RE: does your state require you to prove you can shoot
 

nidahoscott,

I agree. Maybe you didn't see that I'm from Idaho. You bring up a good point that I had meant to mention. I would welcome testing of ALL hunters. I would think that a standard could be agreed upon by each group.

Get Close.......& Shoot Straight

RE: does your state require you to prove you can shoot
 

but if we make people prove they can shoot a bow do we then make everyone prove they can shoot a rifle,muzzleloader or even a crossbow

RE: does your state require you to prove you can shoot
 

Ohio has no test but does require hunter ed for new licensees. I wouldn't mind a proficiency test for both bow & gun hunters. They now limit shotguns to 3 shells. That helps cut down on the guys who start throwing lead & hoping at the sight of fur.

Phil.

RE: does your state require you to prove you can shoot
 

nidahoscott,

for the Idaho forum go to

http://www.bowsite.com/BOWSITE/TF/threads.cfm

Go to the "state conferences" and pick Idaho.

If you go there, beware, There are a group in Idaho that are aggressively against any sort of test. I've been slammed pretty hard by some there just for bringing up the subject.
I'm in Lewiston. Maybe we can hook up some time.

Get Close.......& Shoot Straight

RE: does your state require you to prove you can shoot
 

Are any of you guys against a required test?

If you're interested in some wild reading, go to the link I posted above, then go to the state conference link at the top right of the page. Pick Idaho and look for the "profficiency test" thread. Some of these people appear to be really afraid of any test whatsoever. They got pretty pissy about it to. I'd like to know if this is found in other states.

Get Close.......& Shoot Straight

RE: does your state require you to prove you can shoot
 

I don't mind wearing a seat belt, but I don,t like to be told that I have to. This is not any different, we need to keep as many freedoms as we can. Move to a different country if you want more laws.

RE: does your state require you to prove you can shoot
 

Nebraska doesn't have this test but it sounds like a good idea. All we have is hunters education for firearms and we have seperate class for bow hunting.

"Trophies are not measured in Inches!"

RE: does your state require you to prove you can shoot
 

Yup, in Archery only areas you need to take a shooting and a classroom test, takes one day or 2 depending on what class you sign up for!

RE: does your state require you to prove you can shoot
 

Minesota doesnt have a test, just hunter saftey.

RE: does your state require you to prove you can shoot
 

Alaska does require the shooting proficiency test for most bowhunting only areas. However, if you are a non-resident coming up to hunt a bowhunting only area, all you need is the basic IBEP or NBEF course, not the shooting portion.

I am on the fence line about the testing. In one way I think it is a great idea, but I think it is biased to single out bowhunters since just as many gun hunters wound game. I believe the Alaska Bowhunters Association inacted the proposal to mandate a proficiency shoot in Alaska. I'm not 100% certain on where or why it was derived from, but with all the complaining and whining you hear from hunters up here about unethical archers, you would think the class is worthless. Hunters spend so much time complaining up here, that they feel they need to be proactive and start limiting hunters even more by closing areas, marking arrows, limiting seasons and so on. I would encourage a more proactive stance if the citations by the game wardens proved that problems exist, but rather these people are scrambling by word of mouth.
It's a touchy subject in Alaska right now, but I strongly feel that creating more laws, and more restrictions will only hinder us as a whole, and our key to cleaning up whatever mess is out there is by enforcement. They say this area is a highly visible area, and lots of folks are seeing several violations on a single outing, yet only 2 or 3 citations were handed out to bowhunters with up to 5 wardens patrolling this "highly visible" area. Then other folks that routinly hunt this same area see no violations, no problems and enjoy the experience and the accessibility to this area. Something that other archers seem to want to limit. My thinking is if they don't like hunting there, don't go there! If people are being unethical to others, yet legal, the only way we are going to hurt ourselves it to whine about it. I don't think you can regulate ethics in this case, but some folks sure are trying!

Enough rambling about this. I just get tired of seeing more regulations, stipulations, examinations and laws put in place to limit hunters. However, I think it is a good idea to make hunters prove that they are proficient with their weapons. Can't make everybody happy in this case