Free: Contests & Raffles.
I actually set you guys up to see what you would say. My wife is a teacher, and i know ALL about the 0 tolorance policy. There is no way on Gods gree earth that they would let ANYTING even resembling a gun into the school. I know of kids that have had yellow nerf guns taken from them and have been kicked out of school for a week for bringing in that kind of stuff.If you are gona fight that fight, good luck, but I personaly wouldn't bet on it.
Sometimes hunter ed. is about the parent. We have alot of parents (including mothers) who take the course so that they know how to safely handle a firearm also and can help their kids along. Many of them won't hunt but want to be able to "check" the kids. These may or may not be single mothers. It is important to continue the skill after the class with an adult that hunts and can help them out. They don't necessarily have to be the parents. We have helped alot of kids on their first hunts some with no hunting parents and many with hunting parents. Some parents (male included) are single without the time to take them. Personally I don't think the state should have a say. The parents should. They should have a choice whether or not to send their kids to hunter ed. or not. Some parents can do as good a job or better. I bet alot would still send them.
I too do not do internet classes for the same reason. The students cannot absorb the gun handling in 4 hrs. When I teach a class I am trying to create a habit with my students. Muzzle in a safe direction,finger off the trigger,work the action three times, every time they receive or pick up a gun. It works I know it works. My friend who helps in my classes does the internet classes too. I have told him I will do anything for him he is a friend and a hunting buddy,but I will not help in internet reviews
--------------------------------------------copy of range notification email----------------------------------------------Dear "Student name",The field evaluation will be held on {Date and time} on {Location} and it is a Field Skills Evaluation where you will be evaluated on your ability to safely handle a firearm. If you fail this evaluation, you will be required to attend a traditional hunter education course.Note: The only persons who may waive the field skills evaluation are active or inactive military personnel. To waive the field course, the student must provide {instructor name} with a copy of their DD 214 and photo id such as a driver's license.Here is a copy of the information contained in the course outline.WARNING: If you are a person who cannot legally possess a firearm, I cannot certify you but you may still become certified with archery equipment to hunt in Washington State.Please bring the following documents {Date and Time} to {Location}.1. The Signed Exam Certificate. A parent must sign if the student is under 18.2. The Range Evaluation Form.3. A signed Parental Consent form if the student is under 18 years of age.The Range Evaluation and Regulation Quiz are found http://my.hunter-ed.com/welcome/how_it_works?default_course=201050 at the bottom of the page.Here are directions to the shooting area. To get to {Location}{Give driving location or GPS coordinates}Here are somethings you will be evaluated on.1. The six field carries2. Unloading / loading firearm. This may be any action.3. Selecting proper ammunition4. Crossing an obstacles.5. Difference between gauges and calibers.Additional InformationYou may bring your own firearms if you wish. They must be a caliber .243 or higher and between .20 gauge and .12gauge and I will need to inspect them prior to use. If you are not using a .270 or .243 ammunition, you will then need to provide your own ammunition. If you do not have a firearm, you will be able to qualify with mine. I will also provide shooting glasses and hearing protection.Here is a rough outline of my grading criteria.If any THREE following guidelines are broken you will fail the field course.• Parents interfering in the testing process by trying to help their child• Trying to hand a firearm to another person with the action closed• Inability to identify the term zone of fire• Not using safeties between each shot• Keeping finger out of trigger guard before ready to shoot.• Inability to identify a caliber or gauge on firearm• Inability to identify proper length shot shell length for firearm• Not changing carries to avoid muzzling instructor or other students on field walk.• Inability to name and or perform four of the six field carries• Failing to open the action before removing the firearm from a vehicle.If you do one of the following listed things you will fail the evaluation.• Trying to cross an obstacle with a loaded firearm• Unintentional launch of a shell down range (not keeping finger out of the trigger guard)• Muzzling of crowd with loaded firearm• Loading of a firearm any place other than the firing line.• Identify target with a scope instead of binoculars• Inability to select proper ammunition• Inability to operate any firearm actions.• Failure to close the action and attempting to fire the weapon.• Failure to wait 1 minute in the event a cartridge fails to discharge before opening the action• The performance of any unsafe act which includes shooting at anything other than designated targets.Again - this is an evaluation and not a teaching session. If the student fails, they will be required to attend a traditional hunter education course.Please - before you attend this evaluation, make sure you know how to properly handle a firearms. The evaluation criteria may seem harsh, but I take firearm safety very seriously and I do not wish to get a call telling me that a student I passed had a firearm accident. Firearms may kill from over 5 miles away and it is very important that you understand this fact prior to going into the field for the first time.If you are not very familiar with firearm actions a good place to look is YouTube or visit a local gun shop where they will show how actions operate. You will not be evaluated on pistols or muzzle-loaders and YouTube contains a lot of videos that explain exactly how to operate the various firearm actions however a video is not the same as the real-thing so try and get hands on practice with real firearms prior to the evaluation.Hopefully that answers all of your questions and I'll see you at the range.
Suggestions to the state on the inert firearms:There’s only five so you can’t have two groups of three out doing the field course with these things at the same time. We could really use even numbers.There’s no single shot break action, so the most common firearm used on live shoots for the smaller kids is missing and they can’t practice loading/unloading unless we use the live guns.The 12 gauge pump should be 20 gauge if that is an option. It will be lighter and also match our range day firearms, but still have the 12 gauge semi-auto for the larger gun.
If you want to see the guns the state is buying, here they are: http://www.guns.com/mossberg-and-the-ihea-team-up-to-make-training-shotguns.html.Mine came in the rolling case. The case includes the five firearms in soft-sided cases which are cheap. One of the zippers pulled apart the first time it was closed and the case is now useless.
