Why Hunter Education Lehman Copy .pdf

WHY HUNTER EDUCATION?  WHY DO YOU THINK HUNTER’S EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT? Talk with your table partners  WHY HUNTERS' EDUCATION? Mandated hunter education program began in New York in 1949. Later, safety coordinators formed the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA). I...

WHY HUNTER EDUCATION?  WHY DO YOU THINK HUNTER’S EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT? Talk with your table partners  WHY HUNTERS' EDUCATION? Mandated hunter education program began in New York in 1949. Later, safety coordinators formed the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA). IHEA’s mission is to foster hunting by developing responsible, knowledgeable, and involved hunters. WHY HUNTER’S EDUCATION? (CONT.) Hunter education is about more than firearm and hunting safety. The goal includes producing knowledgeable, responsible and involved hunters – hunters who understand the importance of complying with hunting laws and behaving ethically.  WHY HUNTER’S EDUCATION? (CONT.) Hunter education strives to instill responsibility, improve skills and knowledge and encourage the involvement of hunters. ◆ Knowledge ◆ Skills ◆ Attitude ◆ Responsibility ◆ Involvement  KNOWLEDGE Learning and understanding basics of safe gun handling and hunting. Before being trained in the skill of firearm shooting, you should know how the firearm operates and how to safely handle it.  SKILLS Hunting-related safety skills gained through hands-on training and practice. Most valuable to learn these skills from experienced hunter.  ATTITUDE Most important ingredient in learning. Without proper attitude, knowledge and skills may be useless.  RESPONSIBILITY A true hunter exhibits responsible behavior – this includes being courteous, respecting others and wildlife, and being involved. Responsible hunters obey hunting laws, hunt fairly, practice safety rules and wait for a clean kill before shooting.  INVOLVEMENT A true, responsible sportsman is involved in efforts to make hunting a respected sport – teaching others, working with landowners, and cooperating with game wardens. It also includes joining conservation organizations, which will help to preserve habitat and promote wildlife management.  REMEMBER Lack of knowledge causes ignorance! Lack of skill causes carelessness! Lack of proper attitude causes irresponsibility!  FUNDING SOURCES ◆ State wildlife agencies sponsor the hunter education programs that are found in each state or province. ◆ Non-governmental organizations offer hunter education and firearm safety education materials and training ◆ Many firearms and archery manufacturers often provide training materials on use of their products. ◆ Local hunting and civic clubs, and businesses often provide the facilities and equipment for hunter education courses.  HUNTER EDUCATION IN TEXAS A movement to improve the sport of hunting  HUNTER EDUCATION IN NORTH AMERICA: Began in the 1900s Close to one million students a year become certified in the US Funds where established through the Dingell-Hart Excise Bill on handguns in 1970 1972 North America Association of Hunter Safety Coordinators was founded HISTORY OF HUNTER EDUCATION Early 1900s- Hunter Education concepts started 1928- Code of outdoor ethics are written 1946- Hunter Education started in Kentucky statewide youth camp program 1948- National Rifle Association (NRA) 1949- New York started the first hunter safety program 1988- Texas started a hunter safety program  WHO? If You are born after September 2, 1971 you must take the Hunter Education safety course. Age 17 and over you must take the training course. Age 9-16 you must take the training course or be accompanied by a licensed hunter 17 years old or older. Under the age of 9 you must be accompanied by a person 17 years old or older with a valid license  WHAT ARE WEAPONS? Are hunting firearms considered weapons?  