I wasn’t sure if my youngest son would ever be ready for Hunter Safety, let alone responsible enough to wield a loaded firearm. He’s just a free spirit, content to be the most junior Stockton.
But ever since his older brother passed Hunter Education, Logan has been making noises about wanting to join us when we go pheasant or antelope hunting. I gave him some tasks I wanted him to accomplish to show me he was mature enough to sit through the Hunter Ed classes, and once I explained he had to do them to get a crack at his Hunter Safety card, he did the chores without complaint.
That meant I had to get him signed up in Hunter Safety. I wasn’t able to find a class that would get him certified before the spring turkey season, but we did get into one that ended before the turkey season finished up. There’s still some season left, and after last weekend, Logan is a certified Hunter Ed graduate.
I couldn’t be more proud of my two boys. They both passed the course with flying colors, even though I had my doubts with both of them. They just don’t learn the same way I do. I have to write everything down and study like a madman, but both my boys just soaked it all up and spat it back out on the test.
While it was neat to see them getting a grasp on the laws and safety rules of hunting, I think the best part of sitting through the class with each of my boys was relearning a lot of the material myself. It’s amazing what we forget as time marches by, and having my kids go through the class gave me a chance to get a refresher, myself.
I recommend retaking Hunter Education every 10 years, or maybe even every five years. You might be surprised at what you’ll learn again.
