never buy a lic, but they walk away with a better understanding of wildlife and the tools the WDFW use to manage their numbers (like them or no) and why.  When they vote down the road, they may be able to determine that what the "Anti's" preach is pure BS.
I believe the current curriculum has merit, but the rules and regulations boarder on the ridiculous. The state trembles with fear at the sight of their own shadow.   

[pianoman9701]

Hunter Education saves lives. Since the 70s, the number of hunting incidents each year has fallen drastically, far outpacing the declining number of hunters. In addition to that, the other components of the class, like conservation, field care, first aid, survival, etc., serve a purpose to make today's growing hunters more ethical and better prepared when they go into the field than many hunters of the past. Not all of our state's young hunters have dads to show them the way. My father wasn't a hunter. I was lucky to have mentors but not everyone has that. It's a good program and fairly standard across the US. It doesn't CY anyone's A. It prevents deaths and has the ability to create a better, more informed class of hunters.

[Netminder01]

I would like to see their budget dry up until Hunter Education is improved and we get more predator seasons and control. They have to make the first move or no budget! 

What improvements do you believe should be made to hunter education?

I have a few ideas to share that I'm working on over our next coffee.