Hunting & Gun Safety
Hunting is a sport that can provide a lifetime of memories. But hunting accidents can turn those memories into nightmares. To prevent accidents, there are hunting and gun safety programs. These programs teach essentials for staying safe while hunting, such as hunting techniques and reactions to extreme weather.
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History
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Hunting and gun safety programs started in the 1940s. Eventually, states started to adopt the safety programs as a volunteer course for residents. For example, Nebraska passed a legislative bill in 1974 that allowed the Nebraska Game and Parks to control hunter education programs. The first formal class was held in 1976. From 1957 to 1987 in Missouri, more than 400,000 residents voluntarily attended hunter safety course.
Function
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Safety programs are designed to educate people about the importance for safety, which should reduce accidents. Program materials cover more than just the basics of hunting and gun safety. They cover topics such as outdoor safety, hunting laws and the components of a gun. Essentially, these programs are designed to teach youth or inexperienced individuals the importance of hunting and gun safety, preserving the right to hunt and bear arms for future generations.
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Types
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Hunting programs are available for firearm or bow hunters. Both programs are similar, except the bow hunter class will cover the history of archery and specific archery material such as hunting from a tree stand. Gun safety classes are available outside of hunting, such as conceal-carry programs.
Requirements
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In some states, hunting safety or gun safety is required before licenses can be purchased. For example, Illinois requires that anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1980, must have a valid hunter education program card. If you are hunting out of state, that respective state will honor your hunter education. A state that offers conceal-carry permits require that you successfully complete a gun safety course before being issued a conceal-carry permit.
Statistics
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In approximately 60 years, Missouri had 1 million students successfully complete the hunter safety course.
Texas estimates that each year, more than 30,000 citizens participate in the hunter safety program.
Hunting accidents result in 100 fatalities every year, and the hunting and gun safety courses are designed to reduce the number of these accidents.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit hunting image by glgec from Fotolia.com
