Hunter Education Certification Question???

scarey · #1 11-25-2007, 05:46 PM

I thought it was required for all hunters or first time hunters to have taken the Hunter Education Certification to aquire a hunting licence. I have found a couple of new young hunters that have not taken this course and still have a purchased a licence and tags. I am from BC origionally and brought my certifications with me. In BC you have to show your Hunter Card to get your licence and tags and ammo. I also had to show this card to prove I took a course in BC to get my licence here. So here it is your WIN card. How do they get away with this? I'm not happy seeing uneducated first time hunters out there!

#2 11-25-2007, 06:03 PM

You need to sign an affidavid when you get your first licence/WIN card saying you've completed the course or meet the other requirements as outlined in the regs. It's a criminal offence to lie on that affidavid but I guess that doesn't stop some. I agree with you about Hunters' Education. You look at the stats in the U.S. and accident numbers go way down when the percentage of hunters in the field that have completed Hunters' Safety training goes up. I guess this is one of those prices we pay for having a privatized licence system in Alberta.

scarey · #3 11-25-2007, 06:15 PM

An affidavid means s$%t when they are checked or buying their licence. I guess the only way to force the issue is to report them. I wonder if you report them to a CO or ???
I'm going to write Morton on this! This is definitlely part of the ethics and safety problem.
Thanks

#4 11-25-2007, 06:18 PM

Ya, if you know someone that knowing broke this law then a CO would be who you'd tell.

TheClash · #5 11-25-2007, 06:23 PM

i was surprised that all you have to do is check a box....ya it is a criminal offense to lie...but how often does that get checked up on?

#6 11-25-2007, 06:29 PM

Likely not often....

scarey · #7 11-25-2007, 07:25 PM

I wrote the Hunter Ed people and Ted Morton on this. It's rediculous! I suggested a audit or simple change to make hunters to produce their proof of the course. I would think it would be simple to link the course database with the WIN program. But we all know simple things are the hardest.

#8 11-25-2007, 07:30 PM

The problem that I see is, is that completing a course is not the only criteria that qualifies you for a licence in Alberta plus it would be impossible to link to all the other provinces and states. Not that I disagree with you but there are a number of circumstances here.

ctd · #9 11-25-2007, 10:38 PM

One problem you have in Alberta is the lack of hunter education instructors that are availible. So most in Ab will take the other route which is find a good friend or family member who will hopefully teach them the rights and wrongs with hunting. That is an alternative to doing the hunting course.

One thing you have to remember is hunting in Ab and Sask is different then in BC. Consevation officers and police are more lienant towards people who are obeying the safety side of handling guns and hunting with few times if any asking for Pals/hunting licences. They want to see that you are being safe and have the proper tags for hunting.

If you get caught doing something illegal then they will demand all the proper licences etc. And if you do not have them then you get fined and go to court.

Personally I like that method better. What I would like to see is these courses taught in schools. What we are seeing now are to many people who think they know or are better then the others handling guns and ammo. Then trying to use those weapons to kill another animal.
Where this goes wrong is when they fail to observe general safety, which I have known more then a few expieranced seasoned, fully trained and quailified hunters who for one reason or another fail to employ their training, in the end they get lucky that no one gets hurt.

Just by having a peice of paper and sitting in a class does not mean that you have the skills and or the commonsense to do the right thing.

If you see some one who you are questioning as to if they are doing the right thing then challange them, find out why they are doing it wrong and then inform them.
We as individuals in the bush can help much more in the education then some course that is done in a classroom.

Just my opinion.

#10 11-25-2007, 10:44 PM

Quote:

One problem you have in Alberta is the lack of hunter education instructors that are availible.

Not sure where you got that info from?????

scarey · #11 11-26-2007, 08:14 AM

CTD says Just by having a peice of paper and sitting in a class does not mean that you have the skills and or the commonsense to do the right thing.
ys

absolutely.. But its the attitude of some that its easy to cheat....and if that course saves one injury or death or improves a hunters ethics its worth it. Like I was saying in BC you cannot get your licence or tags without your hunter card (with a number that goes on all licences and tags). Your hunter number can only be aquired by taking the course. Very simple! It is intergrated into the system. I like the WIN card system here and this could be intergrated.
My final rant statement is...I have never heard so much rant about poor ethics, unlawful activities and lack of respect from others hunting and I wonder why this is so. What can we do to improve this?

honda450 · #12 11-26-2007, 08:28 AM

Well unless it has changed but when I lived in BC to get my hunter card number I just had to sign a piece of paper saying that I lived in BC for at least 6 months and did have had a hunting lic in another province. No hunters ed course required. And bang got my number, same as a win card.

Cordur · #13 11-26-2007, 08:46 AM

I took my hunter safety when I was 14 in N.S. So by the time I finally decided to get back into hunting they asked for proof that I had either held a tag in another province or had taken a safety course. To be honest I had no idea where this card had gone so I just took a half hour after work to challenge the test. There were a couple of alberta specific questions about waterfowl limits and trespassing laws that I had seen in the regs but otherwise easy enough. The thing is, that no matter what is expected of a hunter it really comes down to having respect for the regulations and taking time to read them. No matter where you took your safety course previously.

honda450 · #14 11-26-2007, 08:50 AM

I myself have never taken the hunters ed course. It wasn't invented yet when I got my first Alberta huntin lic.

ctd · #15 11-26-2007, 06:51 PM

When I was in Cold Lake the closet instructor that I could find was AHFGA in Edmonton. Not exactly in my mind worth the 3.5 hr drive each way. When I could have one of my friends take me out.
Just my opinion.
The online program is a good one I think.

The Elkster · #16 11-26-2007, 07:06 PM

I don't think a mandatory course does much to increase safety anyways. Doesn't hurt of course but thats not to say does a whole lot. In the end it doesn't mean a person is going to choose to do things the right way, the safe way and the honest way. Drivers exam is req and look what goes on on the road with all those officially qualified drivers. It comes down to what people choose to do and how they choose to act not just what they know or are able to do.