bowhunting classes for washington state

[rebal69972]

Bow hunting classes great idea  I really hope they put something in there where those of us that have been how hunting for years don't have to take another stupid class. I would say it will be a cold day in hell but with the weather the last few days I won't. I bought my first archery tag in 1992 don't think there's a reason to go through anymore classes

[buckfvr]

FOr new  bow hunters and guys who need it to hunt out of state, fine.  As a requirement for all current bow hunters who have been buying Wa. state archery tags......get real.   No way could they impose a law like that in one year.....it would have to take shape over several seasons, giving all hunters equal opportunity to take the class....as in classes in every small town across the state.  If they were to decide to do it, they would have to come to us......Do I personally think it will make a difference ??   Not in the least.  What happened to less government ?  Lets not ask for more interference from this state or any other form of government......they have made a fr***en mess out of WDFW, how can anyone even remotely want them to step up and do anything else regarding F&W.......

[Turner89]

   Your not going to eliminate morons from bow hunting with a class. Look at all the morons that are modern hunting evry year. They all had to take hunt ed classes.
   I HATE the thought of another class, Reg, law, whatever!

[BOWHUNTER45]

I agree  it is a tough situation these days ... newer bows that can shoot alot further than I was disciplined on shooting and the fact just as many animals get wounded with guns as do with bows .... so just leave it alone 

[stuckalot]

   Your not going to eliminate morons from bow hunting with a class. Look at all the morons that are modern hunting evry year. They all had to take hunt ed classes.
   I HATE the thought of another class, Reg, law, whatever!

Yes, but in a touchy feely state like ours, you can't judge people on results, only on their intentions!  Everyone can feel better that they "tried"!  And don't even bother talking about the ever growing reach of government!

[Camp David]

I taught the bow hunter class. It was fun and the students (mostly new bow hunters) got a lot out of it. I would not want to see it go mandatory. It would ruin the class with a lot of people that did not want to be there. Keep it an option.

[buckfvr]

I taught the bow hunter class. It was fun and the students (mostly new bow hunters) got a lot out of it. I would not want to see it go mandatory. It would ruin the class with a lot of people that did not want to be there. Keep it an option.

   That speaks volumes right there.......

[Snapshot]

One thing that is sorely needed is someway to counter with reason and realism all the crap shown on hunting TV and in hunting videos. If inexperienced people take a class from experienced hunters there are tangibles that stand to be gained during the process.

[NWWABOWHNTR]

One thing that is sorely needed is someway to counter with reason and realism all the crap shown on hunting TV and in hunting videos. If inexperienced people take a class from experienced hunters there are tangibles that stand to be gained during the process.

Well said!   

[NWWABOWHNTR]

For those of you interested in attending a class:

We have corrected the dates on classes in Lewis County, please take note.
Clark County:
March 24th + 25th
July 21st + 22nd
Contact Jack Waite 360-713-8124
>>>===>
Cowlitz County:
June 16 and 17th
Contact Annette Crews 360-673-2350 or aneoakleaf@kalama.com
>>>===>
Lewis County: These classes are the combo hunter-ed and bowhunter-ed. sign up on-line at http://my.register-ed.com
February 18th & 19th
March 17th + 18th
April 21st & 22nd
May 19th + 20th
Contact - Mike LaBarre
>>>===>
King County:
April 4th, 5th + 7th.
October 27th + 28th
Contact Alan Jones at AlanBJones@frontier.com
>>>===>
Kitsap County:
April 21st +22nd
July 14th + 15th
Contact Walt Walden 360-779-6147
>>>===>
King County:
Flint Tip Archers: May 15th, 17th +19th
July 24th, 26th + 28th
Contact Butch Loney 253-862-9160
>>>===>
Spokane/Stevens County:
March 8th, 9th, + 10th
April 1st, field day only
June 14th, 15th, +18th
August 11th, field day only
Contact Butch/Ron Barber at 509-953-5061
or Al and Della James at 509-936-0204
>>>===>

[pianoman9701]

One thing that is sorely needed is someway to counter with reason and realism all the crap shown on hunting TV and in hunting videos. If inexperienced people take a class from experienced hunters there are tangibles that stand to be gained during the process.

