I'm not sure if shooting is a law requirement now. But in my opinion I think all taking a course should have to shoot. I know my son can, but I'm not a instructor. Even though I feel I've taught him all the safety aspects about shooting. Maybe there's something I've missed, plus it doesn't hurt him to learn it from someone else thats trained for it specifically as well. So I'd just as soon he shot a real gun in front of his instructor over a air rifle or laser gun deal. I do think it should be a requirment by all. Its really what its all about Gun Safety!! I mean what good is it if they run persons through the whole thing, then never made them handle a gun, and shoot it!! So he'll go in August.

Whats wrong with attending the course with your kid?

If you enjoy hunting with your kid, you should enjoying watching him learn the basics of safety,

might also be good for you to brush up on current laws and regs,


also, if your kid tells you thats not what i was taught in the safety course,
will you tell him to disregard what he was taught and do it your way?

well last year i went with a friend to the hunter course for bow and rifle/shotgun,it was in LI rocky point by brookhaven shooting range anyway they had alot of kids there also girls and some parents were there and some i didn't see maybe sitting in the car because the course was outdoors weather was very nice in aug.and they let the kids take the course and i say they had to be from 8-13 years old they did not let them handle the guns they were showing but they did let them stay.

Tera, if I could be there I would be. I work the evening shift, and we've been very shorthanded lately. I couldn't get the time-off w/o calling in sick. My wife is also working 12hrs the 1st 2 days of the course. I wouldn't mind sitting through it at all. In fact I Sat in w/ my oldest son the Sat. when he took his, but he was age 12 then. The age thing puts me in a bind.
But I also want my son to shoot a gun as well at the course.

There was an 11 YO by herself when I took it.

She got a 98 on the test.

i took hunter safety in february in niagra county at the niagra county sportsman association, there were 2 kids uner 12 there and the instructor brought an airgun to fire. that part of the class was for practial application of safe firearms handling and muzzle awarness and some shooting position instruction, not hitting the target.

sorry your kid coulnt take part im not sure where you are but the team that put togeather my class was good to go!

I just signed my 11 year old up for the course .This peticular one does not include shooting but it is still valid for a license in new york ( i made it a point to ask)

I didn't think that shooting was a requirement, yet at least. Honestly I don't like the idea of requiring it. I would really prefer to teach my son myself.Maybe a quick qualification just to make sure they aren't complete retards with a rifle. BUT...what would they really accomplish? Gun safety is already a part of the class, and with the multitude of hunting long guns available, they really can't teach you anything worthwhile anyway.

In New Jersey, not only do they teach you about about every long gun action type, they also discuss the parts and proper operation of them...certainly worthwhile to an untrained individual...

I'm more talking about shooting itself. It adds a logistical element which some places would not even be able to provide. Its one thing for the instructor to bring in a weapon and teach you about it, another to actually make a course provide a range and range time. And take NJ for example...since they don't have big game rifle hunting, if NY required shooting for the test, would they still honor NJ courses and allow those people to rifle hunt in NY?

I just think that requiring shooting adds an element which would make it too complicated. Hopefully, any father/mother who is allowing their child to go to a hunting class also has the brains to teach weapon safety. As for the late bloomers, they are mature enough to make that decision on their own.