Hunter Education Discussion

[ghosthunter]

I can only speak to the online hunter education as that is what I ended up taking, but the online process could use an overhaul...

The online class itself - most people choose an online option so they can work at their own pace, but that means faster or slower...  Why make me stay on a slide for 2 minutes when I've read and understood it in 30 seconds?  This made absolutely no sense to me.  If left to go at my own pace I could have easily completed the course and passed the final test in one evening.  Instead I had to stretch it out over a week because I had a limited amount of time to work with each night.

The range evaluation - it wasn't an evaluation, it was pretty much a full on classroom day with an evaluation at the end.  Again, I chose the online option to save time - I expected to go to the range evaluation take my test and go home.  Instead I was there for the better part of a day going over material that was covered already online and that I was already tested on.

I'm not trying to come off as a know it all - I'm not.  I did however have ingrained in me safe firearm handling skills when I was first introduced to firearms.  I also don't want to take anything away from the instructors that taught at the range evaluation session - they were GREAT!  A couple suggestions for hunter ed though... make the online option truly a "fast track" option and lay out EXACTLY what folks are going to be tested on during the range evaluation and how they'll be scored.  On evaluation day have folks show up, sign in, and then start them on the course.  Keep the full blown classroom instruction as an option for those that prefer a little more hands on training.

Here is you answer for your complaints;

The state cannot be sure if some kids parent is sitting at the computer taking the test for the kid.  The times are in place to discourage parents from doing that. Most will not sit there that long. If you want this to change there has to be a age limit placed on who can take the on line coarse.

Next the evaluation day. Same reason, The state cannot be sure who passed the on line tests so they give you another test and instruction to keep people honest.  The gun handling came about because the on line coarse had a high failure rate on the gun handling. Students were showing up who never had handle a firearm before and could not pass the handling.

Lets face it ,there are a lot of folks out there who really do not care about safety unless it happens to them. They want a tag and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get a student through.

Thus i dont do on line evaluations.

[Special T]

Any time a gov agency or big company has to make an unpopular change they do it in steps. IF the state wants to reduce all liability they would wan to phase out its "liabilities" but keep the program in place as much as possible.  The problems can then be attributed to working out the kinks. Asking everyone to be patient and "keep working with us" allows them to make the transition easier for them, but not necessarily better. 

I think you could compare this to other big businesses making a change or gov agencies. 

[ghosthunter]

If they need to identify guns , instead of serial numbers they should generate a tag like the inventory tag for each instructors personal gun.

i just do not understand why they need a serial #. And I am not going to provide one.  They have said trigger locks could be used. So if that is the case why would they need a number? Since trigger locks can be taken off after class.

I personally do not believe you will see much change from the draft. I think their minds are made up. And all this is just a exercise.