Hunters Ed.

[Coach_1]

So my youngest son (14) decides he wants to start hunting the other day. Obviously I’m thrilled. So we go to the ODW website, as I’ve done with my other kids, and this time we get redirected to the NRA website. I have to say this new NRA Hunter Ed is extremely concerning to me. It was easy to get signed up and everything but that’s where the easy left. Typical of national testing the questions are confusing and worded funny. If I remember correctly there were 6 questions on the little quizzes inside the chapters that had incorrect answers and you had to click on the incorrect answers to move on. Not to mention the spelling and grammatical errors. My son is a 4.0 student and was getting very discouraged with this new format. I get it that it’s not supposed to be easy but I’m afraid this NRA test is going to discourage new hunters. The old test on the ODW website want perfect either but it got the info across. It was straight to the point, informative and direct.

As NASP instructor this is also concerning because in order to participate the students have to be Hunter ed certified. Again, I’m afraid the numbers of participants will go down.

Anyone else experience this with their children in this new format?

 

[Oklahomabassin]

In one of my roles I assist many first time hunters. I agree with your concerns and direct everyone I can to an in person class that is led by ODWC certified instructors. The classes are usually most common before turkey season and the couple of months before deer season.

In the mean time while waiting for an in person class your son can hunt big game with the Apprentice designated license.

 

[ClintC]

My son decided he wanted to go on a doe hunt with me. I took him with as I was beside him the whole time. I’m waiting for a in person class so the whole family can go as one. My daughter may never hunt but she will get it if she ever decides to in life.

 

[Coach_1]

We went ahead and finished it because I feel kids should have that in order to hunt game. That’s just my personal preference that my dad passed down to me. He’s always gone to the shooting range and bow range with me and is a pretty good little shooter. Hopefully we can get him on a doe or buck soon.

 

[Okie4570]

One of the best hunter ed classes I've been apart of was in person and THE worst hunter class I've ever been apart of was in person. Definitely ask around and see who's teaching the in person and if they don't get good reviews, find another one.

 

[jackary]

I didn‘t get into hunting until college and did mine in person with the county game warden. Had been taught safe gun handling and everything growing up just never gone hunting. I will most likely look for an in person class when my daughter gets older.

 

[BobbyV]

Even though I'm exempt from taking it for a license here, I needed to get a course completed to get a license in Kansas about 12 or so years ago. I took an in-person class at UCO. It was decent. A few years later both of my girls wanted to hunt so they did the online course. I think one did the state course and the other did the national course. One was definitely different and longer than the other if I remember right.