James' Hunting Journey

[santaman2000]

Currently at the library with my oldest grandson, James. He turned 16 this past Summer so he'll need a hunting license this season (prior to age 16 no license is needed) He'll have to finish a hunter safety course prior to being able to legally hunt alone (or at all after his 16th year) so he's online right now working on the academic portion So far he's completed the chapters on license and conservation, rifle hunting, shotgun hunting, muzzle loader hunting and is currently working on the pistol hunting chapter. The last chapter will be bow hunting. Then we print out his successful completion certificate and wait until his rang/skills day (I've already scheduled him for the next one near us on 3 December)

 

[santaman2000]

A small (ish) mistake on my part. The bit of the academic portion I described today was only Module 1. There are 3 more modules to go before he finishes the academic portion. We'll sign back onto the Florida FWC site tomorrow and work on another 2 modules.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Hope he does well Santaman.

 

[santaman2000]

He's done amazingly well so far. Particularly on the muzzle loader chapters considering he's never fired one yet.

 

[SoldierPalmer]

Shame no schemes like this run in the UK for hunting and fishing the amount of bad handling I come across is unreal especially for fish.

 

[Robson Valley]

Ah. The thirsty curiosity of youth. Such a qualification means a lot to the entire community.
I suppose James has been hunting already. Anything in particular?

I've come to sense that the rules for hunting and fishing in the UK are an extraordinary tangle.
How do you even know who's in charge? Of where?

Our fishing regs are going that way. It's so hard to figure out what I can and can't do any more.
Hunting is much less complicated for me. I hunt "upland game birds" so there's no tags.

 

[santaman2000]

Yes James has been hunting with me for a few years now. Mostly squirrel until last year when he was selected for the the Eglin (Air Force Base) youth hunt weekend. That included deer, feral hogs, and coyote.

 

[dwardo]

Great stuff. Good to hear he is learning the craft properly.

I have a close friend who will teach my boy the finer points of hunting. I am afraid his dads incessant need to whittle something or identify something will get in the way of serious hunting

Its good to know your limits

 

[Arya]

Lucky boy, growing up with a grandfather that takes him hunting!

I´m curious to what you hunt or in what type of hunting you do with a pistol?

 

[santaman2000]

You can hunt pretty much anything with a pistol that you'd hunt with a rifle. Especially if it's specifically configured for hunting

Most of that is well beyond anything I'll ever be capable of and the only things I've personally hunted with a pistol were squirrels and raccoons (and that was decades ago) Both with .22LRs. However I've known pots of hunters who carry a pistol as a back-up; particularly when hunting more dangerous game out west.

 

[santaman2000]

He took and successfully completed Module 3 today. Tomorrow we'll spend all day on the Thanksgiving feast and he'll spend the rest of the weekend with his cousins his own age. Hopefully Monday I'll get his momentum back up to finish the course.