Hunter Education

[Practical Approach]

I was lucky enough to be born in 1972, so I took the hunter education course when it became mandatory.  Even though I had been hunting with the family since I was 8 years old.  If everyone born from 1972 on has to take the course, I feel that those hunters born before 1972, that are applying for their first license should have to take the class as well.  I have several friends that would like me to take them hunting who are born before 1972 and the thought of those guys buying tags and heading out into the woods without any formal education and not coming from a hunting family scares the hell out of me.  

[lokidog]

I think every hunter should have to take it no matter how old or how long you have been hunting!  I also think that any person who has a firearm in the house, whether they hunt or not, should have their kid(s) go through hunter safety.

[Special T]

I think stupid people don't take well to being educated.  If you need a class to tell you to look at your target more closely to make sure its a bear/deer/elk your probably beyond help... If you actually give    you will probably figure it out. 

[Practical Approach]

I agree the stupid and careless will probably not gain a thing from a class. However, someone with some intelligence that has never hunted before might learn something that would make them a safer hunter.  Little things that I learned from my dad such as how to hold a gun, always have your gun safety on, never leave your gun loaded when your not hunting, never look down a barrel, always treat a gun as if it is loaded.  Simple stuff that a newbie may have never heard before.  It may be commonsense to hunters and people who handle guns, but not to someone new to guns and hunting. 

[Bob33]

Being a hunter education instructor, I think it is a good idea because the class covers more than firearm safety.  However, the point about some people not learning is valid. Younger students typically learn more than older students in my experience.

[Special T]

PA i think you just proved my point.. you learned more from your dad than anything else... 

[Practical Approach]

True, but I guess I am referring to the guy with best intentions, who just doesn't know any better since he didn't have a dad that hunted to educate him along the way.

[Special T]

Hopefully he would find a wonderful place to find good info.... Hmmm where would he do that? 

[lokidog]

Hopefully he would find a wonderful place to find good info.... Hmmm where would he do that? 

A hunter safety class??   

[arintime]

I took hunters education two years ago. Would I take it again with someone who wants to hunt? YES! There are lots of things in the class I know are important that don't pertain to safe gun handling in the class. Personally, guns still scare the heck out of me (and I never want that to change!) and I want to know that the person I am hunting with has the same set of guidelines as me out in the field. BTW, I loved the class when I took it.

[washelkhntr]

I personally think all people heading in to the field with any type of weapon, should be required to take hunters ed as well as a firearms / weapons safety class prior to them being able to buy a license. I also think the age thing is lame. EVERYONE should have to do it.

 

[Grizzly95]

I think anyone heading to the field/woods for the first time should take it regardless of age. My wife grew up in a hunting based house and took it for the first time this year with our daughter and she enjoyed the class and the instructor.

[Special T]

Loki I was kinda thinking here, genius! 

[lokidog]

Loki I was kinda thinking here, genius! 

 

[runamuk]

I think every hunter should have to take it no matter how old or how long you have been hunting!  I also think that any person who has a firearm in the house, whether they hunt or not, should have their kid(s) go through hunter safety.

didn't monroe high school make it part of the graduation requirement?  I find that to be a really well thought out idea and a great way to reach kids who otherwise might never be exposed.

I am old so didn't have to take hunters ed however the poor hubby had already taken it twice in WA and once in Idaho with our boys so I opted to take it with the youngest on his second attempt...it was cool....I got an honorable mention for getting 100%  but guess what I was all out panicked and freaked to shoot that part was terrifying and I actually did not have to I was that scared... seems like a long time ago but was actually only 3 years ago.... we were taught to shoot as kids and guns in my life were downright scary....now not so much but even before I decided I could get over this fear I was adamant about safe handling in my house and around me....been around way too many careless people with regards to guns, sad to say but they seem to be the majority