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Hunter's Safety Conundrum

anmut

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Messages
875
Location
Stevens Point WI, ,
Me - 32 year old / married

Son - 10 years old / from a relationship before I was married

Here's my problem:
I want to get my son into the Hunter's Safety class ASAP. His mother (from a previous relationship) wants nothing to do with him and guns. She's not so much hateful of guns but more of me and anything I want to include my son on. Much time and money has been/continues to be spent on extending the meager every-other-weekend (4 days a month) that I get to spend with him.

Here in the Stevens Point area the WDNR Hunter's Safety Courses are offered as follows:
- Sat & Sun Courses for 16+ years old
- Weekly/Monthly courses all fall during the weekday

So as it sits right now a father like me is unable to get my son into a H.S. course for another SIX years.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm annoyed but I know my son is going to be deeply disappointed.
 

JJC

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Messages
283
Location
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
Me - 32 year old / married

Son - 10 years old / from a relationship before I was married

Here's my problem:
I want to get my son into the Hunter's Safety class ASAP. His mother (from a previous relationship) wants nothing to do with him and guns. She's not so much hateful of guns but more of me and anything I want to include my son on. Much time and money has been/continues to be spent on extending the meager every-other-weekend (4 days a month) that I get to spend with him.

Here in the Stevens Point area the WDNR Hunter's Safety Courses are offered as follows:
- Sat & Sun Courses for 16+ years old
- Weekly/Monthly courses all fall during the weekday

So as it sits right now a father like me is unable to get my son into a H.S. course for another SIX years.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm annoyed but I know my son is going to be deeply disappointed.

I'm a Hunter Safety Instructor, and never heard of 16 Plus only classes. Get a list of instructors from the DNR and inquire about a CD class. Talk to your local DNR about these so called class restrictions. I've never turned anybody away from my classes. ( I've failed a few individuals, but I'm a stickler for safety).

IMHO, 10 is too young. I had a 10 year old in my last class and he couldn't sit still. The class was boring for him. (I asked). You realize that you may take your son hunting with you without a HS class don't you?

Look up the regs.

JJC
 

anmut

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Messages
875
Location
Stevens Point WI, ,
I'm a Hunter Safety Instructor, and never heard of 16 Plus only classes. Get a list of instructors from the DNR and inquire about a CD class. Talk to your local DNR about these so called class restrictions. I've never turned anybody away from my classes. ( I've failed a few individuals, but I'm a stickler for safety).

IMHO, 10 is too young. I had a 10 year old in my last class and he couldn't sit still. The class was boring for him. (I asked). You realize that you may take your son hunting with you without a HS class don't you?

Look up the regs.

JJC

Thanks for the info - John Dolan was the guy I spoke with on the phone and that is what he told me, that the two-day class was for 16 or older only.

The main reason I want him to go is because, while I've taught him everything I know and am extremely strict with safety issues, so was my dad with me. But my experience in H.S. as a young pup only helped to reaffirm those habits.

I'll look up the regs on hunting but I was under the assumption that to do the Youth Hunt in the early fall the child had to have H.S..
 

anmut

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Messages
875
Location
Stevens Point WI, ,
This what I found on the DNR's website:
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/enforcement/safety/huntag.htm

Who May Hunt/Purchase a Hunting License in Wisconsin?

* Everyone who hunts must have a license which they must carry on themselves while engaged in hunting (except certain landowner privileges - see below).

* No one under the age of 12 may purchase a license or possess a firearm. Exception see Mentored Hunt

* Children ages 12 and 13 may purchase a license and hunt if accompanied by a parent or guardian at least 18 years of age, and successfully completed a hunting safety course.

* Anyone 14 years of age or older, born on or after January 1, 1973, may purchase a license and hunt if in possession of a hunting safety course completion certificate unless privileges revoked in a court of law.

* Anyone successfully completing and carrying proof of completion of basic training in the U.S. armed forces, reserves or national guard does not need a hunting safety course certificate to purchase a license.

* Anyone born before January 1, 1973, may purchase a license and hunt unless privileges are revoked in a court of law.

* Landowners may hunt for beaver, foxes, raccoons, woodchucks, rabbits, and squirrels without a license on their own property.
 

