Yep, I looked into getting a hunting license here in Nevada, and since I don't have proof any more of the class I took back in 1979 in California, and California didn't keep records of it, I have to take the course again. And my Archery hunter education card from Idaho doesn't count either. Bummer right?
Darn the bad luck. Ever get here by Reno?
No, I'm a long way from Reno
It's not so bad Mike. My oldest daughter has to take it this year and I decided to take it with her again just to do it. Other than our time there's no downside and sometimes a voice of experience is welcome in a group of beginners.
And believe it or not but you might even learn something yourself. I used to teach Hunter Education and would learn something from some of the other "experienced" students in the same situation as you. Go into it with an open mind and enjoy.
Just go with an open mind.......you can always learn something!
I sat through the class with a friend several years after the first time and I thought it was great. You will have very different expectations and there are always things to learn. Hope you enjoy it.
It's just the time, I just don't like wasting time doing things over that I already did. I can always do things to make more money, I can replace things that break, but once time in used you don't get it back.
Its not a waste of time.
You always learn something new. Check to see if they have an on line version. That would mean only one Saturday of field day and testing. We offer that here in Wisconsin, maybe they do as well.
ChuckC
I had to do the same thing a few years ago for an Illinois license. There I was, a 26 year old taking hunters safety with about thirty 10 year olds...
However, I spoke to the 3 instructors after reviewing the course agenda after noticing all archery sections of the course revolved around compound bows. I explained my experience with archery hunting and traditional equipment and they happily agreed to give me 20 minutes in front of the class in the middle of the archery hunting section to show and tell everything "traditional".
I prepared a cool lesson, and an hour later, the kids and dads were still raising their hands asking questions!
The instructors invited me to join them in the following years classes for the archery section after seeing all the interest of what they perceived was a "lost art". (They've obviously never visited tradgang ;) . )
Go into it with an open mind. Good things can happen !
Boy 1979 that's about when I took it last. My daughter too had to take firearm/hunter safety education last year to be able to bow hunt. I attended all the classes with her and ya know I relearned and learned way more,than I thought I would we had a DNR officer and a DNR biologist guest speakers who also fielded questions so it was very informative too. We went in the spring time and spent time together so for me it defiantly wasn't a waste of time. And I met some new people. To,talk hunting with.
Hey,If you can't get out of it get into it.
Darn the bad luck. Ever get here by Reno?
I had to take Bowhunters Ed class a couple years ago for a hunt I went on. It was not that bad at all. Now I have both, and don't have to worry about it anymore!
Bisch
No Roadkill I don't get up to Reno.
Retaking those types of courses is fun andnotnanwadte of time, I'll bet you learn something ;)
If they will take the texas hunter ed card you can do it online in about an hour. and its cheap. A lot of people in Hawaii do that because the wait list for a hunter ed class can be pretty long here.
I needed one but done 3, they are fun and each one was different but bring a kid or two its more fun listening to the kids answers and here the teachers kind of directed everything at the kids who sat in the front and the adults with more experienced got to bring up the past experiences they had out in the field so a lot of good and bad story's it was intersting.
I certainly feel your disgust and would hope Mississippi is capable of retaining records. I took one with my boy when he was a little snot (1 8hr coarse) We had a guy a few weeks ago shoot and kill his 14 year old son for a hog??? Must have slept through his coarse. A real heart breaker.
A good idea. Check to see if the course is on line. More states are going to this lately. 1979 is the same year I took mine in Cali. I managed to hang on to my card somehow. Put it in lockbox finally.
I had to RE-TAKE :readit: from the early 80s of my archery course. all so I could hunt on county park land (retook :deadhorse: the course) and never :nono: hunted the park land!
That would tick me right off Mike. But, almost everything ticks me right off come to think of it? :)
Michigan is a bit more lax. The retailer simply asks if you took the class. I did, but my card is 30 years lost.
Thanks for the input and encouragement everyone. No doubt I might learn something, but I have the book and other than websites here and there, there isn't much different than my workbook I had when I was 12. However I need to have it filled in completely then sit through 8 hours of classroom to review what the book contains. To those who have an abundance of free time it might not be a big deal, or those that just dig on taking classes it might not be a problem. But in my opinion it's a waste of valuable time. I've already done it.
