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

[pianoman9701]

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.

Just to ask, do you feel the same way about hunter's ed in general?

I'm personally not looking to impress anyone. I'd take the course just to see if it had anything new to offer me. That's why I took the Master Hunter's course, and it offered me new and different perspectives on hunting. Many who've taken the bow hunter's courses in ID and MT relate like experiences and have stated it's a worthwhile course from which they gained benefit.

As far as non-hunters (not anti-hunters), if they see a picture in the local paper of a deer with an arrow sticking out of its jaw, they might become an anti-hunter. If they find out archers are being proactive and taking this course to improve their sport, they may not be swayed so easily. Remember that 93% of the population doesn't hunt here in WA. Good or bad press can influence their votes regarding our favorite pastime, as it did with hound and bait hunting in 1996 when that 93% voted against us and made it illegal. My own opinion is that anything we can do to improve our image in the eyes of this 93% should be at the very least examined, as we're doing in discussing this thread. My own 

[3Under]

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.

As far as taking a stand for higher ethics in bowhunting, it shouldn't be a matter of impressing anyone.  I agree with your statement that you won't change the minds of anti-hunters, but the opinions of non-hunters will only remain neutral if negative images and stories of bowhunters are not publicized...  Already mentioned in this thread is a negative story about three wounded deer running around Winthrop, a tourist hot spot full of non-hunters.  Whether valid or not, the story is out there.
Furthermore, I think that raising the ethics bar is only a small piece of the pie here.  More importantly, I think that a mandatory bowhunter course would produce bowhunters with better knowledge of their gear and capabilities, as well as reaffirm safe handling practices that are only touched on in basic hunter's ed.  i.e. walking around with an arrow nocked - I've mentioned this before, but I am truly amazed at the number of hunters I run into walking down the trail with an arrow on the string.

[Snapshot]

...not to mention a guy who has his compound at full draw, pointing it into a clump of trees as he walks up to it because he hears what turns out to be another hunter with an elk call inside the clump of trees.

[724wd]

Just to ask, do you feel the same way about hunter's ed in general?

I think hunters education is a great requirement.  But i am not in favor of additional MANDATORY bow hunters courses.

I'm personally not looking to impress anyone. I'd take the course just to see if it had anything new to offer me. That's why I took the Master Hunter's course, and it offered me new and different perspectives on hunting. Many who've taken the bow hunter's courses in ID and MT relate like experiences and have stated it's a worthwhile course from which they gained benefit.

But we need to impress people.  we need to make an impact of the 93% of the population that doesn't bow hunt.  I'm just not convinced a mandatory class will make any impact on the non-hunting public.  And i'm in favor of bow hunter courses!  again, just not mandatory classes.   

As far as non-hunters (not anti-hunters), if they see a picture in the local paper of a deer with an arrow sticking out of its jaw, they might become an anti-hunter. If they find out archers are being proactive and taking this course to improve their sport, they may not be swayed so easily. Remember that 93% of the population doesn't hunt here in WA. Good or bad press can influence their votes regarding our favorite pastime, as it did with hound and bait hunting in 1996 when that 93% voted against us and made it illegal. My own opinion is that anything we can do to improve our image in the eyes of this 93% should be at the very least examined, as we're doing in discussing this thread. My own 

I agree anything we do to improve our public image is VERY important and i suggest that the WSAA and other archery organizations be proactive in putting together bow hunting courses and publicizing the heck out of them.  alert the news via prepared press releases.  we have to put the message out in front of the people or they'll never hear about it.  we have to be loud like the antis are.  get out in front of the public.  alert the population that these classes are offered and why, and that the bow hunters themselves are promoting it. 

If it's made mandatory at the state level, who will get the credit for implementing it?  my money's on the government.  i see people assuming that bow hunters have such poor ethics that the state had to implement classes!    think how the anti groups will spin it.

if there IS a mandatory class and incidences of badly shot deer being viewed by the public don't stop (which they won't, because a twig deflecting an arrow or a deer moving at the last second will never end), how will bowhunters be viewed then?  the antis will have a field day!  "LOOK!  they have bow hunting classes and there are still slob hunters shooting pet deer in town in the neck!"

i dont think a class will change the attitude of a person that thinks it's perfectly fine to take 100 yard shots with a bow.  it will take the archery organizations in the state encouraging membership and promoting sound archery practices.  and that goes for all methods of hunting, as well!   

[3Under]

...not to mention a guy who has his compound at full draw, pointing it into a clump of trees as he walks up to it because he hears what turns out to be another hunter with an elk call inside the clump of trees.

Funny you mention that (not really funny, but I have a story...), I ran across a guy hunting in 560 last year and asked him how he was doing.  He excitedly told me about getting into elk earlier that morning and being at full draw twice because he "heard something coming towards him"  If my jaw hadn't dropped by then, it hit the ground when he told me he blew it on one of those elk because he bumped his release accidentally and shot an arrow into the dirt.  I then asked him which way he was headed, and took off in the opposite direction.
By the way, he also mentioned that it was his first year bowhunting. 

