jicand

Wait? How ethical is it to have a kid who has never shot a gun take a hunter's safety course? They need more gun time that 3 days during a course with a 22 to be comfortable with a deer rifle. Some people just don't think

Terasec

to some hunter ed class is first experience they have to hunting and/or guns,
class is to make sure that individual is safe with that gun,
not to make him a good shot,
safe around other people is priority,

personally i would like to see hunter ed expanded to cover more things in detail,
current hunter ed is 10-12 hrs
would extending it to 12-20 hrs be fair?

my gripe with hunter ed is why make gun basic class, then additional for bow?
shouldnt it be other way around, basic class can hunt with a bow,
then additional class covering gun hunting alone?

Shrapnal

here, the course is 12 weeks long, once a week for about 3 hrs a class. we are fortunate to be able to shoot 10 rounds each class. most of the people taking the course are 11- 15 yr olds, with the exception of a few parents taking it. I like the hands on training. I wouldn't want to be standing next to someone that aced the test, but has had no hands on experience. Confidence in handling a fire arm is important. Just because you know all the 12 commandments, because you have them memorized, doesnt mean you will naturally be able to follow through on them,at the end of the day all the schooling in the world doesn't beat hands on experience and I dont mean being accurate but being safe. natural instinct verses taught instinct.

example: everyone in class knows the commandments, while we were learning the different actions, and how to check and see if they are loaded. a number of the kids took the gun from the instructor, the instructor immediately ducked out of the way because the kid didn't have control of the muzzle direction.

JW

Tera some states run both classes and require both classes. Wisconsin does not.

The biggest gripe I hear is the class is too long. Todays students are involved in way too many activities so their time is a premium. That based with the fact that the majority of Hunter Ed Instructors are unpaid volunteers.
WE used to have a class that lasted 10 weeks ~ 3 hrs once a week and the state went to 10-12 hr min.

In Wisc
10 hrs min - so I run a class twice a week for 2.5 hrs
We do have an optional shoot
Need to pass the Hands on Field Test and Written test in both no less tha 80%. That is a change as it was 75%.

You can't cover much in that time at all. We (my instructor group) push back on the students to cover the book on their own and to ask questions during class. I do cover the quiz section. each week but we fly thru the book. We try to teach the basics with as much actual handling of the 5 different firearm actions as we can and do include a blood trail,/tree stand demo & safety/ hunting scenrios - zones of fire with w/frisbee/ simple compass course and tracking demos.


Time in the class goes quick = wish I could do more but I need to stay to the state mandated syllabus.

JW

Shrapnal

That sounds like a fun class, JW! I wonder if we'll be doing something like the blood trail thing. I would definately like to know what to look for. (hoping that I would never have to.) setting up a tree stand would also be something I'd be interested in.

Sfury

JW hit the problem with Wisconsin's hunter education requirements dead on. It's not a lot of class time. I don't even remember how much time I had when I took the course almost 20 years ago now. It was not enough, and now they have even less time.

jicand

Well, when I took the course in PA 16 years or so ago it was 3 days back to back for 3-4 hours per class. Worked out great for me because I was at my grandfather's for the summer. I had been shooting for several years already and didn't need rifle time on the course. That being said, I think I was about average on being prepared for the class. At the time/location there wasn't a single kid who had never shot a gun before.
IMHO if hunters safety class is the first time your kid has shot a gun, hold off on the class and take them to a range and work them up to the gun they are going to be using. That is the only way to be sure they will be comfortable with their equipment and not screw up the shot because they are unsure about their gun. Other factors I can excuse, but being unfamiliar with your or any gun is inexcusable.

JW

Just how much time do you think one should spend in class? I am an upaid volunteer. If it was not for US volunteers many many hunters out there would not be able to hunt!

I expose the student is all I do ~ teach the 4 rules of Hunter Safety the best I can, Expose the student to proper gun handling, shooting postions, how to match a cartidge or shotshell to a weapon and the rudimentry how to sight, and then fire in the common 5 different actions one may find. I try to pass on some guidelines to hunt, tree stand safety and a bit of tracking with compass skills. All that in 10to 12 hours of their time. I have a very small window and then it is up to the student and a mentor if they have one. Most do.

One DOES need a Hunter Safety Certificate to purchase a Hunting License if born after a certain date per your states laws. All States have this law.
HOWEVE ~
ONE DOES NOT NEED a Hunter Safety Certificate to purchase a WEAPON or PURCHASE AMMUNITION.

So I find that crazy.
JW

Terasec

Most instructors are not trying to fit more info in limited time,
but deciding what can be skipped, glanced over quickly to make time for material they deem more important.
10-12 hrs really isnt that much,
especially when you have good discussions going on,
heck a good instructor passionate about teaching can spend the entire class just discussing 1 topic alone,
might learn alot on that topic, but then everything else gets skipped.
myself, i enjoy the classes and find it a small price to pay to spend additional time for a lifetime of hunting

okieshooter

If a parent does not have time to teach a kid to shoot they should not drop them off at a safety course and expect them to learn there. It is amazing what a kid can learn with a bb gun and 30 minutes of your time if you are willing to take them. All my kids could shoot a pop can by the age of 4 or younger. It is a safety course not an accuracy course.