Cobbersmom

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
179
Location
Minocqua, Wisconsin, ,
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/enforcement/safety/hunted.htm
"Who is eligible to take a class
Anyone of any age can take the class. Those that meet the course requirements will receive a safety education completion certificate.
However, it should be noted that persons younger than 12 may lose some of the benefits of the certification (small game hunting privilege, authorization to shoot an antler less deer during the first gun deer season after graduation) if they take the class sooner than age 12. The department encourages people to wait until they turn 12 within 6 months of completion of the course before taking it. Students with special needs must contact the instructor at least two weeks in advance of the course to request special accommodations."

Can you wait till he's 12? Sounds like benefit for that antleress deer. Also online or CD classes are mention at the DNR website. I didn't read it thoroughly. Needless to say, any age can take the class. Perhaps it's not a DNR class you were checking in to?
 

anmut

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Messages
875
Location
Stevens Point WI, ,
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/enforcement/safety/hunted.htm
"Who is eligible to take a class
Anyone of any age can take the class. Those that meet the course requirements will receive a safety education completion certificate.
However, it should be noted that persons younger than 12 may lose some of the benefits of the certification (small game hunting privilege, authorization to shoot an antler less deer during the first gun deer season after graduation) if they take the class sooner than age 12. The department encourages people to wait until they turn 12 within 6 months of completion of the course before taking it. Students with special needs must contact the instructor at least two weeks in advance of the course to request special accommodations."

Can you wait till he's 12? Sounds like benefit for that antleress deer. Also online or CD classes are mention at the DNR website. I didn't read it thoroughly. Needless to say, any age can take the class. Perhaps it's not a DNR class you were checking in to?

Well I got the name and the number right from the DNR's site so I'm guessing it was official.

Either way it look like he'll have to wait anyway.
 
Last edited:

scm54449

Opt-Out Members
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Messages
220
Location
Marshfield, WI
I moved from Stevens Point more than a few years ago, but the local chapter of the Izaak Walton League offered hunter safety courses as did the Portage County Sherrif's Department. You might want to contact or Google them to see if they still offer those classes.
 

anmut

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Messages
875
Location
Stevens Point WI, ,
I moved from Stevens Point more than a few years ago, but the local chapter of the Izaak Walton League offered hunter safety courses as did the Portage County Sherrif's Department. You might want to contact or Google them to see if they still offer those classes.

I'm a member there and yes they still let the DNR run their classes there. But DNR still has (what looks like) control over the classes themselves.
 
Last edited:

johnny amish

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2010
Messages
1,024
Location
High altitude of Vernon County, ,
Look up the mentor program in the regs. 10 yr. olds can hunt without HS classes.
I took my 10yr. old deer hunting this year, see had a ball. Could'n't sit still long enough to see a deer but we had fun anyway.
 

Hunting Mama

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2010
Messages
92
Location
Not deep enough in the Woods, Wisconsin, USA
My daughter is 10 and graduated the H.S. course this summer. She went and hunted 7 of the 9 days of the regular season and some of the bonus days. It took a few times of sitting, but they figure out how to sit still. She did harvest a deer this year and she is now hooked. Especially because she now has a buck tag to hang over her Papa's head. :) She can't wait to go out and do some coyote hunting this winter yet.

I wish you the best in what you end up doing. Good Luck!
 

MKEgal

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
4,383
Location
in front of my computer, WI
I teach the DNR boating safety course, and we recommend nobody younger than (IIRC) 12, because it does have some pretty boring info, as well as some concepts that are a bit advanced for the average kid. Heck, even most 12yo struggle a bit.

There is a CD hunter safety course, as someone else mentioned. See if you can get that, & he can study it as long as he wants before taking the in-person class & the test.
 

johnny amish

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2010
Messages
1,024
Location
High altitude of Vernon County, ,
I teach the DNR boating safety course, and we recommend nobody younger than (IIRC) 12, because it does have some pretty boring info, as well as some concepts that are a bit advanced for the average kid. Heck, even most 12yo struggle a bit.

There is a CD hunter safety course, as someone else mentioned. See if you can get that, & he can study it as long as he wants before taking the in-person class & the test.

Do you teach how to avoid a random boating accident?
 

CUOfficer

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2010
Messages
197
Location
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
My girlfriend went throught he online Hunter's Safety Class and then we traveled to the Madison area for a one day field day. In my opinion, the online class skips a lot of stuff that you would learn in class. The field day was a joke. Some of the instructors were using such "big" words that none of the kids were grasping it. If you go this route, teach your child the parts of the gun and different actions at home!
 
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