Are you for or against a mandatory Bow Hunter's Course and Why?

[PolarBear]

I think that it is a great idea but as with regular hunter's ed, a lot of those who pass it disregard it or forget what they have learned as soon as they walk out that door.  Take a look around the next time you are in the woods and see how many folks who have passed the course are behaving in an exact opposite manner to which they were taught.

[seth30]

I think that it is a great idea but as with regular hunter's ed, a lot of those who pass it disregard it of forget what they have learned as soon as they walk out that door.  Take a look around the next time you are in the woods and see how many folks who have passed the course are behaving in an exact opposite manner to which they were taught.

well put!   

[jackmaster]

I AGREE WITH YOU 100% jimmy hoffa, there are some real winners getn there stuff the day before huntn season thats for sure, thats why i think there should be a very stiff common huntn sense course every few years, if you dont pass you dont get to hunt period and i aint talkn just for bow hunters i am talkn about all hunters, do you know how nice that would be out huntn, hell we wouldnt have to wear hunter orange anymore, and to be honest rifle hunters are probably the worst unethical knott heads out there and i am a rifle hunter, use to love musket huntn but it makes it easier to hunt with my son if i hunt with a rifle, you see some of the biggest jackwagons runnin around with rifles and i get pissed because you wonder how in the hell did they ever get a huntn license, its damn scary sometimes

[BurleyDog]

I don't think WDFW and others understand how limiting these requirements are. People just don't have time to spend a Saturday listening to some yahoo talk to them about bow hunting.

If they make it a requirment I will stop bowhunting. I can't give up work time/ family time for this type of class. Besides it won't stop bad shots

This is a very very  at a time when we need to be RECRUITING hunters not mandating them away!

[gallion_t]

My personal opinion is that for your first 1-2 years you should have to hunt with someone that has proven themselves a responsible, and ethical hunter. whether this person be a master hunter, someone who passes a special class to allow them to take on this responsibility.

You can teach ethical and responsible hunting all you want in the class room, but the majority of learning come from the in the Field. The state already does something similar to this by allowing you a 1 year waiver on your hunter education class if you hunt with someone who has hunted for 5 years. I think these should be combined, have to pass hunters safety, and hunt with someone who has displayed higher ethics and responsibilities. 

[JimmyHoffa]

I think that it is a great idea but as with regular hunter's ed, a lot of those who pass it disregard it or forget what they have learned as soon as they walk out that door.  Take a look around the next time you are in the woods and see how many folks who have passed the course are behaving in an exact opposite manner to which they were taught.

Yup, agree with you Polarbear.  Another example is-I have been taught from probably age 5 maybe earlier from school/home/community to not drink and drive.  I think 1/4 of the class and test for driver's ed was about alcohol and effects on driving.  I can only assume that people my age and younger have had this same constant education.  Yet there are still lots of DUIs.  For the hunter/bowhunter ed, it at least (mostly) eliminates the ignorance defense when someone does do something bad. 

[woodswalker]

Burley....as that "Yahoo" in the front of the room trying to teach something to the folks I share the woods with, If listening to some safety, ethics and Sportsmanship is a waste of your time and energy, maybe you need to re-examine your priorities.

Just sayin'

[jackmaster]

but thats the problem if you ask anyone they are gonna tell you they are ethical and do all the right things and the funny thing is you could know damn good and well that they arent but in their own eyes they think they are. there are alot of *censored*s out there that shoot and if it doesnt drop then they assume they missed, wont even walk over and make sure, there are to damn many people that think animals are out there for the convienance and dont need to hold up to there end of the deal as a hunter, i have said this before but i respect animals a hell of alot more than i respect most humans and animals deserve the utmost respect, look at the crap animals have to go through every year just to have some *censored* shoot him in the guts and not have what it takes to take care of the animal that he wounded or how about a bear that gets wounded and the person who shot it doesnt have the balls to track him down and take care of it because they are affraid of getn attacked

[jstone]

I have taken it because other states require it. I dont think that it will make someone a better hunter or shot. Look at all of the thousands of people that take the hunter safety course and still cant figure it out. Yes there needs to be some course, or something thats not what i am saying. It just wont make people better hunters or safer. Its up to the person.

[Kain]

Torn on this one.  Do i think it will eliminate the problems?  Nope.  Do I think they should cover more about bows in regular hunters ed?  Yep.

When I took hunters ed I remember there being very little information on archery hunting at all.  Now with weapons seasons on animals like cougar and multi season tags they are making it so all hunters will need to be proficient with multiple weapons.  I would hate to see a guy go out and buy a bow and sight it in just to go hunt cougars for a month and then store it for the rest of the year.  I am guilty of this with my muzzleloader.

There are just as many, if not more, guys taking marginal shots with rifles as bows.  (I have no references for this just my opinion.) 

The course is online for any that want to take it.  I have a feeling the guys that will do the course are the guys that would not be the problem in the first place.  http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/huntered/classes/bowhunting.php

[BULLBLASTER]

So there are never any wounded not recovered animals in states with mandatory archery class? How about unethical hunters? They must not exist there either. Nothing wrong with our system in my opinion. People complain about all the new wdfw rules and then say there should be required classes? 

[pianoman9701]

I don't think WDFW and others understand how limiting these requirements are. People just don't have time to spend a Saturday listening to some yahoo talk to them about bow hunting.

If they make it a requirment I will stop bowhunting. I can't give up work time/ family time for this type of class. Besides it won't stop bad shots

This is a very very  at a time when we need to be RECRUITING hunters not mandating them away!

This is not a proposal of the WDFW. This is an informal poll about bow hunter's ed. The "yahoos" are all volunteers, seasoned hunters who give their time to bring younger folks into hunting. Maybe you could put it differently.

[Kola16]

I don't even think those yahoos get paid either so show some respect. They don't half to be there

[JLS]

So there are never any wounded not recovered animals in states with mandatory archery class? How about unethical hunters? They must not exist there either. Nothing wrong with our system in my opinion. People complain about all the new wdfw rules and then say there should be required classes? 

I don't think anyone believes this would eliminate this type of behavior.  One only has to look at hunter ed for rifle hunters to dispell this myth.  However, if it helps a few people realize that it is NOT the norm to shoot 80 yards, then not follow up your shot (as one example, not all encompassing) then it's worth it.  I try to mentor as many new archery hunters as I can, and it amazes me the stuff they don't know because they were never taught.

[rebal69972]

I think that's a great idea.you should have to prove yourself to at least 50yds

 
Why should I have to "prove myself" to 50 yards if I won't take a shot at an animal beyond 30 yards?

 i spend all spring and summer at the range and i carry a bow target to camp with me, when i cant make the shot I'm tring to is when i will hang my bow up. i have a 40 yard pin on my bow but in 20 year i have never used it out side the range. and really most bad shots and bad judgments are due to Adrenalin and people making a snap decision.