Hunters education class - shooting portion?

[Seamonkey]

WTK: I scheduled a hunters education class and the guy said the last day was a test and the shooting portion. I'd never heard of the shooting portion so I was immediately thinking I need some optics, need to practice and stuff but he was saying the DOW provided the rifles, range and ammo?

Can anyone please enlighten me as to what I'll be expected to shoot, what am I shooting at and how many rounds? The cell phone was breaking up so didn't communicate clearly with the instructor, figured I'd find out first day of class but then I can also ask the experts here. I guess I'd always figured it was all class room then the rifle skills are up to you to know/develop/hone and such.

Is it just making sure you know the correct end of the rifle to hold and can hit the broad side of a barn from the inside? If so, does anyone have a barn I can practice in?

[Muaha]

Thanks!

[theGinsue]

Typically the CO Hunters Education Classes use lower end single shot bolt action .22LR rifles with iron sights. Yes, they are provided for use in the class by the person/organization putting on the class.

You'll pretty much be expected to hit the paper with your shots, that's it. I don't recall, but I think you get 10 rounds (maybe 20, but fairly certain it's 10) to shoot at a typical paper target that is usually < 50 yards (more like <20').

What they'll really be watching more than anything at the range is if you are practicing proper firearm handling discipline (such as muzzle control, etc.).

LEARN & KNOW the "10 Commandments of Firearm Safety" - ALL of them will be on the final test - usually in "essay" form (you'll have to list all of them).

[nogaroheli]

What TheGinsue said.

My class had to shoot subsonic 22's through a bolt action with irons at about 10-15' and hit the 1'x1' target. When I got done shooting out the elk on the target, I told the instructor "that's one dead deer!", he looked at me like I hadn't learned a thing in the class, lol.

[theGinsue]

I forgot to mention something very important!

Once you have your Colorado Hunter Education Safety Training completion card, as soon as is practically possible, take the card down to your nearest CO DOW office and get the training "verified" in the DOW system.

Why?

First, if you ever lose your Hunter Education Safety Card you can get a replacement from the DOW very easily because it's "in the system". I found out that my card was the only proof that I had ever completed the training. The class data for when I took the class never made it into the system. If I had lost my card I would have had to re-take the training.

Secondly (you're gonna love this part) is that you don't have to carry your Hunter Education Safety Card with you while you are hunting (as you would have to do if you had not "verified" your card/training, AND you don't have to have the card with you to purchase a license because the electronic licensing system has your training information "in the system"!

Lastly, when you apply either online or through the mail for Big Game Preference Points, you don't have to have your Hunter Education training card number there or enter it because (say it with me) - IT'S IN THE SYSTEM!

Any Colorado Hunting or Fishing license I buy has this information on one of the parts of the license (the part with my name, address, etc.):
Hunter Education Certificates: Firearm CO PP0XXXX V
(The PP0XXXX is my censored [for this psoting] training certificate number and the "V" means "Verified")

Since getting it verified is a one time thing and doesn't take too long, I really thing it's worth it to do this. I was even able to take my sons card down and get it "verified" without him having to be there with me. Piece of cake!

(Hey, with all of this useful information I've been providing I'm starting to feel like a MOD, training wheels or not!)

[Seamonkey]

Cool, thanks for the info. I should be going with experienced hunters so I'll have their help on the actual hunting portion but the first step is to get the hunters class done.

[AAdvsr]

Hey Seamonkey.

Who's you rinstructor?

When you taking the class?

I'm apprenticing to become a hunter's ed instructor. Might be at a 22 and 25 Sep class if I don't get deployed to Afghanistan this month.

[Seamonkey]

Hey Seamonkey.

Who's you rinstructor?

When you taking the class?

I'm apprenticing to become a hunter's ed instructor. Might be at a 22 and 25 Sep class if I don't get deployed to Afghanistan this month.

It will be at Aurora Gander Mountain Sept 13-16th.

And if you go to the sand pit it's a different type of hunting education...

[AAdvsr]

Thanks, I'll be in the Springs.

[ShooterChick]

I took my hunters safety shooting part of the class today. They provide you a bolt action .22 with 10 rounds. You have to shoot 15ft at an elk target. You dont have to hit it just have to show proper safety (point down range, hold ur gun securly, listen to directions ect..) you dont need to practice for it.

I shot the crap out of my elk and told him yep i think he is dead... the instructor guy gave me a dirty look. The female instructor looked at it said good job.... i said i have never even shot before.... lol.... She said then we gotta talk girl....

Take a gander mt, or sportsmans class. I had a million and one kids in my class and i dont think they learned anything. They slept through it and then asked the instructor what if i dont get the test right do i fail? The guy told him no. If u get the basic safety i will give you ur license.

