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

[Special T]

I think that has more to do with the fact that there are deer in town that are being shot. I know in the city of anacortes there are deer that are shot with bows... Usually ther person is tracked down and has to pay up.... But there are lots of nice deer in and around washington park... 

[724wd]

Not to stir things up or anything but I just got done talking to a friend that's a long time resident of Winthrop who has property over there.  He told me this morning that so far this week the city has had to destroy 3 deer that were wandering around town with arrows hanging out of them.  I believe an education course could not of hurt for the individuals who shot these arrows.  Not to mention the damage it does to the public image of hunters.

who says it was 'slob' bowhunters that shot these deer?  could it not have been a gust of wind or unseen branch that deflected an arrow?  or an animal that jumps the string?  S#!t happens to the best of us.  not all wounded and unrecovered deer are the result of an unethical or untrained hunter.  and having family in the area (Twisp/Carlton) there are so many deer in and around town, shooting one close to city limits may result in a wounded deer seeking shelter in perceived safer surroundings.

NO MANDATORY COURSE.  NO MORE UNNEEDED REGULATIONS.

[runamuk]

we need more regulation.....in fact probably need another tax..... bows are dangerous weapons and they just arent regulated near enough  after all anyone even a felon can just go buy a bow and a tag and start shooting  ...... if you cannot see the sarcasm dripping you have far too much angst

[Nilehunter]

I think the class should be an option for someone who wants to better
Themself. This is the additude of a person who will acctually benefit from it.
You cant learn patience, ethics, skill, self control, or any behavior from a class.
It just seems like a waste of resources to make it mandatory.

 

Great way to look at it!

[jackmaster]

if they went with a course wich we all know would never happen i dont think it should be just for bow hunters, like i said in an earlier post i have seen alot of whack job rifle hunters out there that cause me to change my huntn area all together just because they were that dangerous and unresponsible, those are the types that need to be revoked of huntn rights, and say what you want about that hunters need to not turn on each other and band together, well those are the *censored* hunters that make every swingin crank look like real idiots, there is always mishaps and unfortinute things that happen to all of us noone will dispute that, but its the *censored*s that dont think its a big deal when it does happen or the clown that blows the dust off of his rifle because he hasnt touched it until opening morning or the bow hunter that says to himself "well i think my pins are still sighted in and has a quiver full of arrows that dont have the same or equivelent broadheads on them, or how about the guy that brings his deer out with the guts in it because he dont know how to gut it out...

[pianoman9701]

Believe what you like.  It was not 3 at one time.  It's a total of 3 this week in the town of Winthrop.  I'm just passing on what I was told by him.

Like I said Golden, I'm absolutely not questioning your word, and from what others have posted since, it sounds like it happened. When I first read your post I did think you were saying all at one time. No matter, it's still not a pretty picture for bow hunting. Thanks.

[BOWHUNTER45]

You have to realize that Mazama & Winthrop has changed dramatically over the years and at this time there are so many tourists and they are all over this area come labor day and just being out there hunting while the crowd is in town is not a good thing ....hunted this area for years and I NEVER GO HUNTING OVER THERE DURING LABOR DAY because way to many people and most of them are none hunters ...just like in Mazama , we hunted over there for along time during early archery season and the Mazama Store was owned by some really nice people who loved hunters BUT NOW it is owned by non hunters and you do not want to go in there in camo ...last time I was there I had to ask the chick what the problem was and believe me I usually ignore some people but this time I had to let her know a few things  have not been back since !

[ghosthunter]

The comments on this thread highlight many of the problems found in Hunter Ed. I have taught it for over 17 years and still shake my head at some of the folks. A bow class one day might help. I am not a bow hunter so others will have to decide.
But most folks on this forum want less regulation and having a mandatory class will create that.
 What you see in all hunting is what you see on the street every day.
No consideration for animals,land owners, general public, others. We live in a I want it now world. And I want it any way I can get it. That is the frame of mind out there and no class will change it.
As soon as a student walks out the door they are at the mercy of the person they hunt with for good or bad.

Than you have the folks who think a class is a waste of time. And you failed there kid because you are a  ass wipe who spends 2 nights a week for 3 weeks after working all day,eating dinner at 9:30 pm and spending coutless hours moving chairs and tables around just so you can fail their kid. Really?

A class will not solve the problem. A class may regulate the number of hunters in the woods? 

[Snapshot]

Silver Arrow Bowmen in Mount Vernon Will be offering a course that satisfies the BH education requirements for other states... I don't like the idea of a requirement but it could be a great tool for archery clubs to promote themselves. 

I think this would be excellent for more clubs to do. Proactive hunters improving their image is a real good thing.

Yes, working to improve our image is a great thing; but very few seem to care enough to do anything about it.
 
Unless Bowhunter Ed were mandated the number of people who would participate would not amount to a drop in the bucket. There are about 25,000 archery deer tags sold each year; how may of those tag holders have anything to do with a club where they might get exposed to the idea of taking a class? 10%? Maybe 15%?

[Snapshot]

... What you see in all hunting is what you see on the street every day.
No consideration for animals, land owners, general public, others. We live in a I want it now world. And I want it any way I can get it. That is the frame of mind out there ...

Yep, therein lies the problem...

[pianoman9701]

... What you see in all hunting is what you see on the street every day.
No consideration for animals, land owners, general public, others. We live in a I want it now world. And I want it any way I can get it. That is the frame of mind out there ...

Yep, therein lies the problem...

