If there’s one takeaway I could say I learned from my hunter education course is that there is much more to hunter safety than I thought. I thought the only rule of hunting was “Don’t point at anything you don’t want to shoot.” There is a lot more to know to be a safe and reliable hunter.
I took the state-mandated hunter education course at LRSC with Rick Jorgenson leading the class. An experienced hunter in Devils Lake, he is probably the best kind of teacher you could have. He hammers into the students why hunter safety is important. He gave us consistent reminders of “A CHUM SPORT” which is a necessity to memorize. We learned that a good hunter makes a clean, painless kill. As well, we learned about respecting landowners, the environment, and so much more.
During the class, we were provided the hunter education manual which Jorgenson went over in great detail. We were encouraged to do the quizzes in the manual which definitely can educate prospective hunters. Jorgenson made the class informative and fun to attend. Jorgenson, with his teaching assistant Jose, had an optional live fire class, which may have been the class I was looking forward to the most. As someone who has never touched a real rifle, let alone fired one, this hands-on experience eased me into my initial anxiety over shooting a firearm.
For experienced hunters and for those looking to start off hunting, I cannot emphasize how important it is to learn the rules and safety of hunting. Even though it is required by law, knowing how to hunt safely and respectfully is a must. Under Jorgenson’s tutelage, I was able to pass the final exam and get my hunter education certificate. Thanks to his teaching, I know I will be able to be a responsible and safe hunter.
I look forward to my first hunt this year.