HUNTING INCIDENTS those which cause personal injury or death to any person as a result of a person’s actions while hunting may be directly or indirectly related to the use of firearms  4 MAIN CAUSES OF HUNTING INCIDENTS 1.Hunters judgment -lack of good judgement victim moved in line of fire victim covered by shooter swinging on game victim out of sight of shooter victim mistaken for game A MISTAKE MADE BY A HUNTER THAT CAN LEAD TO A HUNTING INCIDENT Mistaking another person for game Not checking the foreground or background before firing Taking a poor shot that wounds or endangers others  SHOT IN THE FACE DUE TO HUNTER JUDGMENT MISTAKE: 2. VIOLATIONS OF LAWS OR SAFETY RULES- LACK OF PREPARATION, COMMON SENSE AND GOOD HABITS improper crossing of fence or difficult terrain riding in vehicle with loaded firearm firearm falling from secure rest horseplay using firearm as a club or stick to move branches or to lean on Improper storage of a firearm 3. SKILL AND APTITUDE - LACK OF CARE AND CONTROL trigger caught on object loading or unloading firearm or bow shooter stumbling or falling  4. MECHANICAL FAILURE - LACK OF PREPARATION AND EXAMINATION obstructed barrel or improper ammunition defective ammunition/arrows defective firearm/bow NATIONALLY AND IN TEXAS, THE MOST COMMON INCIDENTS ARE : HUNTER’S JUDGEMENT MISTAKES THE SECOND MOST COMMON TYPE OF HUNTING INCIDENT ARE CAUSED BY:. safety rule violations or because of illegal actions by hunters THE THIRD MOST COMMON MISTAKES ARE THOSE WHICH SHOW LACK OF CONTROL AND PRACTICE when the going gets rough, unload your firearm first use two-handed carry when possible  TEN COMMANDMENTS OF SHOOTING SAFETY: 1. Always point muzzle in a safe direction 2. Treat ever firearm or bow with the same respect you would show a loaded gun or knocked arrow 3. Be sure of your target and what is in front of and beyond your target 4. UNLOAD FIREARMS AND UNSTRING RECURVE AND LONG BOWS WHEN NOT IN USE 5. Handle firearms, arrows and ammunition carefully 6. Know your safe zone of fire and stick to it 7. Control your emotions when it comes to safety 8. Wear hearing and eye protection 9. Don’t drink alcoholic beverages or take drugs before or while handling firearms or bow and arrows 10. Be aware of additional circumstances which require added caution or safety awareness  THE UNWRITTEN LAW: HUNTING ETHICS Hunting ethics are personal codes by which we live by Ethics deal with what is safe, proper and fair. Ethics are sometimes known as morals and morals are generally right  AN EXAMPLE: Iwhatt may be legal to shoot many times at an animal, hoping to hit it with one of the shots. But, is it ethical? Ethical hunters will not take shots outside of their effective range Another way to look at ethics is the “4 C’s”.  HUNTING ETHICS: PERSONAL CODES BY WHICH WE LIVE BY 4 C’s of Hunting Safety and Ethics: Careful Courteous Considerate Capable  CAREFUL A hunters commitment and attitude to basic rules of safety  COURTEOUS A hunters behavior. To be courteous means to be polite or gracious  CONSIDERATE A hunters respect for others  CAPABLE A hunters ability including marksmanship, outdoor skills, knowledge level and good judgment.  WHO ENFORCES THE UNWRITTEN LAW? ALL OF US DO just like peer pressure can encourage us to violate laws and ethics, peer pressure can help us act responsibly  ALCOHOL AND DRUGS important to make responsible choices about these two things Responsible hunters never go afield while they are intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol and drugs.  BODY FUNCTIONS AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL fine motor control(marksmanship) judgment(safe zone-of-fire, background,foreground) hearing(locating game or other hunters) color perception(game identification) reaction time(quickness) vision(game ID, safe zone-of-fire) coordination(aiming,muzzle control)  PERSONAL CHOICE Hunters who follow safe, legal and ethical practices come to the level which allows them to make personal choices personal choices are influenced by many things how and where you were raised your experience with hunting traditions your understanding of conservation EXAMPLES OF PERSONAL CHOICE Baiting deer with corn or protein pellets shooting birds on the ground or in trees shooting from a vehicle/boat shooting animals which are harmful or cause damage  SAFETY DILEMMA You are hunting quail. You and your companions just flushed a covey of quail and are now heading towards the spot where a few landed. You