Well,I am 29 and have never hunted whitetail before last season.I had to get an apprentice license and hunt with an "adult".I live in Michigan,and the law here is that if you were born after Jan 1st 1960,you must complete a hunter's safety course to hunt alone.When I had the chance to take the class in school back in 92' when I was 12,I believe that the law for that wasn't even passed yet.I didn't feel much like hunting when I was a kid,so I never took the class.Well,I finally took the 2 day class,and 13 hours later,I am legal to hunt.I don't think I learned a darn thing about hunting when I was there,but I did it anyways,so now i'm legal.Now I just need to sight in my .444,and i'll be ready to hunt.
Just Completed Hunter's Safety
- Thread starter ninjatoth
- Start date
Uncle Buck
New member
Most hunters safety courses are actually 'Gun Safety' orientated. Most of us believe there is basic safety issues when/where-ever you carry a gun. You learn the most important thing about gun safety while hunting. (Do you remember how to cross a fence? Properly move a gun laying in the back of your car/truck? Where is the muzzle supposed to be pointed?)
Now when it comes to hunting... Well, I have my secrets for success and I guarantee that almost everyone else that hunts does also. But I am not telling you mine, and you probably won't tell me yours. We'll never agree on how to hunt, but we will always agree (or we should) on gun safety.
Could you imagine a class room full of students trying to learn how to hunt? "My dad says to do this." "My dad says if you do that you'll never get anything." "My grandfather has been doing this for 50 years and always gets his deer."
But congratulations and I hope you enjoy hunting and being outside as often as you can.
p.s. - Yeah, you can smoke in the tree stand.
Now when it comes to hunting... Well, I have my secrets for success and I guarantee that almost everyone else that hunts does also. But I am not telling you mine, and you probably won't tell me yours. We'll never agree on how to hunt, but we will always agree (or we should) on gun safety.
Could you imagine a class room full of students trying to learn how to hunt? "My dad says to do this." "My dad says if you do that you'll never get anything." "My grandfather has been doing this for 50 years and always gets his deer."
But congratulations and I hope you enjoy hunting and being outside as often as you can.
p.s. - Yeah, you can smoke in the tree stand.
re:ninjatoth
When my son took his hunter safety course, I sat in with him. It was worthless. Yes, the gun safety part is important, but the hunting part was a waste.
I like what they do in some counties. You actually have to shoot at moving targets and you have to hit them in order to get a license. I figure this at least eliminates the "Bubbas" from the field.
When my son took his hunter safety course, I sat in with him. It was worthless. Yes, the gun safety part is important, but the hunting part was a waste.
I like what they do in some counties. You actually have to shoot at moving targets and you have to hit them in order to get a license. I figure this at least eliminates the "Bubbas" from the field.
Of course I know gun safety,I been shooting for almost 20 years,but as far as hunting,My father in law showed me his techniques and it bagged me a buck last year.He showed me how to always use a flashlight going to the blind in the morning,which was never mentioned in class.His style is to get into a ground blind and stay still for hours.Only moving the head to look.He said I could stay in the open,but it is so much harder than the blind hunting.He showed me how does go first,and the buck sends them first to be cautious.I learned a few other things too.I think I am ready.
Fat White Boy
New member
You are right- It is mostly safety and that is important! I hope you never see the result of an unsafe firearm incident. The actual hunting part you will learn in the field.
Now, that being said, Welcome to the Hunting Family!!! It will enrich your life, bring you great memories and a ton of fun!!!
Now, that being said, Welcome to the Hunting Family!!! It will enrich your life, bring you great memories and a ton of fun!!!
davlandrum
New member
Not clear on how it could be both worthless, yet important at the same time. It is Hunter SAFETY, not Hunting Techniques...
Uncle Buck nailed it.
I am an instructor, so have been through the stuff over and over, but everytime it serves as a reminder. Before I started instructing, I think my habits might have gotten a little lax, but not anymore.
I also learn from the parents that stay with their kids in class, many of them contribute an anecdote that helps illustrate a point, or a tip/trick that has worked for them.
Enjoy, Ninjatoth!
Instructors try their best, but there are constraints on how many hours the class can last and what material MUST be covered.
It was the biggest class they have had so far.There was about 50 students,and about 5 instructors.One instructor was my junior by about 12 years,so I felt a little funny when I was being taught by him,but for the most part I was treated like one of the kids,exept when I got asked if I was taking the test,(I think they thought I was a parent of one of the kids)But,I did somehow get 100% on the test50/of 50.I was actually proud a bit.It aint no doctorate,but for a moment I felt like I had really earned something special,and it made me upset to see alot of the kids get their certificate without even a smile on their face.I guess they don't reilize what a privledge it is to hunt,as I didn't either as a kid.Well,I'm getting ready for Nov 15th,which is firearms deer season here,I just got back from our local sporting goods store where they bore sighted my scope for me for free on my .444 marlin.I'm working on my shanty,needs some orange on it and to be level,but other than that,my bases are covered.
davlandrum
New member
50 would be a handful! We do a range day, shooting .22s and even with 25 students, that makes for a tiring session for the instructors.
Now Oregon has an on-line option, where you can do the classroom work plus a field day.
There is a lot of pressure to keep the classes as short as possible to keep the kids coming (and the parents to bring them). Sign of the times, I'm afraid.
Now Oregon has an on-line option, where you can do the classroom work plus a field day.
There is a lot of pressure to keep the classes as short as possible to keep the kids coming (and the parents to bring them). Sign of the times, I'm afraid.
Michigan has an online option too,and I did the online part also at first,but after signing up for the class,I just did the whole thing with everyone else,rather than do only the field day.I got like 85% when I did the online option,but when I did the actual class I got 100%.In the he actual classroom you have to do 8 hours of the material.The field day was split into 4 groups at 4 stations.Shotgun,.22,muzzleloader,and archery.I sucked at all exept .22,as where all my 3 shots were touching.I think it was 20 yards,and it was a peep sight.The DNR officer also came in and answered questions,and informed us that DNR are police too and nothing less.About 5-6 kids aimed the shotgun at the instructor's head when learning the gun.I was the only one of my group to be able to put a lever action into safe on the first try,haha,those kids have tiny hands,and I am big and own a lever gun,so I guess it's not a fair comparison.They did pretty much skip over handguns which upset me,since I shoot handguns,but 95% of the class was under 18,so I guess I can't blame them.I can't say I really needed hunter's safety,since I been regularly shooting firearms since I was about 12,but after seeing alot of the kids handling the guns,I can see why it is needed.And I lied,I did learn some things,I learned about crossing a fence and to unload the gun first.In my uneducated former opinion,unloading first wouldn't have been needed,but after being taught the right way,I will do the right thing.