[James]

When I was 12, my Father showed me how to shoot his single shot 22.
Then he said I could take it out any time for hunting. His last instruction was, " Watch where you point it." That was my hunter's safety course.

From that moment on for Christmas or Birthday I just wanted AMMO.

When I was 17, I bought a Ruger Single Six. Ya, kids could have guns then. The guy at the store said it was OK to carry it openly, so I did.

Where I am going with this is that I learned about gun safety mainly by common sense and sad experience. In retrospect, I was lucky to live to be 21.

Then came the Utah Hunters Safety Program. My kids all took hunters safety (even the girls and wife) and I attended the classes with them. I had to think, too bad someone didn't help me along as a youth and teach me those things I had to learn the hard way.

I Am Sure Glad For Hunter's Safety Courses

Take your kids.

 

[tapehoser]

By the time I was 19 (and headed for a mission) my father made the deal with all of his sons that if they passed the Hunter Safety course, he would buy them a .22 rifle. All 3 of the younger brothers passed the course and have those .22's to this day.

Years later, and since I had not taken the course, I approached my father about his 'deal'. He told me the deal still applied (even though I was 30). So I took the course, passed with flying colors and got a check for $150 toward any .22 I wanted.

My sons will all take the course by the time they are 12 because they will be hunting with me when they are 14.

 

[Cinhil]

I grew up in Wisconsin and it was legal, when I was a youngster, to hunt at age 12. I don't know if that is still the case back there or not, but I too took Hunters Safety and am glad I did.
I may not hunt but the applications and information in the course were very helpful. Even though I had fired guns and bows with my dad and with Scouts, I learned a lot.
Seems to me I remember when it became mandatory to take such a class here in Utah. I think there was a lot of hullabalue over it at the time. But having seen how some people treat their weapons, or disrespect others or even wildlife out here, I am grateful it is now a requirement. Hopefully we can change the bad habits in others, through the course, before they take those same habits to the woods or the range.

 

[xmirage2kx]

Hunters Ed is like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it. I still don't think it should be required, but I agree it is a very good thing.