By: Denise Harmel-Garza
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in their National Overview of the 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (issued August 2012) reported that 13.7 million people went hunting in 2011. Of these, 2.6 million hunted birds, 4.5 million hunted small game, 11.6 million hunted big game and 2.2 million hunted other animals. As a hunter education instructor these numbers are staggering.
I have been an instructor for over a decade and have always struggled with having a broad range of hunting topics to cover in a short amount of time. Firearm safety is easy, boil it down to the number one rule of gun safety, “Always keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction”. But how do you cover dove hunting versus turkey hunting, white-tailed deer versus bighorn sheep, rabbit versus squirrel? Each animal has its own characteristics that dictate different hunting styles thus different safety considerations. Other than belaboring this generic point, I also stress to my students the three “Is its…” Students must ask themselves before taking a shot, “Is it safe? Is it legal? Is it ethical?” in that order. If any one of these answers is no, they should not shoot. I cannot even begin to guess all the hunting situations my student will have in a day or in their lifetime. I hope it is many. However, if they remember to ask themselves these three “Is its…” they can enjoy a variety of hunting opportunities safely. Additionally, they can prepare themselves for all types of hunting: be it small or large game, be it mammals or birds, and maybe even an alligator or two. So you 13.7 million people out there hunting, remember to ask yourself before taking the shot the three “Is its…” “Is it safe? Is it legal? Is it ethical?”