While I whole-heatedly agree with your statement, I do not agree that the program should be mandated by the state. As stated before, mandating bowhunting education and not mandating ML and Modern would be arbitrary regulation on one sector of the hunting population. All or none.

[andybwalters]

I am both new to the forum and in fact to bowhunting, so take my ramblings with a grain of salt, but here it goes. I certainly understand the resistance by those who do not want to see more regulation, law, control, etc. I tend to view those as cost though with very worthwhile (in my estimation) benefits. The biggest of which is increasing the quality of the hunting experience for those of us that are serious about bowhunting. Making it more difficult to be allowed to bowhunt means less bow hunters, means less pressure, means better harvest. If bowhunting regs like a mandatory class means lower harvest numbers doesn't that also mean more favorable bowhunting season parameters in the long run? I would love to see fewer archery harvests result in say... any elk in GMU 335 for bowhunters.... maybe just dreaming, I know, but I can see a benefit in weeding out the "just because" group. Let those guys hunt with a rifle after we've had a go, right?

[pianoman9701]

I am both new to the forum and in fact to bowhunting, so take my ramblings with a grain of salt, but here it goes. I certainly understand the resistance by those who do not want to see more regulation, law, control, etc. I tend to view those as cost though with very worthwhile (in my estimation) benefits. The biggest of which is increasing the quality of the hunting experience for those of us that are serious about bowhunting. Making it more difficult to be allowed to bowhunt means less bow hunters, means less pressure, means better harvest. If bowhunting regs like a mandatory class means lower harvest numbers doesn't that also mean more favorable bowhunting season parameters in the long run? I would love to see fewer archery harvests result in say... any elk in GMU 335 for bowhunters.... maybe just dreaming, I know, but I can see a benefit in weeding out the "just because" group. Let those guys hunt with a rifle after we've had a go, right?

It might if the regulations were made and the seasons were set only according to harvest numbers and data, but they aren't. Many of the decisions of our DFW are arbitrary. Take for example the weapons restriction added to the cougar season during archery deer/elk or ML. It was changed because a few bowhunters complained about rifle shots during their archery season. The fact that the bear season/weapon restrictions weren't changed for the same reason relates to the fact that there are more bear hunters than cougar hunters and the resistance from bear hunters would've been too much.

We have a DFW that's already regulation crazy, when compared to other states, and far too willing to create more confusing regulations and barriers to hunting without any cause. Promote bowhunter's safety through your local archery club, but don't support it as a regulation unless you're willing to support separate courses for ML and Modern, as well. There are no fewer bad shots or unethical hunters in either of those categories. Singling out archers like what happened when they broke up the choice of tags is a bad move all around.

[NWWABOWHNTR]

It might if the regulations were made and the seasons were set only according to harvest numbers and data, but they aren't. Many of the decisions of our DFW are arbitrary. Take for example the weapons restriction added to the cougar season during archery deer/elk or ML. It was changed because a few bowhunters complained about rifle shots during their archery season. The fact that the bear season/weapon restrictions weren't changed for the same reason relates to the fact that there are more bear hunters than cougar hunters and the resistance from bear hunters would've been too much.


So where did you hear that the weapon restriction the WDFW came up with was because of bowhunters?  I have talked straight to the WDFW wildlife managers in regards to this, and that was not why they said they did it... hmmmm think about it... in the woods with a gun during elk archery season....

[pianoman9701]

It might if the regulations were made and the seasons were set only according to harvest numbers and data, but they aren't. Many of the decisions of our DFW are arbitrary. Take for example the weapons restriction added to the cougar season during archery deer/elk or ML. It was changed because a few bowhunters complained about rifle shots during their archery season. The fact that the bear season/weapon restrictions weren't changed for the same reason relates to the fact that there are more bear hunters than cougar hunters and the resistance from bear hunters would've been too much.


So where did you hear that the weapon restriction the WDFW came up with was because of bowhunters?  I have talked straight to the WDFW wildlife managers in regards to this, and that was not why they said they did it... hmmmm think about it... in the woods with a gun during elk archery season....

I talked to the cougar biologist at the season setting meeting in Chehalis. Straight from him.