Additionally here in Nevada all the big game tags are issued on lottery system, I might not even get a tag. After all that, taking the class and such, who knows if I can even hunt.
I have to agree with you. I didn't need the class here in Texas,because I was born in 71,but I did need it to go and hunt in Colorado. I can see where some people would get some valuable information out of it,but for the most part it was common sense stuff,and if you were brought up around it and were aware of your surroundings you were o.k.
Our class was two days,and I would not want to have to do it again either.
Not to be a smart butt...., but I teach hunter ed and bowhunter ed here in NC......in almost every class we have several people that for one reason or another HAVE to take the class and some have MANY years of experiance....Oh the whining we hear !!!!! But almost down to the person they come to us and thank us for teaching them something new or at least helping them look at something in a new way. The funny part is when we have a profichancy test and the excuses the "expert" shots come up with when their shots go astray. Keep an open mind and help those "less" knowledgeable around you. :thumbsup:
I taught it for about 10 years to mostly future crossbows hunters in Ohio.Never thought it was a waste of time.
Oh no, trust me when I take that class, they will hear nothing from me, that would be additional time for the instructor to make a futile attempt to explain to me why. I have to add, it's 75 miles away (one way) where the class is.
I plan to get qualified to conduct the class here, where I live, so others who live here won't have to travel as far.
I have nothing against Hunters ed, it should be required to take, so those that teach it and put their hearts into it, don't get the wrong idea of what I'm saying. You've taken it in the context that I'm somehow against it.
If there's a national data base for drivers licenses, criminal records, taxes, firearm back ground checks, personal credit, etc. they need to have one for Hunters education too.
Drivers ed isn't a waste of time either, but I bet if every time you moved to another state you had to take it again anyone would feel the same way.
Take the time at the class to help out a kid and show them how important it is. It will be time better spent.
Might even pick up a few new customers at the class...you never know
Mike, I got you......we have fought for a long time to have state keep better records and / or tie it in with drivers license......Had a guy call me from Colorado who lost two days of a guided hunt because of "no record"......
Here in NH an archery license from out of state works. If you need to take the class you can do it online.
There's always something new to learn. Every instructor has a different approach to the same material.
Deno
I think I misunderstood, after reading all the posts the point of this post. You aren't needing Bowhunter Education, you need the general Hunter Education card. Many states offer on-line courses and only about half require a field day.
If NV will accept South Dakota they have on-line course that NRs can take, with no field day requirement.
Of course you know why, if the course is required but you have no record, why you have to do it again. The worst, no practice, no knowledge, gut shooter on the planet could claim they took the class but lost their proof.
I've been a trainer, instructor, and I've lost my card before. I took the class from founder, Bill Wadsworth during a training in KS (the year before he died in 1991). I lost that card and retook the class (to become a trainer) in Ky. Lost it again but KY had the record.
I don't believe ANY hunter education should be mandatory but I believe every hunter should want to take the courses. Of course do-overs can be a chore.
I've conducted classes in my basement for western bound hunters before.
I was grandfathered in when Georgia introduced the required course, but I took it when my son did. He was in Middle School at the time. He had the 2nd highest grade in the class (right behind his old man). Fortunately, our class was both interesting and informative. My son feels that the course was very worthwhile.
Dang Mike, I understand the whole time thing. It's too bad you aren't grandfathered in due to birthdate, at least for hunters ed.
Thanks,
Here in Nevada, if you were born 1960 or earlier you don't need it. I guess if I was 7 years older it would make me more trust worthy and responsible or something.
QuoteOriginally posted by Bill Carlsen:
Here in NH an archery license from out of state works. If you need to take the class you can do it online.
Bill when I hunted NH they wanted the previous years non resident license or my safety card, they didn't care about the other state licenses I had and that was the taxidermy place in auburn, NH
I can't say I blame you Mike - I too understand the value of the course, but have no desire to take it multiple times. Any free 8-hours I have on a weekend is precious time to me. I'd be irritated too.
From the sound of many replies above I just wanted to say they do sell Fire Boxes for all important documents to be stored in. I would say your hunting licenses is one of them. :readit:
I advise all who are young enough to make it worth while and parents to buy for their kids is to get your Life Time Licenses.
