by Woodsbum
This last weekend we did the first of two Bowhunter Education classes for year 2014. Each year we do two; one in April and one in July. They are a two day course that have one day of lecture and one day in the field. The topics covered are as follows:
- History of bowhunting
- Conservation
- Ethics
- Archery equipment to include sighting in, form, shot placement, etc
- Bowhunting safety
- Treestand safety and how to use one
- Hunting equipment such as camouflage, scent control, clothing, blinds, packs, etc
- Animal recovery, field dressing, and processing
- Methods of bowhunting
- Outdoor preparedness such as survival, land navigation, first aid
On our field day, we actually set up tree stands and go over the entire process involved with setting them up, how to recover in case you fall, safety harnesses, how to tie off properly, use of a climbing style treestand versus hang on styles and techniques learned through years of use in the field. There is also a section on animal recovery where we follow a blood trail and go over basic tracking techniques. The last main section we cover is how to start a fire with ferro rod and natural materials.
Teaching hang on style treestand usage and safety.
Teaching the use of a climber style treestand.
The whole course is really a great time. There are always new people in the class for us to teach, but many times we get an experienced hunter that is either needing his Bowhunter Education course to get a license in another state or might be making the transition to bowhunting. Either way, it is always fun and plenty to be learned by all.
So, if you get a chance to take one of these courses it is well worth the time. The cost is $20 and you can check out this Meetup group and they will be listed with contact information.
