Thanks for your response. What were the major things you took away from it you didn’t know before? I’m just trying to gauge if it’d be worth it. Looking at the course outline I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of most of it.
It’s Interesting you don’t see it as a way to get access. From hearing about it either online or by talking to people it has been made to sound like another means of getting access however perhaps that’s not true.
I agree, thats what most people think of it as. Which, I feel, has been overplayed.
It is designed to bolster hunter/landowner relationships. One Montana coordinates lots of opportunities to go volunteer and work with landowners on their properties, fencing, weed control, etc. Put in your time developing a relationship and that will be your key to access. It doesn't necessarily just come with graduation of the course.
I guess first off, I hate (and I purposely try not to over use the word hate) HATE the name. I don't feel like hunting is a pursuit that anyone could ever releasitically gain mastery over, and certainly not from taking a class.
I wish it was called something like,,, Hunting 201, "How not be an A-hole hunter"... Doesn't quite roll of the tongue as nicely though.
Probably like you, I felt like I had a pretty good understanding of most of it too. I don't know that I was presented with anything "earth shattering" that I had never heard before and like I said some of it is quite basic. But just putting in the time to be presented with all of it in one sitting was worth the experience. The instructors where all fantastic, clearly passionate and professional. The diversity of my class was really intriguing as well. There where students who probably could have been up there teaching the subjects and people who where undoubtably being exposed to brand new information they had never considered.
The open discussions on ethics is great for all of us to consider, for some reason it seems almost taboo to talk about ethics, so engaging in that discussion was valuable.
The information presented on lead poisoning of raptors got me reconsidering (again) my current projectile choices.
The need to be advocates and leaders within our community, got me interested enough that I am now working on becoming a hunters ed instructor. Im not real big on R3, but we do need to realize that there are folks coming into the hunting world who didn't grow up with it and they are in desperate need of ethical mentorship. I think those of us who came into hunting in a traditional manner of family mentorship, just being part of our upbringing can take this for granted.
As a guy who concentrates on public land 99% of my time, I gained alot from the landowner panels, understanding their concerns with the public, the impacts the public can have on there operations, impacts of weeds on habitat and our impacts of spreading them.
The tracking/trailing portion was good too, though pretty basic. It is something I personally feel like I could further pursue and develop.
Honestly, maybe the biggest thing the Master Hunter program is doing is proving that there are folks who are willing to invest in being the best steward they can be. Combating the idea that hunters are lazy, unethical, slobs.
It may seem like I am presenting a luke warm view of the course, but I can't recommend it enough. I really think everyone should have this as a base level of knowledge.