[hollohas]

I found it amazing that people that can't hit a paper elk at 15ft pass the course. Many people in my class at the DOW headquarters couldn't hit the target. Not to mention, they check your test when you hand it in and if you miss any questions, they tell you which ones and send you back to your seat to change your answers...as many times as needed. It's multiple choice so you just have to change your answers 3 or 4 times to finally get it right and get your card.

If you miss 15-20 questions on a hunter's ed test, like many did in my class, you shouldn't pass. Scary to think these people might be hunting in the field near you...

I don't think the DOW cares. Give as many people hunter's ed cards as possible and that many more will spend money each year on tags.

[Irving]

I wouldn't consider it a big deal as long as they are going out with an established hunter who can take responsibility for them. Scary if they are just planning on pulling off the road and going from there though.

[AAdvsr]

I found it amazing that people that can't hit a paper elk at 15ft pass the course. Many people in my class at the DOW headquarters couldn't hit the target. Not to mention, they check your test when you hand it in and if you miss any questions, they tell you which ones and send you back to your seat to change your answers...as many times as needed. It's multiple choice so you just have to change your answers 3 or 4 times to finally get it right and get your card.

If you miss 15-20 questions on a hunter's ed test, like many did in my class, you shouldn't pass. Scary to think these people might be hunting in the field near you...

I don't think the DOW cares. Give as many people hunter's ed cards as possible and that many more will spend money each year on tags.

Hollohas and ShooterChick,

I'm apprenticing to be a hunter's ed instructor and what you describe is NOT how instructors are supposed to treat "fails" on the test. If DOW found out, they would get reprimanded. DOW is serious about proper instruction and people really learning. If you want, call DOW and let them know what you saw.

[hollohas]

Hollohas and ShooterChick,

I'm apprenticing to be a hunter's ed instructor and what you describe is NOT how instructors are supposed to treat "fails" on the test. If DOW found out, they would get reprimanded. DOW is serious about proper instruction and people really learning. If you want, call DOW and let them know what you saw.

I could call them but the course I took was put on by the DOW at their headquarters so I think they already know. I’m not even exaggerating when I say I saw some individuals get their tests graded 3 times and were then given the opportunity to change their answers after each grading. At the time I thought I was witnessing the PC mentality that it’s “not fair for someone to fail.”

[AAdvsr]

Hollohas, just to be clear, this activity that you describe is against DOW policy:

Not to mention, they check your test when you hand it in and if you miss any questions, they tell you which ones and send you back to your seat to change your answers...as many times as needed. It's multiple choice so you just have to change your answers 3 or 4 times to finally get it right and get your card.

You would think they'd know, but I wouldn't assume that. There is a certain amount of trust placed in Hunters Ed instructors even when they use HQ facilities.

The Hunters Ed Coordinator's name is Mark Cousins. He's serious about clamping down on this type of stuff and keeping integrity in the Hunter's Ed program. If you want, you may email him at Mark.Cousins@state.co.us

It would at least give him a heads up on what to look out for among his cadre of volunteer instructors.

[rammit]

Just took a class in Longmont and the shooting portion was pretty much here's a 22, there's some dirt, shoot at the dirt and don't point the muzzle in an unsafe direction

[spqrzilla]

The point of the Hunter Education class is to get people to understand the material, not fail them. The Hunter Education class is supposed to be an education, not a barrier.

That's why people are given the opportunity to retake the written test.

The point of the shooting portion is safety, its not an accuracy test.

[hollohas]

The point of the Hunter Education class is to get people to understand the material, not fail them. The Hunter Education class is supposed to be an education, not a barrier.

That's why people are given the opportunity to retake the written test.

The point of the shooting portion is safety, its not an accuracy test.

If they need 3 chances to change their answer on a multiple choice question with 4 choices, they don't understand the material. They just ruled out all the wrong answers.

If someone fails they should have to go home, maybe do a little more learning on their own, come back another weekend, PAY ATTENTION in class and pass the test. Why even give a test if students don't have to get it right? Tests are not a barrier for people that learned the material. If a person fails, they didn't learn anything.

Hunter's Education is not "an education" as you put it if the students didn't even learn enough to get MOST of the questions right.

What's so wrong with failing students? It's starting to smell a little PC in here...

[theGinsue]

It's starting to smell a little PC in here...

Nope. Sorry. That's my breath... I had sardines and mustard on crackers for lunch.[ROFL1]

[Pancho Villa]

All these instruction requirements seem a little silly to me.

You can provide wisdom but you can't make people absorb it. If public ranges are any indication there is an atrocious level of firearms handling all over the place. Making someone take a class won't turn them from an idiot into a competent rifleman, and the ones who care will read up on it anyway.