Tazman

SW Iowa Hunter mind you this is just my opinion, but to me the competanct test should have a minimum of 6 out of 6 in a pie plate at 20 to pass. That said, I also feel that for a new archer it would not hurt to have targets further also, simply to where he will be able to have a more experienced person advice them as to what their max range should be for their skill level.

I am in my third year of bow hunting and can put 6 out of 6 at 30, but I limit myself to 25 yards and to be honest will probably continue to do so.

You and many others are right when you say that competancy test and bow safety course will not eliminate unethical hunters, what it will do though is give the new bowhunter who wants to be ethical and does not have a mentor, an idea of what is ethical.

Will it eliminate the unethical? No, but it will stop people who decide the day before the season opens from buying a bow and license and wounding deer.

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

grim reaper

Iowa hunter I think the test should be no less than 20 yrds. but I also feel maybe there could a few distances and they would be unknown. Second I feel the test should be 90% but I would like 100%. I also agree that for the guy's hunting with stick bows we could shorten up the distance if it's on the variable range course. I think it's important to note to you that yea you kept your self under 20 yrds. when you learning but there are alot who won't. Another thing you guy's should consider is years ago pretty much every one had a dad or uncle or so forth teaching them to hunt. Today we have alot of people that are just getting into hunting with no one to teach them and the only assistance they get is at their local bow shop ( which usualy isn't much) This bow hunting coarse would just further help them by saying these are the un written ethics there are alot people who have no idea what most of the un written ethic's are that us guy's who have been hunting for a while follow. It also forces them to learn their eqipment and how to PROPERLY use it thus being accurate enough to pass this test.

SW Iowa Hunter

I have nothing against the hunting test and would gladly take one or have my son take one when he is older. Even if there is not one he will have to prove that he can shoot before he goes. That is what I had to do with my father growing up.

What worries me is that fewer people are taking up the sport of hunting and if we start calling them idiots just because they lack the knowledge that we have learned over our hunting career they will stay away.

I guess what I am tring to say is there is a better way to post these questions without making people feel like they are being belittled sp?.

I often agree with wolfen's posts but fail to post on them because they are worded in a way that offends people.

I guess I am disappointed in the people here who would call names or give people labels before they give those people the chance to learn from mistakes or sucess.

I am not tring to put down wolfen or any others here because of thier choice of words or views just wanted to state my feelings on this topic.




" Anyone can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a Dad"

Mark C.

I've read this board off and on for a couple of years now and somehow managed to keep from posting for one reason or another. This discussion was too much, however, so I registered and here I am.

Not trying to start a big argument, but here is why I believe it is definitely a bad idea to require a mandatory bowhunting "competency" exam before a person is allowed to hunt. In setting up such a program, you really need to worry about who might be involved in setting the standard for deciding whether or not you get to hunt. Old Joe Bob that is the head of your state wildlife commission right now just might decide that hitting six out of six on a paper plate at 20 yards is plenty good for certifying you to participate this year. But 5 years from now, your new governor might just appoint one or two more anti-hunting inclined wildlife commissioners to the board and give them the majority. Then who's to say that the new "revised standard" might not just become six out of six in a tennis-ball size target at 40 yards, or even six out of six in a ping pong-ball size target at 50 yards. To me, making a mandatory test for participation just opens the doors for anti-hunters to pursue new avenues to end such a wonderful tradition. Do I wish newcomers would take more time for practice, tuning, etc., before heading for the woods? Sure. But I don't think a mandatory proficiency test is the answer.

SW Iowa Hunter

Very good point Mark. Welcome to the board!!!

" Anyone can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a Dad"

thundermug

I believe there should be mandatory testing. Worrying that an anti might get put on the board and eventually requiring pingpong size targets at 50 yards is paranoid. Any court could change that with a lawsuit.

What testing might eliminate is reading posts where someones FIL takes 6 shots and misses all 6. Heck it might even eliminate those posts where somone takes a 55 yard shot and butt shoots a deer cause it moved before the arrow got there.

FOOLPROOF?
Never underestimate the power of a fool!

What if the "Hokey Pokey" really is what it's all about?

TWANG

Taz,
I suspect he's down in South Central Kansas about now for the yearly gathering.

I'm sure glad you let me know you were yanking my chain buddy!
I was about to search for my last topic about the woman bowhunter at work and paste it to give you a &quot;flavor&quot; of where I stand. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> That LLPOSB passed me in the hall today at work and I about Puked on her!!!
<img src=icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle> <img src=icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle>

nmaineron

Reaper,Do I feel that we are over regulated?Most certainly!I just couldn't go and purchase a license I had to take a test that was geared for someone who has never stepped into the woods,which took a weekend of my time with an instructor that doesn't bow hunt.

I don't want any regulation other than what is needed to process my license.What I want is responsibility for my actions and respect for trying to be an honest man.

grim reaper

NMAINERON your darn right you should have to take a test before you can go hunt. You have to learn to fly an air plane before you may fly. You have to learn to drive before getting your license and you sure as h#ll should have to learn and take a test on your ability to cleanly kill an animal and not wound it. Face it evry thing thing you do in life you need to learn how to do it. It would be great if every one took it upon them selves to properly learn but in this day and age people don't give a hoot they take the quick easy road. There are way too many slob hunter's who don't care.

You say you want to take responsibility for you actions and to be an honest man. Well that's grest you seem like and honest responsible man but there are many out there who aren't those are the one's we need to educate and ensure that atleast they are capable hitting a deer in the vitals at 20 yrds.

You said again in your post that you are over regulated but again you failed to name one way in which you are over regulated. What can't you do? The only other way I can think of that they could do is allow to people to shoot out the window of a truck at night with a spot light. It would be great if every one did their part and could be a good shot and be ethical and only take good clean shot's but there are too many people these day's that don't thats all I am trying to say.