[bobcat]

I then asked him which way he was headed, and took off in the opposite direction.

 

[colockumelk]

The bottom line is this course would weed out the riff raff amongst our ranks. We would police our own. The woods would be less crowded.  Thus creating more opportunity.  I don't see how having to take a course would reduce our opportunities. I am not about reducing opportunity but I am for making our comunity better. A class would do this.

I agree with AKBOWMAN at the very least there should be incentives for taking the course.

[BurleyDog]

The bottom line is this course would weed out the riff raff amongst our ranks. We would police our own. The woods would be less crowded.  Thus creating more opportunity.  I don't see how having to take a course would reduce our opportunities. I am not about reducing opportunity but I am for making our comunity better. A class would do this.

I agree with AKBOWMAN at the very least there should be incentives for taking the course.

I seriously disagree with you. Our goal as sportsman should be to bring people into our group not weed people out.
Our ranks are diminishing at an alarming rate every year and with it our political strength.  There were more hunters in the woods in the "good ol days" and people were hammering the animals back then.

The commercialization of hunting and focus on antlers is one MAJOR cause of nonsense in young hunters. Many of these people just need to grow up and exposure to true sportsmen. These are the yahoos flinging arrows around needlessly.

Bottomline is that many of us have limited time to take off for another mandatory class and this will PREVENT many of us from bowhunting.... mandatory class is a terrible idea. We are our own worst enemies watch what you wish for!

[Special T]

Something that 724wd said struck a cord with me...
"WSAA and other archery organizations be proactive in putting together bow hunting courses and publicizing the heck out of them.  alert the news via prepared press releases.  we have to put the message out in front of the people or they'll never hear about it.  we have to be loud like the antis are.  get out in front of the public.  alert the population that these classes are offered and why, and that the bow hunters themselves are promoting it." 724wd
When businesses find out that public opinion is going to change they try and get out in front of it. It is easier to influence a POSITIVE change in archery if it is left up to thoughtful archers in the WSAA or other bowhunting groups than some state bureaucrat. 

[Machias]

The bottom line is this course would weed out the riff raff amongst our ranks. We would police our own. The woods would be less crowded.  Thus creating more opportunity.  I don't see how having to take a course would reduce our opportunities. I am not about reducing opportunity but I am for making our comunity better. A class would do this.

I agree with AKBOWMAN at the very least there should be incentives for taking the course.

One of the rare times I disagree with you.  The course would not, in my opinion, change a thing out in the woods.

[BOWHUNTER45]

...not to mention a guy who has his compound at full draw, pointing it into a clump of trees as he walks up to it because he hears what turns out to be another hunter with an elk call inside the clump of trees.

Funny you mention that (not really funny, but I have a story...), I ran across a guy hunting in 560 last year and asked him how he was doing.  He excitedly told me about getting into elk earlier that morning and being at full draw twice because he "heard something coming towards him"  If my jaw hadn't dropped by then, it hit the ground when he told me he blew it on one of those elk because he bumped his release accidentally and shot an arrow into the dirt.  I then asked him which way he was headed, and took off in the opposite direction.
By the way, he also mentioned that it was his first year bowhunting.

    Find a big tree and DO NOT MOVE 

[runamuk]

The bottom line is this course would weed out the riff raff amongst our ranks. We would police our own. The woods would be less crowded.  Thus creating more opportunity.  I don't see how having to take a course would reduce our opportunities. I am not about reducing opportunity but I am for making our comunity better. A class would do this.

I agree with AKBOWMAN at the very least there should be incentives for taking the course.

One of the rare times I disagree with you.  The course would not, in my opinion, change a thing out in the woods.

I agree.....we have hunters ed now does this help things out in the woods?  I am all for education and will take the bow class eventually just because I want to....making it mandatory would streamline things with other states that require it....

[JimmyHoffa]

I think for the most part the class itself wouldn't change too many things in the woods.  I think that a large number of the people that are doing unethical things in the woods now do so because they feel pressured to because of the way the hunting is set up.  You cram lots of people into a small area with a small time window and a limited resource, and for many it becomes competition against other hunters and no longer competing with oneself or the animal.  It's like a giant pinata with deer and elk as the candy, and lots of armed people wanting that candy.

[724wd]

It's like a giant pinata with deer and elk as the candy, and lots of armed people wanting that candy.

excellent analogy!   

[Machias]

I think for the most part the class itself wouldn't change too many things in the woods.  I think that a large number of the people that are doing unethical things in the woods now do so because they feel pressured to because of the way the hunting is set up.  You cram lots of people into a small area with a small time window and a limited resource, and for many it becomes competition against other hunters and no longer competing with oneself or the animal.  It's like a giant pinata with deer and elk as the candy, and lots of armed people wanting that candy.

I think that's part of it, I think it has to do with alot of factors though.