1- You will never pay for another license fee to hunt again. (Providing you pay for the top fee covering all Like a Super Sportsmen)
2- You will not have this problem of loosing your license.
2- If you move you still can hunt in the state.
I understand. I am making NO judgement of you Mike or any individual here on TG, but based on what I experience locally in terms of other hunters, I would support a short test on safety every 5 years.
I routinely see hunters putting themselves or others at risk. They aren't good examples.
Would a mandatory test solve that problem? Absolutely not. Would it help? I think so.
I will be taking the class again this year with my daughter and I look forward to it, for myself.
I am required to take the same course every year in my profession. Every year. It hasn't changed much at all in 20 years. Same course. It takes a few hours. Do I look forward to that? nope. Do I think it helps me? Yes, repetition is good for the human brain.
It's not just about the course, it's how the course relates to your life and what you are doing. You may be doing things differently, around different situations and portions of the course that were irrelevant to you (so you didn't focus on them) are now relevant and nothing has changed in the course at all.
Or, maybe gravity is backwards in Nevada and you need to attach your harness to your foot while in the treestands.
All I know is this whole thing got me really depressed. That feeling when you're treated like you don't know what you're doing.
It happened when I retired from the Air Force, most of my time I spent leading others, then I get a civilian job and I'm told I'm not educated in management so I didn't know anything about supervision because I wasn't educated in it.
(grew my business, I don't work for anyone other than my customers, problem solved)
20 years of working on aircraft (choppers and fixed wing) according to the FAA I'm not qualified to work on civilian aircraft.
Our government is trying to tell me I'm not qualified to carry a concealed weapon to protect myself, so I had to take a course to do so, (veterans; ISIS has a bead on us)
Then I move to Nevada and they think that after 36 years of hunting I don't know how to do it and have to take a course.
I'M SICK TO DEATH OF THESE IDIOTIC GOVERNMENTS, WEATHER STATE,FEDERAL OR OTHERWISE!
I'm just ready to disappear
:thumbsup:
If it helps, use this as a sales call. You are going to be in a room full of hunters or future hunters. You are a bowyer extraordinaire. Speak to the other attendees and make them hungry for not only the type of hunting you enjoy but for the type of weapon you build, heck, even your very own professionally made bow. It will be in your car, won't it, and with other models, too right?
When my brother moved to Colorado he, too, needed to take that state's HS course. He was so impressed with this older couple who were there. They owned a large wild game processing plant in Fort Collins and attended every HS course they could because they had new customers to meet at every class. Guess where my brother took his kill?
Mike, they don't know who you, or I or any of us are. They passed a law that was good. They said everybody needs to take the course. Those born before a day they dreamed up at the onset are exempt from the requirement. Everybody else takes it. Period.
Why do you think this whole thing is directed at you ? It is for everybody. Having hunted for a lifetime doesn't mean you know the basic safety rules they are teaching, and they are basic. Same with driving,concealed carry yadda yadda. And...
They are not saying you don't know anything, just that you can't show that you already took the course. That's all.
Hunter safety and hunter orange, taken together, has taken deer / gun hunting from a very dangerous pass time to one that is very safe ( except for the deer).
Just take the course and go enjoy yourself.
ChuckC
Thank everyone for explaining all of it to me. I guess my biggest mistake was as a 12 year old I didn't keep a small business card sized, certificate in a safe place so I could hold onto it for the last dozen times I've moved since then.
QuoteAdditionally here in Nevada all the big game tags are issued on lottery system, I might not even get a tag. After all that, taking the class and such, who knows if I can even hunt. [/QB]
I'm from Nevada and hunted there for 40 years, 35 with stick and string. If you are a bowhunter, you will draw a tag although some areas might take a few years to draw. I went every year because I would apply for areas with better draw odds. Nv has some of the best mule deer hunting in the west and on any unit, you can kill a stud!
Bull elk will probably take 15 years but cows are a 2 to 4 year deal.
Or, go to Utah and hunt cows and spikes every year. When you apply, they are going to ask for that Hunter Safety cert #, now you'll have it.
I'm in the same camp as Ferret, use the time to help mentor a young hunter. Plus it's good FaceTime with a group of potential new customers.
So, I'm a over halfway through the reading book, and the work book. Once I finish I will have the classroom time.
(SSDS)