Do you agree with G&F forcing kids to take Hunter Safety???

[AZ8]

I think you're stuck on the word "force" when it comes to hunter ed. Maybe your kids heard you say that word and now have a negative connotation with taking the hunter ed class.

 

Somewhere, somehow they picked up this attitude. No offense, but kids repeat what mom and dad say.

 

I'd approach it differently: "Hey son, before I got to drive this truck to our favorite camping spots, I had to first take a class and pass a test before they let me. Now, since I passed this test, I can take you and your mom camping, fishing and hunting anytime, anywhere!"

[muledeerarea33?]

When I took the class I wasn't informed ahead of time. My dad signed my sister and I up for it, me 10 her 12. We didn't really know what it was and didn't care much when pops signed us up. I'd been hunting since my first memory and my first memory of my sis and I shooting was in an ole corral competing over who could shoot the most cow pies!!! Lol! Either way, both took the class and passed. 22 years later I still remember a few phrases from the class that I still use today. I hunt, my sister just out shoots me at targets. Either way, as I said before, it's worth it.

[FishinBear]

I say yes and yes to the adults needing it too, not just because I'm an instructor.

I've been teaching for 20 years now, the first 15 years I taught 9 classes a year with 12 classes one year, now I'm doing one a year because I'm helping do youth camps the last 5 years. The biggest issue with the classes over the years is we don't have enough instructors all the old times are retiring and we are not getting enough new instructors to take on the tradition of Hunter Education . In my time as a instructor I have heard "I can't get my kid in a class because of our schedule", this is were choice comes in "do you want to hunt or do what ever else". This is what is most important you or your kids.

 

Thanks for the kind words about the Youth Outdoors Unlimited class!

 

I know it's hard to get into a class, we have a lot more kids needing the classes with all the people moving to AZ .

My challenge to you adults that have been hunting for year become a instructor and pass on your knowledge to the new hunter that are coming in the future.

Sorry I'll get off my soapbox

[Smith2260]

If your kids want to hunt big game bad enough, they will do it. Both my kids did it just before they were 10 and together have killed deer, elk, pig and turkey. I have been through it a few times now. When I was 10 my dad drove me and my two best friends to that class in Phoenix for what seemed like 2 or three months. He said if they were going to be at our house and camping and shooting birds with us then they had to take the class. No offense but in my opinion... Yours should also...

[Str8Shot]

When I took the test 29 years ago it was offered through our Boy Scout Troop ... I think everyone in the Troop but one or two took it and a good number of them were not even hunters. Big Browns, I respect that you want to share your passion of hunting with your kids, but the NRA Safety requirement is not what is making it hard to do. As parents, I believe it is up to us to change the entitlement mentality that is plaguing the last couple generations. I feel this is a good opportunity for you to teach them- that with patience, putting in the work required, and understanding the rules as well as following them not only gives them more opportunities but a bigger sense of accomplishment. Selling it off as something that is being forced, and not as important as it would seem you already have is only doing them a disservice. Just my opinion.

[TOBY]

Yes for sure. My girl took it at 12 and some of the kids there that passed scared the heck out of me visualizing them with an -06 in hand. Some young kids do have what it takes and some don't(why I waited 2 extra years for my girl).

With that being said I have a son who loves the outdoors and dove hunted twice and has never had an urge to kill again. So just cuz you like it doesn't mean your kids will. Just like sports..if you shove it down the kids throat like some of you do they will quit it at first chance and not want to do it.

[208muley]

In a word...... Yes...... Just wish they offered more courses. So hard to get signed up for the adults. My son is taking it this year at the YOU jr class, which is awesome! My daughter took it and woody, Scott, dewanne and the rest of the crew are top notch and do a great job with this and all the other camps they do! Second to none IMO...

[Chris]

I never agree with the Game and Fish.

[azpredator@work]

Adam - I understand what you're saying, my son had little to no desire at the time. Not all kids have a burning desire to hunt when they are young, but they develop it over time. I'll tell you what I did....

 

Signed up for a 2 day class in Flagstaff. Made a father / son outing out of it. Wife not invited. We had a blow out driving there which was pretty cool to my son who was 10 at the time and got to help. We stayed at the hotel of his choosing and went out to eat to his choice of restaurant (red lobster). We went to the theater that night and saw a movie. We ate at Denny's for breakfast and studied while eating. He REALLY enjoyed the field day. A pain in the rear turned out to be a great memory.

[azslim]

I taught for 12 years and the feedback we got from the WM's was that the kids would point out to the parents when they were doing something wrong. The negative comments on the feedback forms were from the 20 to 30 y.o.'s that didn't like the number of hours, the kids enjoyed the class.

