Got my hunting license, without taking the safety class...

[brian]

I told him I'd sit through it so it doesn't look like a scene from Billy Madison. Two guys in their mid 20s with a bunch of 11-year-olds...

....and their dads. i was 25something when i did my time. felt like a dumbass the entire time. it takes the better part of a saturday, to get a card you don't need. but i don't regrett it.

it's good for a chuckle or two anyway.

teh guy was going over various cartiridges, about how teh caliber designation works ,and how they are, on a basic level, all the same.
he reached into a box and pulled out a .30-30, said "this a .30-30." then stood it on end on the table. you know like little more than a 1/4 of inch in diameter and maybe 2 1/2 inches long.
reached back in the box and pulls out a live(albeit a training rd) gau-8 rd and bangs it down on the table(the .30-30 toppled over). and said "this is a 30mm." you know 2 1/2 inches in diameter around the case and every of 16 inches long.
you could feel the pressure drop in the room as all the kids(and half the adults), sucked in a "hhhhhh..... wow."

[Buckmark.35]

[QUOTE=fingers80002;141189]

Yeah, like the guy who shot the 47 lbs. albino cub this year?


If I met him I'd say to his face " You don't deserve the privilege to hunt!"

I dunno. I'm not into shooting young animals... but how many chances do you have at an Albino bear? That we be a sweet animal to get mounted.

[str8shooter]

By signing the card you're stating you've had a previous license or have taken the class. I'd like to think my signature is still worth something and wouldn't do it even I didn't think I'd ever get caught. Also, by accidentally circumventing the system because someone who obviously isn't trained well enough to be issuing hunting licenses did not check your credentials doesn't automatically entitle you to the right to hunt. Doing so would be a slap in the face to the hundreds of thousands of hunters that took the hunter education course and earned the right to hunt in PA, as well as helped provide funding for hunter education for generations to come by paying the course fees.

Now I'll step down from my soap box and add that if sitting in a class with a bunch of preteens to be given a lesson in what's mostly common sense and common courtesy doesn't appeal to you, you should consider the independent study option. It allows students 17 and over to take the course either on-line, or with a study book for most of the course, and then go to a 2 hour on-site class for some hands-on education and the test. You can sign up on the PGC website and there's a test in Port Royal (not too far from H'burg) in March. Also, I'm not sure about PA, but in NY where I grew up there were only a few publically announced hunter safety courses advertised, but almost every gun club had courses every weekend throughout the fall and winter. Maybe you could call around and find one that's not published on the PGC website in your area.

The ethical thing to do is take the course. You probably won't make it out this deer season, but you'll be able to look your fellow hunter in the eye next year knowing you did the right thing, and because you raised the question in your OP about what to do, you seem to be the type who wants to be sure they're doing the right thing.

Best of luck

[str8shooter]

I dunno. I'm not into shooting young animals... but how many chances do you have at an Albino bear? That we be a sweet animal to get mounted

Sure, and where would we be if Yukon Cornelius decided to shoot a button buck with a shiney red nose just because he thought it would make a nice trophy?!? I never would have gotten my first shotgun if Santa didn't make it through the storm that year!

[SimonTuffGuy]

By signing the card you're stating you've had a previous license or have taken the class. I'd like to think my signature is still worth something and wouldn't do it even I didn't think I'd ever get caught. Also, by accidentally circumventing the system because someone who obviously isn't trained well enough to be issuing hunting licenses did not check your credentials doesn't automatically entitle you to the right to hunt. Doing so would be a slap in the face to the hundreds of thousands of hunters that took the hunter education course and earned the right to hunt in PA, as well as helped provide funding for hunter education for generations to come by paying the course fees.

Now I'll step down from my soap box and add that if sitting in a class with a bunch of preteens to be given a lesson in what's mostly common sense and common courtesy doesn't appeal to you, you should consider the independent study option. It allows students 17 and over to take the course either on-line, or with a study book for most of the course, and then go to a 2 hour on-site class for some hands-on education and the test. You can sign up on the PGC website and there's a test in Port Royal (not too far from H'burg) in March. Also, I'm not sure about PA, but in NY where I grew up there were only a few publically announced hunter safety courses advertised, but almost every gun club had courses every weekend throughout the fall and winter. Maybe you could call around and find one that's not published on the PGC website in your area.

