Cost of hunters safety class (how much, live, law)

[inthetrees]

Anyone taken hunters safety in the last few years? I know its not expensive, however I would like to take the class with my brother in law and don't have any idea how much it cost.

Seems after calling around I might be too late this year, most my "local" classes are full. Then again I havent checked ones that are the last week of this month yet. I understand basic gun safety well, however I never took an official hunters safety class.

[Maineguy04654]

30 to 100 bucks depending on where you take it. Have you had a hunting license in another state? If so you can bypass the stupid class and use that.

[Maine Writer]

My daughter's class was $10 last year. The archery hunter safety class I took earlier this year was free.

In case anyone needs the class: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife - Firearms Hunter Safety Courses (Firearms)

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by inthetrees

Anyone taken hunters safety in the last few years? I know its not expensive, however I would like to take the class with my brother in law and don't have any idea how much it cost.

Seems after calling around I might be too late this year, most my "local" classes are full. Then again I havent checked ones that are the last week of this month yet. I understand basic gun safety well, however I never took an official hunters safety class.

mainewriter has a good pulse on this,,,,and good for you for wanting to take one, alot of topics are covered- from getting lost, to handling your rifle/shotgun

i know many who have taken the class and are glad they did,,

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

mainewriter has a good pulse on this,,,,and good for you for wanting to take one, alot of topics are covered- from getting lost, to handling your rifle/shotgun

i know many who have taken the class and are glad they did,,

Just to chime in from MD as a Hunter Safety Instructor here. What I quoted is correct: the main focus of the course is safety, from firearms to not getting lost to water safety to ATV safety. The course for the states is pretty much standardized across the US. The certificate issued for successful completion is good in all 50 states.

We charge $5 for the course.

[Maineguy04654]

The issues I have are that if all are required to take said class then why are hunters required to wear orange during deer season. A good hunting class will teach how to use a compass to shelters to firearm safety. We get all kinds of flatlanders lost up here in the woods every year. If you can not even figure out where you are in the wood then you shoudl not be there. That said the limited education offered by the class is better then nothing for many who take it. I myself even took the class MANY years ago when I lived in MD as it was a requirement to hunt on FT Mead property.

[inthetrees]

for anyone keeping track.... the class cost me and the brother in law 12$ each, it would have been 5, however we are not a resident of the town it is being held in, or a neighboring town so we have to pay an extra $7.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Maineguy04654

The issues I have are that if all are required to take said class then why are hunters required to wear orange during deer season. A good hunting class will teach how to use a compass to shelters to firearm safety. We get all kinds of flatlanders lost up here in the woods every year. If you can not even figure out where you are in the wood then you shoudl not be there. That said the limited education offered by the class is better then nothing for many who take it. I myself even took the class MANY years ago when I lived in MD as it was a requirement to hunt on FT Mead property.

Because hunter/blaze orange is not a color found naturally. Even the safest hunter can make a mistake and the orange cuts down on accidents. Sorry, that's the stats. I started hunting prior to the requirement and remember the old Bean dark red/black hunting coats.

We set up a turkey hunting scenario where even the majority of experienced hunters can't pick out the camo'd hunter in the background.

[Maineguy04654]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Because hunter/blaze orange is not a color found naturally. Even the safest hunter can make a mistake and the orange cuts down on accidents. Sorry, that's the stats. I started hunting prior to the requirement and remember the old Bean dark red/black hunting coats.

We set up a turkey hunting scenario where even the majority of experienced hunters can't pick out the camo'd hunter in the background.

You are correct it is NOT found in nature. I also agree many experienced hunters can not spot a person hidden in the woods. However the point was that a hunter knows NOT to shoot unless he can identify what his target is and what lies beyond. Thus negating the need for hunter orange. IE here in Maine we do not have to wear it while hunting yotes or turkeys. So if you are not required to wear it at all times while hunting again what is the point. Also during deer season you can set up a blind and sit in a camo blind so what is the point. Again just a law made to try to regulate STUPID people..

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Maineguy04654

You are correct it is NOT found in nature. I also agree many experienced hunters can not spot a person hidden in the woods. However the point was that a hunter knows NOT to shoot unless he can identify what his target is and what lies beyond. Thus negating the need for hunter orange. IE here in Maine we do not have to wear it while hunting yotes or turkeys. So if you are not required to wear it at all times while hunting again what is the point. Also during deer season you can set up a blind and sit in a camo blind so what is the point. Again just a law made to try to regulate STUPID people..

Oh, ok. I didn't see where you were going. And you're right. Here we have to have orange near a ground blind for deer, tied to a tree or something, during regular firearms season. We're shotgun only. I will sometimes put some up near my ground blinds when goose hunting, a lot of people can't tell the difference between decoys and real geese.

We also have to wear orange when squirrel/quail/rabbit hunting.

The reality that a lot of even experienced hunters shoot at noise or movement without knowing what they're shooting at. I will say, though, that hunting has become safer over the last 20 or 30 years as far as mistaken for game shooting goes, Spring Turkey is still problematic.