Hunter Safety Class

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The only hunting I've ever done was as a child, when my dad made me go out and shoot ground squirrels that were digging up the land, or blackbirds that he has never liked. I hated it. Well, let me clarify - I loved every part of if up do the actual point of bullet entry into the animal, and it's subsequent injury or death, depending on my accuracy.

I love meat. I'm no hypocrite. I have no problem with hunters - those who do their best to avoid animals suffering and who are considerate of others. I have participated in the butchering of animals myself.

The only thing different about me is that I do not consider it a sport. I consider it a necessary evil that, if necessary, I will do to feed my child. I get no pleasure from the death of anything and, I don't consider it sporting to cause death. Hunting is a beautiful drive and day at the grocery store meat department where I save money by doing the kill and butchering myself.

Many wonderful people disagree with me and that's OK. Hunting is perfectly acceptable to God and it's legal. I just don't like to do it myself. I'd be like the Indians - going up to the creature and apologizing and thanking it, probably with tears in my eyes.

All that being said, if my son desires to do so, he has my full support. And I myself aim to be able to defend myself when necessary, as Michael needs to be.

I grew up with guns in the house and using guns on our farm or ranch. I want Michael to be familiar and comfortable with them as well. He needs to have those skills, and he does, from target shooting. But I wanted him to have a gun safety class.

And that's now we accidentally ended up at a Hunter Safety class. I thought we were being offered a gun safety course when I signed up. :oP

But it was fun, interesting, and we learned a lot.

We were able to cover a week's course in two days and over half the class were of the female persuasion. Most of us knew one another and many of us were home schoolers. One family is vegetarian.

We did 11 hours of classroom instruction, with a short bathroom break each hour.





Much fun -









Don't forget the knitting for down time. That's right next to Leah's Beretta. I brought mine, but left it in the car when I realized how much studying was involved. Not a lot of down time.





Michael, asking the instructor if he could go on a hunt.





Some of the younger crowd getting hands on instruction of differing guns and identification of gun parts.





This was a 'cute' little rifle.





Much snacking occurred, as we did not have lunch or dinner breaks.





A set of young ladies coming up for their turn.





I don't think Angie had ever touched a gun before. She did great!





Kasie hadn't either.





Good friends.





A gift for the instructor, his choice of turkey callers.





We headed out to put in the required shooting for completing the course. The farm of one of the participants.





Shooting skeet. Michael had done this before and done well, but it was really nice to get additional instruction and try out several different guns.





Look at that smile. That's from a vegetarian who has never shot a gun before. He is thoroughly ready for a hunt. I asked, "What will you do with the meat?" Answer... "Give it to you!"

Coolness.





Look at Donna's shell casing fly!





The peanut gallery. Or, our wonderful hosts.





Go Nate!





My friend, Barb. Bad girls of the Bible poster girl? LOL





Leah, firing off her Beretta for the first time.





Michael, firing off a .357 Magnum for the first time.





Everyone in the class passed the test, requiring 75% score. The instructor said if he could get this many girls signed up for class every time, he'd have no trouble getting young men into hunting.

It was fun, but exhausting, two fulls days. We didn't get a lot of rest or work done otherwise. Michael is likely going to go on his first turkey shoot in a couple of weeks. I am hoping for venison soon! Grass fed, and only the charge for cut and wrap.

Coming from a place with much less foraging for deer, I was shocked to hear of the limit for deer here. 3 does and 1 buck a day! In Ca. does were off limits, except for a 2 week period once a year, and the limit was one, I believe. As for bucks, I believe it was 3 a year total.

Wow!
Any hunters out there?

~Faith

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