Nebraskaland

NEBRASKAland August/September 2015

NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.

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Big Changes to Hunter Education By Cara Pesek our decades ago, fish and wildlife agencies across the United States first began offering hunter education classes. The concept originated to combat the high number of hunting accidents among those who had never been taught the basics of gun handling and safety. So in 1974, states began offering hunters classes in how to safely and responsibly handle firearms. Instructors also touched on conservation and the modern conservation model – in which revenue generated from the sale of hunting permits, firearms, ammunition, archery equipment and fishing tackle are used for projects designed to benefit fish and wildlife, ensuring that future generations would be able to hunt, fish and enjoy the great outdoors. Since that time, hunting accidents have declined significantly across the country, and the hunting public has been instilled with a sense of pride about its role in the conservation of America's wildlife and wild places. "Today our hunters are more educated than they ever were," said Jeff Rawlinson, education manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. "The hunter education program has been one of the most successful education programs that state fish and wildlife agencies have ever implemented." After 41 years, the program has evolved. What started as a classroom only experience has expanded to include an online home study course and field day, for example. They were popular options, ones that met the needs of a changing population with evolving learning styles. This year, Nebraska's hunter education program is evolving again. This summer, Nebraska Game and Parks has replaced the field day component of the home study course with a two- hour Hunt Safe session. The online class is designed to be completed over the course of six or eight hours, and students can work at their own pace as they have time. Game and Parks recommends that hunters age 15 and under complete the course with the help of a parent. Once completed, students attend a two-hour Hunt Safe session where a trained volunteer instructor will make sure they understand shoot/ don't shoot scenarios, equipment safety and tree stand safety. Also new this year, hunters ages 16 and older are able to complete their hunter education requirements online without any follow up. The traditional 10-hour classroom course will still be offered for those who learn best in a classroom setting, though the field day option will not. The new online course is intended as another option for busy families and young hunters used to learning in new ways. "Today, online is key, and that is where young hunters want to find their information," Rawlinson said. "They want it in short bursts. They want to be able to access it from their smartphone. We've continued to evolve the program to meet the needs of our new hunters." The new online course and Hunt Safe session offer many benefits, said Wendy Horine, hunter education coordinator for Nebraska Game and Parks. First is the convenience. Soon, Hunt Safe sessions will be available on a recurring basis in locations across the state, so hunters should have no trouble finding one that is convenient to them. Photographs and videos in the online class illustrate scenarios that sometimes were difficult to explain in a classroom setting. And students can save the hunter education manual to their smartphone and access it whenever they have a question. In recent years, many other states have also begun offering online hunter education courses, Rawlinson said. Initially, some worried whether an online course was as safe as a traditional classroom course, but data shows no increase in hunting accidents in states that offer hunter education online. "Safety is critical in the field," Rawlinson said. "We only are modeling these changes now because we've seen other states implement similar changes with great success." The changes will also allow for expanded education for hunters of all experience levels statewide. "A lot of these kids go through hunter education, and then they ask 'What's next?'" Horine said. She is hoping the implementation of the Hunt Safe sessions – which are Hunter education programs evolve to meet the needs of a changing population. F 48 NEBRASKAland • AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2015 JEFF RAWLINSON

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