Quote Originally Posted by ham385 View Post
Not trying to start an argument here, but I disagree. The tricky thing about killing people is to not shoot your buddy by accident, or civilians for that matter. Firearms safety is a big part of weapons training, and indiscretions are dealt with swiftly and almost brutally by the chain of command.

As far as fairness goes, you gave up 8 hours to sit through a class. Over the course of my 6 years I gave up a week in basic training, one day/year for qualification, a month of MOUT training, as well as countless hours of rehearsals, and more time than I want to think about doing it for real. All of this involved situational awareness, knowing your target and what is beyond, and muzzle awareness, which I rarely see from someone who just took a hunter safety course.
Hunter safety is a small part of the course. It also teaches you the laws of the state. The different types of hunting and how they are done. It goes over different animals in the state and what is legal for them. Yes safety is the upmost important, but the course offers more than that.
Hunting is totaly different than military shooting. Different tactics , different guns , different "game". My father had a term for guys that just bought a gun and went out to the woods and "hunted". He use to call them "kmart hunters" all they did was buy what they saw on tv and just went to the woods thinking they were going to kill a deer.
Im not saying your not an experienced hunter ,just saying this for those that dont know.

I took this course last year. I have been hunting since I was 12 years old and am now 36. I took it because I had never purchased a PA license and it was "required". I have probably taken a half of dozen hunter courses over my life and sppent time in the military and the police academy, but I took the one up here because it is required and it is great information for you if you have never hunted in PA.