Stories from Hunter Ed

[Ben Long]

How many of you have volunteered as a hunter ed instructor? Ever thought about it? I got strong-armed into it 4 years ago and I have to say it's very rewarding. The more I do it, the more I enjoy it. It's very refreshing working with 11 and 12 year olds who are not jaded by hunting media and just want to be outdoors for the love of it and the love of their families. Tell me your experiences. I'll share a couple stories.

Opening Day of the general big game season 2023. I got a text message at 5 a.m. from a young gal who was in my class five months earlier. It read: "Tell me again where you aim at an elk... I'm about to go elk hunting." She didn't get an elk but she did later send me pix of a whitetail she killed her first season, with perfect bullet placement.

Just last year, one of our students was a 12 year old boy who had bone cancer. Aggressive. Really wanted to hunt but his doctor was leery of the recoil. He already had to have his shoulder blade removed because of the cancer. My co-instructor set him up with a single-shot 20 gauge, with plenty of weight, light loads, red-dot, and a double shoulder pad. He also built a blind out of plywood and straw that looked exactly like a round bale, and got permission from a landowner who had too many deer in their alfalfa. Some six or eight first time hunters shot deer out of that blind, including the kid with the cancer. When he went to his doc in Seattle, he showed him pictures of his buck on his phone. Anyway, the kid's doing better and planning on next season.

That's why we do it.

 

[Nameless Range]

I've not done it but when life slows down a bit I would like to for both Hunters and Trappers Ed.

I've sent two of my 3 kids through it and I'm pretty overwhelmed with gratitude at the volunteers. They give a lot of time on something serious.

It's funny, but I remember my Hunters Education instructors from 1995 as clear as day: John Styba, Bill Hammer, and for a few classes, Vince Yannone. I don't think I ever saw them after that class but their names are burned in memory, and though Mr. Yannone was a local celebrity and is a Montana legend, both Mr. Hammer and Mr. Styba were just some dudes from the community wanting to give and make a difference, and they did.

 

[Southern Elk]

My neighbor is an instructor and teaches the class in his shop behind his house. Like @Nameless Range said, I would like to volunteer one day, when I have more time.

 

[Gellar]

I’ve been an instructor since 2010.

I started a class today at our Middle school that all the 6th graders take part in as a part of their curriculum. There’s around 100 kids in the class this year.

For those of you who say you’d like to volunteer but when you have more time, being the lead instructor takes a lot of time to coordinate it all. If you are just a support instructor you can do as much or as little as you want. The biggest area we need help in is during the field excercises. More eyes and hands helping with the field excercises is always welcome.

 

[marksjeep]

Hunters Ed is on my to-do list when I wind down from the other youth development roles. Currently 5 years as shotgun coach for 4-H and almost twice that as lead for the rifle program in the county. We have youth 8-18. The kids always teach you things you didn't know you were missing. The first few weeks with kids on the line is challenging. Eyes in the back of your head. But they learn very quickly. In a few more weeks time I trust them on the line more than most of the adults I encounter at the local range. We require hunters Ed for the kids to compete, but not to simply participate in the program. The 4-H program is great reinforcement of the safety skills they learn in hunter Ed, or conversely, it exposes them to shooting sports and they get signed up for hunters Ed so they can compete. Either way it's a win for the kid. And for the record, girls almost always shoot better than boys. Thanks to those who give their time!

 

[TheTone]

Coming up on 20 years of instruction. It’s rewarding and frustrating at the same time. One thing I’ve noticed is the kids will remember you way longer than you are able to remember all of them. I do remember running into a student and his dad one year on opening day of deer season. The dad had a very nice 3x3 mule deer while the kid had a pretty wild non typical that was probably a 180-190 buck. That was a cool memory, the dad was incredibly happy for his son. A thing that has definitely made it tougher is the age ranges we teach anymore; most classes are age 9 up to adults.