Maybe in all hunting, but not in all hunters. That's the whole point here for this thread. Do we think that taking a stand for higher ethics and skill can shed a more favorable light on bow hunting? Or, in doing so, are we just setting ourselves up for more regulation and less opportunity?

[Snapshot]

Good point, P-man. I take Special-T to mean that in all forms of hunting there are some who...

And I think we must make that stand or else the opportunity will be one day stripped from all of us.

[pianoman9701]

I get it, and agree.

[AKBowman]

I'm sure this has been brought up already but I voted yes, I think it should not be mandatory but should be an optional giving benefits to the people who have passed.

In AK the AK Bowhunters Association worked with the ADF&G to create both draw and registration permits where you have to have passed the bowhunters proficiency test (you have to pass the class before taking the proficiency test) in order to draw or register the permit.

I KNOW this state could learn a LOT by looking at the relationship that the AK Bowhunters Association and the ADF&G have and the accomplishments that they have achieved together for the BETTER opportunity of all hunters NOT necessarily just looking at their pocket book like it seems the WDFW does so often.

Below are many of the hunts proposed and passed by the ABA that may require the bowhunters proficiency card to participate in;


ABA's Achievements
Since it's beginning in 1970, the Alaskan Bowhunters Association has actively promoted the interests of its members through representation and public education. It has supported bowhunting proposals, hunting opportunities in general, equal opportunity subsistence, predator control, the Fish & Wildlife Safeguard program and the Hunters for Hunger program. Over the club's 29 years it has become increasingly recognized as a significant group among Alaska's outdoor community. This factor which will be of great importance to Alaska's hunters in the coming years as hunting seasons and hunting's very existence is threatened more and more.

The ABA has also made efforts to improve bowhunter's public image through bowhunter education programs, archery demonstrations, offering rewards for game violations, supporting youth archery camps, participating in the Adopt-a-Highway and Adopt-a-Trail programs, and a variety of cash donations. Donations from the ABA have been directed toward legislation, education, wildlife management and enhancement and support of outdoor clubs. The ABA has also held yearly archery shoots to help consolidate all archers/bowhunters in the state so they can work together for common goals.

The ABA has increasingly directed its efforts towards monitoring legislative issues in Alaska which deal with bowhunting, general hunting and general outdoor activities and passing on this information to its members. The club has been more and more instrumental in gathering support for these issues by providing this type of information to its members. As early as 1973 the club made bowhunting proposals to the Alaska Board of Game. One of these proposals require a minimum 45lb draw weight for bows used for big game hunting was the first bowhunting regulation to be passed in Alaska. Since that time the ABA has either made or supported dozens of bowhunting-related proposals in Alaska, which benefit bowhunters. ABA's reputation for supporting proposals on the basis of biological management, conservation, increase in recreational use and public safety reasons has brought the club the respect of the state's board of game. Some of these proposals the ABA has either supported or written itself and which were passed into law or regulations are:

1982:
Proposed to make black bear baiting again legal for all hunting purposes.

1982
Proposed Anchorage Management Area archery moose hunt.

1982
Proposed Fairbanks Management Area archery moose hunt.

1982
Proposed Fort Richardson archery moose hunt.

1983
Proposed archery moose hunts in Eagle River and Eklutna drainages.

1986
Proposed that crossbows only be legal hunting weapons where firearms are allowed-not in bowhunting seasons or areas.

1986,87,93 & 94
Successfully opposed anti-black bear baiting proposals.

1988
Proposed first early-season archery-only hunt in Alaska on Kenai National Moose Range.

1988
Proposed Eklutna Management Areas archery sheep hunt.

1988
Proposed October archery sheep hunt in Chugach State Park.

1988
Proposed Twentymile River archery goat hunt.

1988
Proposed Eklutna Management Area open to black bear hunting for all IBEP-qualified archers with no registration required.

1988
Proposed Eklutna Management Area open for small game hunting to archers.

1988
Supported retaining bear baiting, a hunter harassment bill, and a recreational river designation to ensure they would remain open to hunting.

1989
Proposed Fairbanks Management Area archery moose seasons for both fall and winter.

1990
Proposed Elmendorf Air Force Base and Peters Creek archery moose hunts.

1990
Proposed 15 day extensions for bear baiting in Game Management Unit 20.

1991
Proposed that all archery-only areas and seasons be limited to those bowhunters with bowhunter education certification.

1995
Proposed Mat-Su Valley early archery moose hunt.

1996
Proposed Palmer-Wasilla Management Area open to bowhunting (as well as shotguns and muzzleloaders) for big game.

1999
Proposed archery goat hunt for Juneau area.

1999
Proposed archery elk hunt on Etolin Island.

1999
Proposed early-season archery-only moose hunt on Kenai Peninsula.

1999
Proposed additional archery permits in Eklutna drainage for sheep.

1999
Proposed expanding open area in GMU 14C plus additional permits for late archery sheep hunt.

1999
Proposed lengthening archery moose season in Eklutna drainages.

1999
Proposed lengthening black bear baiting season in GMU 16B.

2000
Successfully lobbied for dramatic change in legalized archery equipment.

[724wd]

Do we think that taking a stand for higher ethics and skill can shed a more favorable light on bow hunting? Or, in doing so, are we just setting ourselves up for more regulation and less opportunity?

Who is the class going to impress?  in who's light will bowhunting be more favorable?  the majority of the population has no opinion on bowhunting.  they never think about it and never pay attention to it.  You won't change a single anti-hunters mind.