The ethical thing to do is take the course. You probably won't make it out this deer season, but you'll be able to look your fellow hunter in the eye next year knowing you did the right thing, and because you raised the question in your OP about what to do, you seem to be the type who wants to be sure they're doing the right thing.

Best of luck

In PA, all of (or at least any that I've seen) the courses are given at no cost. And I didn't sign the license itself... I signed a sticker, that was later attached to the card. The person who gave me the license did not ask for anything other than my ID (and from what I've been told, most of the times after you're 18, they don't)...

I didn't read the back of the license until I was home and the license was already provided to me. I didn't know what needed to be done prior to getting the license (not that my lack of research means I should have been provided a license).

At any rate - since I think I've said it at least 4 other times, I do plan on taking the class.

[str8shooter]

In PA, all of (or at least any that I've seen) the courses are given at no cost. And I didn't sign the license itself... I signed a sticker, that was later attached to the card. The person who gave me the license did not ask for anything other than my ID (and from what I've been told, most of the times after you're 18, they don't)...

I didn't read the back of the license until I was home and the license was already provided to me. I didn't know what needed to be done prior to getting the license (not that my lack of research means I should have been provided a license).

I hope I didn't imply that I thought you did anything wrong. You were clear in your OP that it was an innocent mistake and the error was completely that of the wally world clerk. As far as the HTE course being free, that's good news. My kids will be taking the next one that rolls around my area and I was told there was a charge to help pay for the course materials and firearms the state buys to use during the class. I should verify these things before getting all preachy.

Happy hunting!

[SimonTuffGuy]

Thanks for clarifying...

Looking over the details, it does say that SOME places may charge you (as you said for the materials, etc.) - http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/v...a=461&q=153086

I had started taking the course when I was 13 and in MS... But I didn't go back after the first day (ours was like 2 hours a day, broken down over 5-6 days over a period of 2-3 weeks)...

I know the course that was just offered at our local archery store/gunsmith was free.

[str8shooter]

When I'm king of the world the HTE course will be offered in school right along side home ec. and shop class (excuse me, now called home and consumer science, lest anyone figure out son's are learning to cook and sew and our daughters are using a band saw). Of all the useless crap kids are forced to study, you'd think someone would have the common sense to want kids to learn about guns in a controlled educational environment. Did I say common sense? Where's my head at? Using politician logic, it's only a matter of time before some bleeding heart liberal says kids die in car accidents, so cars must be bad. Therefore, we shouldn't be spending tax dollars teaching our kids how use deadly devices like cars and put an end to driver's ed. There I go, getting back on that soap box again.

[Zef_66]

When I'm king of the world the HTE course will be offered in school right along side home ec. and shop class (excuse me, now called home and consumer science, lest anyone figure out son's are learning to cook and sew and our daughters are using a band saw). Of all the useless crap kids are forced to study, you'd think someone would have the common sense to want kids to learn about guns in a controlled educational environment. Did I say common sense? Where's my head at? Using politician logic, it's only a matter of time before some bleeding heart liberal says kids die in car accidents, so cars must be bad. Therefore, we shouldn't be spending tax dollars teaching our kids how use deadly devices like cars and put an end to driver's ed. There I go, getting back on that soap box again.

Not to get off track here, but I agree 100% about teaching HTE in our school. Especially since that is where I took mine. But I went to school way out in the sticks...haha...kinda. Anyway, I always thought that if they teach our kids sex ed to keep them safe and healthy. And even if the kids may not ever have sex, every kid still is required to take it. So why not teach gun education to keep our kids safe and healthy, even if the kid may never see or shoot a gun. But if they do, they will have the information they need to know how to operate, handle, load, unload, find the safety, decock, etc any gun they pickup.

Excellent points!!

[Buckmark.35]

Not to get off track here, but I agree 100% about teaching HTE in our school. Especially since that is where I took mine. But I went to school way out in the sticks...haha...kinda.

My wife went to school in Clearfield and they offered the safety course in school. I took mine at a local Sportsmen's Club (Mosquito Creeck Sportsman's Club, to be precice... which btw if you like to hunt Coyote, check them out.)

I really hope the fella who started this thread didn't sit out of hunting season this year because he didn't have the course. that would have been a waste. You have the license, so use it. Just don't shoot anyone wearing orange. I'm telling you that taking the course now would be a waste of your time. I can give you the course in this post.

1. Always treat the gun as if it's loaded
2. Know what's beyond your target.
3. Read the hunting Annual to stay on top of changes made to hunting regulations.

That's about the gist of it.