I still have memories of my own class. The instructor had a 22-250 case on this keychain from his first elk and then told us it wasn’t a suitable elk cartridge and also remember one student saying they had no intention of hunting but they were just there so dad could get more tags

 

[INMT]

I also plan on volunteering.

Growing up in Indiana, as a 6th grader you could choose between Hunters Ed or atv safety as a public school class.

The girls only choice was sex ed.

I also grew up in a county that alternated having the highest teen pregnancy rate per capita. Maybe that had something to do with it? Multiple pregnant girls in 7th grade.

 

[WapitiBob]

Back in the 60's our hunter ed was at the indoor range and we shot .22's as well as learned hunter ed.

 

[MNElkNut]

Taught for 25 years. Then just got too busy and my volunteer hours went to other things. Maybe when I retire I will start again. You see a lot in 25 years.

 

[Nick87]

I also plan on volunteering.

Growing up in Indiana, as a 6th grader you could choose between Hunters Ed or atv safety as a public school class.

The girls only choice was sex ed.

I also grew up in a county that alternated having the highest teen pregnancy rate per capita. Maybe that had something to do with it? Multiple pregnant girls in 7th grade.

Man, and I thought I was a late bloomer before reading that.

 

[kansasdad]

Not exactly classic Hunters Education (as every kid has already completed a course), but my time taking young hunters out with Outdoor Mentors (Outdoormentors.org) has been very rewarding. Helping them get their first deer or turkey is a thrilling experience for all involved.

Most of the deer hunts sponsored by Outdoor Mentors include a time to practice shooting, have a meal, and an organized after hunt time where the kids get to tell the story of their hunt.

Some of those kids will go on to become avid outdoors people, some will participate sporadically, while others may decide that they will turn their attentions elsewhere. But each will have had exposure to outdoors adventures.

 

[Gellar]

I also plan on volunteering.

Growing up in Indiana, as a 6th grader you could choose between Hunters Ed or atv safety as a public school class.

The girls only choice was sex ed.

I also grew up in a county that alternated having the highest teen pregnancy rate per capita. Maybe that had something to do with it? Multiple pregnant girls in 7th grade.

Learning to shoot could have prevented that one way or another.

 

[Hunting Wife]

I think this year was year 8 or 9 helping teach now? It’s been a mix of fun, frustrating, rewarding, and exhausting. Seems like we’ve trended towards a lot more adults taking it lately. Had one group that included kids, mom, and grandma. They all decided they wanted to be able to go together.

The kids run the gamut, from only coming because their parents forced them to take the class, to the ones who have been impatiently waiting so they can finally go hunting. The super enthusiastic ones who act like they are finally going to achieve their lifelong dream are the ones that I get a kick out of the most.

 

[Dave N]

Man, and I thought I was a late bloomer before reading that.

I went to school with a girl that brought her baby to our 8th grade graduation.

 

[shrapnel]

25 years 5 years as county chief instructor, but it really became a ship wreck. Volunteers that all wanted something different and too much drama among the instructors in the county.

One of the best things we did was poll the students to find out who wouldn’t have an opportunity to go hunting and take them on a fully outfitted antelope hunt.

For 5 falls, we found 2 students and took them on a guided hunt on a private ranch that an outfitter had leased.

I got all sorts of support from local businesses that donated guns, scopes, food, wall tent and taxidermy for the student’s antelope. Every student got an antelope. I did all the guiding and cooking with the help of a friend to handle the 2 students.

To see these kids respond to this type of a hunting situation was the highlight of my 25 years! The program was exceptional and had tons of potential to have gone on for many years in the future, but we were hoping to get more bang for the buck and try to reach more kids with the money and time spent doing this.

With no one to take over to carry the program to a higher level, it ended as quickly as it started. There is no doubt a statewide program like this could be instituted and become a fantastic way to give deserving kids a chance to do something they wouldn’t without the support of volunteers and mentors.

Hunter Ed is still a viable institution to help our young people to enjoy the good lessons and proper education to become safe and ethical hunters to carry that tradition into the future…