[Hucker]

I am in the same boat as Adam, with two eligible sons who both want to attend the classes. My question is, since it is mandatory to take and pass Hunter Ed (which I completely agree with), should G&F make it easier to attend these classes? I am not sure the online method is best for my kids. They learn MUCH better through personal interactions with professionals, not online. But, I cannot find a class close to me (Sierra Vista) for them to take. The closest was Thatcher, approximately 2.5 hours away. When the classes end at 9:30 pm (the posted time per the website), the boys aren't getting to bed until midnight. And they need to do this multiple nights per week. That is not an option for us as a family.

 

As for the online method, there is still no guarantee of getting into a Field Day class, and you cannot even sign up for one until you have passed the online course and obtain your passing number...kind of the cart before the horse. I understand why they do this, but it makes it difficult to schedule.

 

So my question: should G&F make it easier (I.e. more classes in more locations) to make it easier for families to attend and satisfy the requirement?

[azslim]

the problem is the number of Instructors, not enough of them, it is all volunteers and unless someone from your area volunteers to teach the only option is online then finding a field day

[stanley]

I am in the same boat as Adam, with two eligible sons who both want to attend the classes. My question is, since it is mandatory to take and pass Hunter Ed (which I completely agree with), should G&F make it easier to attend these classes? I am not sure the online method is best for my kids. They learn MUCH better through personal interactions with professionals, not online. But, I cannot find a class close to me (Sierra Vista) for them to take. The closest was Thatcher, approximately 2.5 hours away. When the classes end at 9:30 pm (the posted time per the website), the boys aren't getting to bed until midnight. And they need to do this multiple nights per week. That is not an option for us as a family.

 

As for the online method, there is still no guarantee of getting into a Field Day class, and you cannot even sign up for one until you have passed the online course and obtain your passing number...kind of the cart before the horse. I understand why they do this, but it makes it difficult to schedule.

 

So my question: should G&F make it easier (I.e. more classes in more locations) to make it easier for families to attend and satisfy the requirement?

 

Maybe it's just a choice of words thing, but for me the answer to your question is not necessarily. 'Should' they make it as convenient as possible for as many people as possible? Sure/yes(That's of course, one of the reasons they rolled-out the on-line option....).

 

Should they make it easy and convenient for every single person in the state? Obviously the answer to that is that it is not possible. They will of course to the best they can to satisfy as many folks as they can, but you can't make it 'easy' for everyone.

 

+1 to what azslim said too.

 

S.

[Str8Shot]

I agree that with all the things that seem to be able to get funded that the G&F should be able to Fund for and Pay individuals to hold weekend courses weekly or bi-weekly ... IMO as a hunter, I would see no issue in even paying a larger fee to take a course that was more readily available on a more reoccurring basis. I look at it as an extra bonus point every year and @ $13 a bonus point taking and having your Hunters education pays for itself over the years beyond just the piece of mind....Having to seek out field days for online course is not as easy as it should be for something required of our youth... I see the lack of a well organized Hunters education system by the G&F department as an oversight IMO

 

There is no issue finding a CCW class .... I do not see any reason there should be an issue finding a Hunters Education Class and field day ...

[Hucker]

I do not think it is realistic for the state to make it easy for every single person, but it should create equal opportunities for youth to receive training across the state. I concur with Str8Shot -- most likely an oversight issue. I do not think the current system fosters an environment where the youth of today, in my area, can join the ranks of today's hunters because the state mandates a requirement that it cannot service. It "should" host more trainings to meet the demands across the state. It is unreasonable for families from Cochise County to have to travel to Havasu/Camp Verde/Prescott/et al to attend training (for both scheduling and financial reasons). If the state does not have enough volunteers to meet the demand its regulations created, it "should" provide paid employees to host trainings. Hypothetically: if all volunteers left the state, does that mean no one under 13 would ever be able to hunt big game? That is unreasonable on the part of the state. We need more youth afield. The state should provide more training opportunities to satisfy the demand its regulations created.

 

I completely agree with the need for safety training.

 

I work with several dads in the same position as me -- sons who want to hunt but cannot find training opportunities that would not create a significant financial/scheduling hardship. We are all trying to find a way to get our sons into the program, and all find the same obstacles -- mainly the lack of local training opportunities. It seems like the good-old-boy network is in play locally (within 2 hours or so) because as soon as a field training day in close proximity to us is announced, it is immediately full. We cannot reasonably do the online training as we are not guaranteed a spot in a field training day class, and the online certificate is only valid for 90 days. We risk having to continuously complete the online course every 90 days in hope of finding a field training day class we can attend. Once is acceptable and very manageable. More than once, per child, per family, is more difficult and bordering unrealistic.

 

We have been toying with the idea of getting certified to teach the course with the intent of hosting 1-2 classes locally, to fill the immediate demand, then calling it quits. Once my sons attend and pass, I could not care less about the lack of training opportunities, I guess (I say this disingenuously).