are in the middle and one companion on your right. The companion on your left disappears behind the thicket. Suddenly three quail explode from in front of you. Two quail head toward the thicket to your left. One flies toward an area in front of your companion on the right. What would you do? a. Shoot at one which flew left b. Shoot at one which flew right c. Not shoot  LEGAL DILEMMA You are blood-trailing a deer that you shot two hours earlier. You look up ahead and see the blood trail cross onto posted property on which you do not have permission to hunt. Both trespassing and game waste are illegal in your state. You know that the deer could not go much farther. IT STARTS TO RAIN! What would you do? a. Go into the posted property b. attempt to reach the landowner c. attempt to reach the game warden d. consider that you made every effort and leave it go WHAT ABOUT PRIVATE HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES?  WHAT ABOUT PRIVATE HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES (CONT.) 94% of Texas is privately owned You can hunt on private land if: 1. You own your own land, 2. You receive the permission from the land owner, 3. You pay to hunt. A hunting lease is privately owned land where a landowner provides you access after certain arrangements are made.  HOW DO I FIND A LEASE? Plan Early Set Goals and Objectives Research List the top 5 Choices Visit Be Selective Agreement Verification Sign and Date Be responsible  WHAT SHOULD A HUNTING LEASE AGREEMENT CONTAIN? The type of lease, Payment information, Names, address, and phone numbers of all that are involved, Land descriptions, maps, and boundaries, Specific Services LANDOWNER’S COMPLAINTS ABOUT HUNTERS hunters think landowners owe them free hunting don’t get permission to hunt don’t tel the landowner when they arrive or leave the property make too much noise leave litter LANDOWNER’S COMPLAINTS ABOUT HUNTERS carry loaded firearms in vehicle leave gates open shoot too close to neighbors homes leave fires unattended violate game laws drink alcohol to excess complain about poor success PUBLIC HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES Public lands are administered by Texas Parks and Wildlife and other agencies such as the -US Forest Service, -US Fish and Wildlife Service, -US Army Corps of Engineers -military.  PHASES OF HUNTING: PHASE 1 – SHOOTER PHASE Description- hunter in this stage talks about the satisfaction of just getting shots. Usually young or 1st time hunter. Problem- lack of knowledge and skills with a strong desire to shoot. Solution- concentrate on where the muzzle of the gun is. Be sure of the target, backstop or background. Know the safe zone.  PHASE 2- LIMITING OUT PHASE Description- hunters in this stage are happy just to shoot their limit. Family and friends take a big role in this stage. Problem- Attitude. Considered a “game hog.” overly concerned about getting the limit and bragging about it later. Solution- game hog forgets about common courtesy and may shoot other hunter’s game illegally. Responsible hunters do well to stay away from phase 2 hunters. PHASE 3- TROPHY OR SELECTIVE PHASE Description- hunters in this stage express satisfaction in killing a wood duck or big buck. They pass up many chances to wait for “the big one” to come out. Problem- money and ego. Sometimes the value or reward is so great, hunters act irresponsibly, sometimes illegally. Solution- at this stage it is very important to demonstrate responsibility and restraint.  PHASE 4 METHOD PHASE Description- specialized equipment is brought out. Decoys, boats, dogs, bow, etc. A lot of time in preparing to hunt. Problem- Hunters in this stage should be especially concerned with their image toward non-hunters. Solution- do not dominate conversations with hunting. Try not to intimidate non-hunters  PHASE 5 -SPORTSMAN PHASE Description- hunter in this stage mellows out. They find satisfaction just being outdoors. Seasoned hunter. Problem- concerned with habitat, ecosystem and loss of quality. Solution- educate, not over educate  PHASE 6- GIVE BACK PHASE Description- hunter in this stage wants to pass on the value of hunting, introducing others into hunting. Problem- none