Now
Fair
29°
High
32°
Low
16°
Full Forecast

Jobs

Cars

Homes

Rentals

Alerts

Subscribe
Home > News > Local
Bookmark Us   •   Make Us Your Homepage

Young hunters can avoid taking safety course

Comments 8 comment(s)  
E-mail Story E-mail Story
Print Story Print Story
Share  Share
Text Size: 
Tools Sponsor

BY JOE DUGGAN / Lincoln Journal Star

Friday, Aug 29, 2008 - 05:25:31 pm CDT

BEATRICE — Young Nebraskans who want to try hunting alongside a licensed adult can now buy their way out of a safety class.

The $5 hunter education exemption certificate will allow hunters between the ages of 12 and 29 to try hunting without passing a state-certified hunter education course.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved the regulation Friday while meeting at Homestead National Monument of America near Beatrice.

Story Photo
Mallory Lucas aims her rifle in an effort to find a solid shooting position in 2003. (LJS file)

The program will require the certificate holder to be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter.

For years, state law has required new hunters to pass a 10-hour class before taking to the field with a bow or firearm. Hunter education has been widely lauded for helping make hunting a safe sport with injury rates lower than ball sports and other popular activities.

But at the same time, the number of hunters has steadily declined. Some argue children get involved with team sports and other activities long before they have a chance to try hunting.

Letting the young and inexperienced try hunting without the safety course is seen as a way to remove a barrier to participation.

Supporters of the new regulation, passed last legislative session, say it allows parents and guardians to decide when a child is ready to handle the responsibility of hunting.

Research shows that as long as children are accompanied by an adult, they account for less than 1 percent of hunting-related injuries.

Some of the state’s volunteer hunter education instructors, however, question the wisdom of the exemption. They argue that even well-intentioned adults can pass along unsafe firearm practices to their children.

The regulation, which takes effect Tuesday, will allow certificate buyers to hunt the upcoming seasons. They can renew the certificate after Jan. 1 to hunt next year as well.

After the renewal period, the certificate will expire. People who want to continue hunting will then have to take the free hunter education course.

The eight-member commission passed the regulation unanimously.

Reach Joe Duggan at 473-7239 or jduggan@journalstar.com.


$1 Sunday Delivery - Subscribe Today!
Local > Back to Top of Story

Post Your Comment

Standards and Rules
All posts to JournalStar.com are subject to our Terms and Standards.
Your posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.
(optional)
   
Hide Comments Hide Comments   Newest First Newest First  
Adult Hunter wrote on August 29, 2008 7:30 pm:
" This is ridiculous! We won't let our son out in the field with a gun before he takes hunter safety. We are both experienced hunters and my husband is a gunsmith! Sure, we teach the kids safety, but there are some things that kids learn better from other adults. Ever try teaching your kid to drive? "

 Fred wrote on August 29, 2008 8:02 pm:
" Bad idea. Three weeks ago a hiker in Washington State was killed by a 10year old hunter, who thought the woman was a bear. Yeah, we all believe that right, a bear. Even with an adult there it could be very dangerous. Minors should not have alcohol, cigarettes or "GUNS". All three kill people. "

 Bad idea wrote on August 29, 2008 8:08 pm:
" This is a mistake. The unrecognized value of hunter safety courses is that the experience also refreshes adults so that they may be kept up on the changes in law and that they may be nudged into keeping their leadership skills sharp. By effectively neutering this program, the incentive for families to attend together drops sharply. Bad habits can develop unless there is a occasional reminder to keeps things ethical. Afterall, there wouldn't be any need for game laws in the first place if everyone was perfect to begin with. "

 Local wrote on August 29, 2008 10:10 pm:
" What about that guy who killed his friend near Bennett thinking he was a deer? "

 hunter ed kid wrote on August 29, 2008 10:33 pm:
" My dad has been an instructor for over 30 years and has taught hundreds of kids and adult to be safe in the field. My son took hunter's safety last year before trap season started. He recently got a bow-guess what he's done his bow hunter's safety too. These are free classes that everyone should take.Hundreds of instructors volunteer their time to learn and teach these skills. They pretty much have been told that their expertise and participation are not needed. Buying your way out of safety certification will come back to bite Game and Parks in the long run. I hope I never run into an uncertified hunter in the field. I'd like to walk out of the field alive. Guns don't kill people but stupidity sure does. "

 I wonder if wrote on August 29, 2008 11:45 pm:
" When I was in 8th grade, hunter safety was part of my PE/Health class that I was required to take in school. I remember sitting in the class thinking I am never going to go hunting, this is useless. Fast forward 12 years and I started hunting with my husband. Even if I had not ended up hunting as an adult that course was one of the best things I learned in school. Besides hunters education we also had to complete First Aid, CPR and we worked on Red Cross swimming lessons the first couple of weeks of school before they drained the town pool for the season. Those teachers/coaches taught us life skills that will last a life time. But the way things are in today's society I don't think hunters education could not be taught in public school. Those teachers have since both retired and I wonder if they know the difference they made. I am not sure how many Bronco's they taught. "

 CS wrote on August 30, 2008 8:23 am:
" 100 years ago no one needed classes on how to do this stuff. If you take your responsibility seriously then teach them yourself. Ive hunted and trapped for years on our own land and learned things from many members of my family. The gist of hunters saftey is wear orange and the pointy end is dangerous. If you can't manage that much time with your kids and a dangerous tool, maybe they-and you, shouldn't be hunting. "

 eagle wrote on August 30, 2008 9:20 am:
" Very poor idea on NG&P's part. The class is an integeral part of the safety statistics. Take that part away and you will see negligent incidents increase over time. Then NG&P will wonder why and remove this regulation. The class is not the reason for a reduction in hunters, cost factors and availability of places to hunt is one of many reasons. NG&P is in part to blame, not the Hunter Safety Program. Compare this to taking English out of schools. Ludicrous. And lets get one thing straight...GUNS do not kill people, people kill people. Negligence can be minimized through proper training. "

Ads by Yahoo!