dynatec

I don't see how people could object to taking a simple safety/hunting course.I also don't believe it would turn any logical person away or against hunting of any kind
These voluntary instructors are very knowledgeable hunters with a wealth of information there for the asking,one should never assume there is nomore to learn
As it has been said ,you get out of it what you put in.

davidmil

Well Bloodbro, you know some very lazy unmotivated kids. I suggest to you that maybe we don't need the folks that want to take the shortcuts. I'm telling you, most kids don't know EVERYTHING like yours. It's a method of policing our own before someone else does it. If we didn't do it the antis would demand it. AND, they'd demand to have instructors and antis involved. It would become political and could very well spend the end of hunting. You have to take a driving test. Do your kids know all that too. Probably most of it, but they have to take the driving test, the written test and behave. You want to hunt, you have to take the test. That's all there is to it. You want to fight it with stupid arguements. Give me a break. You know all these kids that would be hunting if they didn't have to take a test. I bet by the time they're 16 they've taken the classes, taken the test and are driving. I know what's taught in classes, remember... I have taught them for years. Anyway, it's rare that even a parent KNOWS EVERYTHING. Don't exempt yourself out, fit in to the program and do something positive instead of bitching with stupid arguements. You don'thave timeto take a class, you haven't got time to hunt, and this is the off season. MOST hunter safety classes(according to IBef guidlines are 9 hours. We spread ours out usually Tues, Thurs(5:30-9) and Sat.(9-1) IF a kid has his parents permission to attend he'll be there if he wants to hunt. You take the class and test ONCE. From then on it's good in almost all states, canadian provinces and really around the world. What could be simpler. Have your kids ever gotten a hundred on a math test. Probably more than once, but they still had to take the test. They probably laughed about it being so easy. Your attitude of they don't need it only fosters discontent and makes them think they're above it all. You're not helping, you're becoming part of the "I'm different" problem. We don't get paid SQUAT for taking our time to teach classes. We don't get gas money. We don't get SQUAT. We do it to help hunting along. I was ask to teach a class starting Tues. I decided not to. I've been doing this for about 10 years. You can have my spot as soon as you pass the test.[8D]

mauser06

id have to call you LUCKY. i cant find a class anywhere in the area to attend!!! ours is optional and we have to PAY for it, but i heard it teaches you some good stuff. im going to be new to bowhunting this fall though i been hunting 8 years. id like to take one.

bloodbro, i dont see how a hunter saftey course can make people NOT want to hunt. i know its long and can be boring, i suffered through it and been in the woods and shooting for almost 10yrs prior. i knew gun and hunting saftey but had to have the course. it didnt turn me away from hunting. i understand its their way of educating hunters and getting everyone on the same page. some guys dont know what end of a gun the bullet goes in or comes out. some guys know their stuff. but they gota regulate it and make sure. i think the hunter saftey courses are a good thing. if someone dont want to take the time to take the course they are better off not in the woods.

davidmil

Bowhunter safety ed classes are NOT mandatory here in Maryland. BUT, our class is accepted in all places where one is required. We have a lot of people who are traveling to places like Canada, Colorado, New York and the such that require it. If we didn't offer it they'd have to travel to some other place and take it. It's a service offered people for a nominal $5 fee. The fee is used for training aids, classroom rental etc. I've given the classes with a couple different groups. One group even goes so far as to make elaborate blood trails for students to follow for usually a couple hundred yards. They do seem to enjoy it.

reylamb

We do charge more in Georgia, but it is also not mandatory here. We do the simulated blood trails, etc.

Now that you can take most of it online and only have to show up for a brief refresher to go with the treestand safety and blood trailing, I am not seeing how it is that hard for anyone to do it that wants to. Granted it is much harder in some states where the certification in not mandatory as there will be fewer classes offered, but if the effort is made everyone should be able to find a course.

People will get out of the classes what they put into it. Having taught for only 3 years now I can honestly say I have learned something at every single class I have taught.

Bloodbro

I think somebody is just getting angry and venting cause I disagree
You are taking what I am saying a little bit out of context. Not saying my kids, or myself is above the class, we all took it, even me, even though I legaly did not need it. My Nephew, could not take the class cause his father wouldn't take him.... My Brother in law begged his father to take him, he even cried about not getting to go.... Neither of those boys hunt today... Becuase of a safty class for one of the safest things a kid can participate in, bowhunting. If it was available for every kid, and didn't stop some from being able to hunt, I would be Ok with it. But, its more dangerous for our kids to go swimming or to a ball game, and the class is stopping kids from hunting. Put it in our schools, or make it available country wide on-line and I don't have an argument.

JoshKeller

Back when I took Hunter's Safety, it was a class in 7th grade that we actually got a credit for. It was dragged out over 6 weeks, but that allowed us time to get very in depth with just about every aspect. Our instructor was an accomplished hunter and told us stories for an hour at a time about his hunts. It was actually one of my favorite classes to take, and in 8th grade I had a class period free and I ended up being a teacher's assistant for him.

Bloodbro

Yep.... Now thats what Im talking about