Should Bowhunter Education Be Required?

Bowhunter Education classes are offered in every state across the U.S., but should they be a required education for anyone interested in bowhunting?... Read more...

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Ok I get it and I'm on board for the education prehunt.
But I have taken the bow course 3 times ( I take with my kids and nephews to try to learn anything I can) each and every time I was disappointed. My kids did not learn anything. I praise the volunteers that provide said services yet am not impressed with content. I hope it's a geographical issue and when taken other places new hunters learn important info but as of yet I feel it should not be a requirement and is yet again a money grab by my state for the online homework. Congrats NY , yet again you suck.

 

+1

 

Got me again

 

COOL

 

all ill say is hunter ed did NOT teach me how to shoot, how to use a harness, hunting tactics ie scents and calls, about deer, general archery safety etc.

i got all that from where a person should learn stuff

 

I took my mandatory big game (rifle) and bow classes way back in 1986. In NY state, if you want to hunt with a bow, you must complete the 8 hour class. Does it teach you how to shoot? Be ethical? No, but it teaches hunter safety and with that being said, I do think you should have to take the classes. My classes were so long ago, I don't even think they discussed using safety harnesses!! The more we teach our kids and or young and first time bowhunters, the better.

 

One doesnt even need a gun class to open carry here in VA. One doesnt need a class to operate a watercraft out in the middle of a large river or ocean. So I'd say no, it shouldn't be a mandatory.

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I took the bowhunter ed in NY this past weekend. Did not teach anything about shooting a bow. Nothing about form, other than people shoot different ways, so just practice or go see a pro shop. In fact when the instructor was going over the parts of the bow, he got a few wrong. When talking about ethical shots, there was nothing mentioned about the external factors, just how comfortable you are at shooting ranges. If you are comfortable at 50 yards, then 50 yards is ethical for you. Spent the majority of time talking about tree stand safety and hunter safety. Even offered free harnesses for people who might not have one. Granted they were the ones that come with every tree stand, but still I think it helped push the need for a harness. I have been bowhunting over 10 years and just moved to NY, that is why I took the course. Not that I am an expert in bowhunting, but I thought for an 8 hours course there could have been more educational. I did not understand why in the hunter safety course we had to shoot guns, but in bowhunter no shooting bows. I think if some of the time was spent teaching archery and shooting, the course would be much better.

 

What part of NY did you move to

 

East of Albany along the VT border

 

This is sad. I have been a certified bow hunt education teacher for 18 years now. I have them install a tree stand (ground level) I passed calls around the room, I share "what not to do stories" and have a great DVD on shot placement. I cant understand what the other instructors are doing to fill the required time. I know I aint perfect but come on..........

 

At the last one a month ago they showed us a video about NEW bow styles ( compounds!!!)

 

I taught hunter ed in florida for years. the primary goal for us was safety.
Each state sets up their own requirements. Its not the purpose to teach you how to hunt or shoot but to gain familiarty with the different options avail.
some people want to bird hunt some want to bow hunt while others want to rifle hunt. With all that imagine how long a range day would be for the instructor volenteers!!! We taught tree stand safety and the use of harness and how to keep safe in the outdoors. Anyone who takes a course expecting to be taught everything about hunting will be sadly disappointed.
once you have the basic concepts its up to you to get out in the woods and practice practice practice. I wasn't my job to teach 8yr old little johnny how to hunt.
if you want to make more input join you own states hunter ed instructor teams. open minded and you will be surprised what you might learn..

 

You should contact your state game commission and let them know what you would like to see added or deleted.
they are open to hear what the hunting public has to say .
mybe its time for a course update.

 

This makes perfect sense. It's all about safety.

 

It is mandatory here. It used to be a 2 day course but they have trimmed it down to just one day. I think it has lost some of its primary goals as it used to have but if you want to bowhunt here you have to. Even a crossbow requires a course here unless you had a bow course for over 15yrs (grandfathered in).

 

it was a waste of time, my class was full of, dont blindly shoot over a hill. dont shoot unless you know its a deer.

complete waste of time. the only argument i might be ok with would be requiring minors to take it.
when i started bowhunting i was almost 30 years old and not a compete moron, does the state which is making me pay for the right to hunt my own property really need to make me pay to waste a saturday too?

 

my son's bowhunter education consisted of a additional fee at the end of firearms training class and a test. I took the same test after paying my fee, no class no nothing just take the test and here is your bowhunter education card. My son and I know no nothing more then at the start of the test.

 

I don't think it should teach you how to shoot a bow. I mean my hunters safety didn't teach me how to shoot a gun even though the instructors offered up some clay shooting afterwards. The bowhunters ed did outline a few regulations that I thought were useful but everything else is "common" sense stuff. They did mention safety harnesses