Teaching Hunter Ed

[getatmewolf]

Hey guys, I have been teaching the AHEIA hunter education course locally as a volunteer and I am looking to see what you think needs to be added to the course. Of course I must and do instruct the required curriculum but looking for relevant topics that are issues today. I already talk a bit about long range hunting(I dont bash it, just make sure the students are aware of what it takes to make a clean ethical shot past 2-300 yards), social media awareness and CWD. Just looking for more ideas to prepare them and fill in some gaps.
Thanks guys.

[marky_mark]

Nothing wrong with talking about long range shooting
It’s all over tv and the internet so it’s definitely beneficial to explain that it’s not just range dial and shoot, like the commercials say.

[marky_mark]

How to take good pictures

[Dick284]

Reading the Act and regulations, you know basic legalese. (may, shall, must)
Reading maps, understanding the different zones and their boundaries. Or at least how to read a map to determine those boundaries.
Understanding that different zones have different opportunities.
Understanding the basic licensing scheme, and how to use the licensing matrix in the synopsis.

[Dewey Cox]

Don't add extra stuff, just spend some extra time on bird identification.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Reading the Act and regulations, you know basic legalese. (may, shall, must)
Reading maps, understanding the different zones and their boundaries. Or at least how to read a map to determine those boundaries.
Understanding that different zones have different opportunities.
Understanding the basic licensing scheme, and how to use the licensing matrix in the synopsis.

Exactly! Hunting safely and legally, should be the top priority of the course. Far too many hunters don't understand the basic regulations, and most have never seen the Wildlife Act.

[tbrown]

Regulations and draw system. Lots of new hunters I’ve spoke to have no idea how the draw system works, and then they are very disappointed that they can’t get a moose tag their first year in their home zone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dean2]

I taught Hunter Ed as a volunteer instructor many years ago, and for quite a long time. It really helps kids learn if you can add some interesting and practical stuff. We had Fly Casting demonstrations and provided them the opportunity to try a fly rod. Summer out on the grass, winter in the Gym. We also had retriever demos, trappers come in and give talks, orienteering contests etc. Mark's suggestion on photography is a good one. The basic course is good but it can be pretty damn boring if it doesn't have some interesting stuff added.

[getatmewolf]

Thanks guys, the course has always been focused on safety and ethics. We spend a full day (3 hours) going over legal and ethics with the local fish and wildlife officer to answer all the “what about” questions. I also offer to help out with draw entries personally when they have to enter them a month or so after the course ends. We have a field day as well where they get to try archery, 22s, shotgun, pistols and orienteering/fire making. Might even get to watch me gut a stinky road killed deer if the F&W can find one in good condition. 🤮
Thanks for all the responses so far.

[oilngas]

Hate to be contentious but I would chat about the costs of this sport.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by oilngas

Hate to be contentious but I would chat about the costs of this sport.

Hunting is not a sport!
Or at least shouldn’t be referred to as a sport, because it conjures up images of waste, and wanton slaughter by those who have no exposure to hunting.


Yes hunting is expensive, so is hockey, basketball, golf, or doing drugs.

[overhere]

Possibly how to on tracking on a animal that has been shot and didn't drop right away,

I second the identification of birds , that was a hard one for me starting out,

[Dewey Cox]

In all honestly, I would need to spend days studying bird id if I was to ever go bird hunting.
(Which hopefully I'll have time for some day...)

[Smokinyotes]

Well as long as the liberals remain in power I would be teaching the kids the benefits of pvc pipe and cosmoline.

[Salavee]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Hunting is not a sport!
Or at least shouldn’t be referred to as a sport, because it conjures up images of waste, and wanton slaughter by those who have no exposure to hunting.


Yes hunting is expensive, so is hockey, basketball, golf, or doing drugs.

It sounds like we should't refer to recreational fishing as Sportfishing either and
I also can suppose there is no such thing as a Sportsman as well.
.
Where did all this BS start anyway.? Trying to appease a few noisey non -participants by labeling any "sport" with another label in order to make them feel better is an exercise in futility. We should have learned thet lesson long ago.

[freeride]

Originally Posted by tbrown

Regulations and draw system. Lots of new hunters I’ve spoke to have no idea how the draw system works, and then they are very disappointed that they can’t get a moose tag their first year in their home zone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Definitely this. Just look at how many questions are on here all the time about how to read the regulations. What black box? Can't I hunt a moose on general and draw?

[TrapperMike]

When I taught in Saskatchewan we would take the students out on a upland bird hunt. Each student was teamed up with a instructor or trained volunteer to keep an eye open for safety sake.

[Pathfinder76]

My 14 year old daughter said it best to my 12 year old son who was trying his best to memorize the entire manual. Getting frustrated in the process. She said. You will learn more from Dad out hunting than this book will ever teach you.

[270hunter]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

My 14 year old daughter said it best to my 12 year old son who was trying his best to memorize the entire manual. Getting frustrated in the process. She said. You will learn more from Dad out hunting than this book will ever teach you.

Ain’t that the truth!

[MK2750]

Shot follow up and basic tracking. I have found several well hit deer wasted by following obvious blood trails.

More and more we are hunting without snow in the early season which obviously makes things worse.

The biggest mistake I see is not knowing where the animal was standing at the shot. Without a reference point you are starting a way behind the eight ball.

The second is not waiting long enough and running up on a bedded deer that is bleeding out.

I wish they would allow dogs for tracking for those that can't master the skill.

I met a guy that claimed to have missed 5 deer in one season. I asked about follow up and checking for blood and he thought I was joking. "I shoot a 7mm mag" he said, " You get hit with that you aint running nowhere"

[silvertip]

Another thing that should be taught is field dressing

There are quite a few people that don't know what to do

after they found there animal

There is a process from finding to shooting to tracking and enjoying the fruits of your efforts

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by MK2750

Shot follow up and basic tracking. I have found several well hit deer wasted by following obvious blood trails.

More and more we are hunting without snow in the early season which obviously makes things worse.

The biggest mistake I see is not knowing where the animal was standing at the shot. Without a reference point you are starting a way behind the eight ball.

The second is not waiting long enough and running up on a bedded deer that is bleeding out.

I wish they would allow dogs for tracking for those that can't master the skill.

I met a guy that claimed to have missed 5 deer in one season. I asked about follow up and checking for blood and he thought I was joking. "I shoot a 7mm mag" he said, " You get hit with that you aint running nowhere"

This is a good idea

[JULIUS]

like mk250 states not enough people search after taking the shot. More than once I have spend 3-6 hrs looking before finding an animal one of my buddies thought they missed. Often animals leave no blood trail for 100 yds or more but are fatally hit.

I shot an 5x5 elk in a field that ran 95 yards before going down.I tracked him backwards out of curiosity and there was not one blood drop on his path. He was shot clean into the heart. ( 6.5 x 284 norma with 140 grain bullets )

After a couple of hours busting bush and looking for that loonie sized blood drop most people think twice about that iffy shot they take or get more shooting practice. because even a clean shot animal can travel a great distance before going down. As most on this site know 100 yards in thick bush has a lot of hiding spots.

[getatmewolf]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

My 14 year old daughter said it best to my 12 year old son who was trying his best to memorize the entire manual. Getting frustrated in the process. She said. You will learn more from Dad out hunting than this book will ever teach you.

I agree, the intent is to give a good baseline for the beginner hunter and the test is there to ensure they have enough of an understanding at the starting point.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by getatmewolf

I agree, the intent is to give a good baseline for the beginner hunter and the test is there to ensure they have enough of an understanding at the starting point.

Exactly, the intent is to provide a starting point for a new hunter, not to teach more advanced hunting skills. While you can learn tracking and hunting techniques over time, you need to know safety, and the regulations before you hunt for the first time.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by JULIUS

like mk250 states not enough people search after taking the shot. More than once I have spend 3-6 hrs looking before finding an animal one of my buddies thought they missed. Often animals leave no blood trail for 100 yds or more but are fatally hit.

So true! Once all I had to go on was a pea-sized frozen drop of blood where a cow elk entered the bush with the rest of the herd. From there I had to go by her unique tracks (injured animals will often limp) until I found her laying in the thick stuff.

Originally Posted by getatmewolf

Might even get to watch me gut a stinky road killed deer if the F&W can find one in good condition. 🤮

Exactly! I was fortunate enough that one of my instructor's former students brought a road-killed deer by during one of our sessions, so that definitely was a valuable lesson!

I still recall what he said just before making the first cut through the hide.

"Everyone, you are about to see something that no one on earth has ever seen before."

(pause)

"...the inside of this deer!"

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by Salavee

It sounds like we should't refer to recreational fishing as Sportfishing either and
I also can suppose there is no such thing as a Sportsman as well.
.
Where did all this BS start anyway.? Trying to appease a few noisey non -participants by labeling any "sport" with another label in order to make them feel better is an exercise in futility. We should have learned thet lesson long ago.

No we shouldn't, specifically referring to hunting, as this is a discussion on Hunter Education.

Labels need to change with the times.
Self describing and legally defining hunting as "recreational" has become a social and legal detriment to this activity.

Hunting for food is widely accepted across society.
Hunting for recreation or sport is not.
Hunting for sustenance is strongly protected by the Charter, "recreational hunting" is not.

Hunter education needs to stop referring to hunting as a sport, as recreational. We need eliminate the use or "recreational hunting" when referring to the legal definition of licensed hunting.

This perspective does not mean that hunting is not fun or have recreational qualities. This perspective is to strengthen both the social and legal standing of licensed hunting.

[Salavee]

Seems to me that there are three types of Recreational Hunters.. maybe four.

It would appear that the majority of licensed hunters wish to to "fill the freezer".
A smaller percentage wish to fiil a space on the wall and another small percentage really don't care, one way or another, about filling thier tag(s).
I think it would be be difficult to find a label that would sucessfully address all three of these perspectives. Any way you look at it , they are all hunters. Seeing as that they dont do it for a living, we can't call them professionals so I'm at a loss as to what you might call them. I think SPORT or RECREATIONAL fits in there somewhere. Now, ...to find another name for sport or recreation that won't aggravate the fluffs.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Salavee

Seems to me that there are three types of Recreational Hunters.. maybe four.

It would appear that the majority of licensed hunters wish to to "fill the freezer".
A smaller percentage wish to fiil a space on the wall and another small percentage really don't care, one way or another, about filling thier tag(s).
I think it would be be difficult to find a label that would sucessfully address all three of these perspectives. Any way you look at it , they are all hunters. Seeing as that they dont do it for a living, we can't call them professionals so I'm at a loss as to what you might call them. I think SPORT or RECREATIONAL fits in there somewhere. Now, ...to find another name for sport or recreation that won't aggravate the fluffs.

What you are describing are the various stages of hunting.
Depending on the source there is either 5 or 6 stages.

https://www.boone-crockett.org/five-...unt-fair-chase

[elkhunter11]

So if "sport hunting" is no longer appropriate, is catch and release fishing appropriate? The same people that are offended by hunting for sport, would likely be offended at subjecting fish to handling, stress, and possible injury/death for sport.