Preparing for the Hunt

With summer hikes, boating, camping, family vacations and swimming all starting to wrap up, it means it’s time to start focusing on the next big outdoor season in North Idaho – fall hunting season. Unit One from Priest River, Sandpoint and Clark Fork north to the Canadian border offers excellent opportunities for stalking birds like grouse, pheasant, dove, quail and turkey as well as big game opportunities for deer, elk, moose, goat, mountain lion, bear and wolf.

Long time North Idaho hunters are already deep into scouting areas they want to target this fall. Many will set up cameras along game trails to get a glimpse of what is moving around in their favorite areas. Hunting camp preparations are made, meals are planned, warm clothing is packed and of course plenty of beverages are stowed away in hopes of celebrating another successful trip. For the first timers and sons and daughters going into the woods with mom and dad, it’s a very special time. For many, it is less about the hunt itself but rather about passing down a passion and teaching a skill that was given to them by their parents and grandparents. Most tags and permits are easy to come by, but it’s also important to remember that any Idaho resident born on or after January 1, 1975 will need hunter education certification.

While rare, hunting accidents seemingly happen each and every year, and sometimes with devastating results. Hunter education classes are in place not just to teach hunters safety while around firearms, but about their surroundings as well. Courses are broken down into several categories that include: knowing your firearm, basic shooting skills, basic hunting skills, primitive hunting equipment, being a safe hunter, being a responsible and ethical hunter, preparation and survivor skills and understanding wildlife. Participants are taught by Idaho Fish and Game employees and across the state more than 1,200 volunteers who are experienced and licensed hunters.

One such local organization is the Bonner County Sportsmen. Volunteers teach both rifle and archery classes at the Leo Hadley Range located at 1114 Lake Street in Sandpoint. Classes are held the last full week of each month, February through September from 6:30pm to 9:00pm, with an optional Saturday class that includes the live shooting portion of instruction. Schedules for additional live classes can be found by contacting the local Idaho Fish and Game office. As with other educational opportunities, you can also do some of your coursework online.

The website, www.hunter-ed.com/idaho, offers online instruction as well as study guides, all approved by Idaho Fish and Game. You must be at least 10 years old to take the course and don’t have to be an Idaho resident to be certified. Cost is $24.50 and is only paid once you pass the course. The convenience of learning on your own time and helping your children at home is a favorite of many parents, however Idaho Fish and Game strongly recommends in-person education for children between the ages of 9 and 14. Once the online portion is completed, hunters will still need to attend a field day in order to complete the certification. This four to six hour outdoor class includes shooting, blood trailing, demonstrations on tree stand safety and wilderness survival techniques. New hunters interested in archery can also take a combo class that gets them certified in both rifle and archery.

As with just about anything in life, the sooner you sign up, the better your chances of completing the course in time for this season. Waiting until the last minute to find a course puts added pressure on the volunteer instructors who are also trying to get into the woods as well. If classes are already filled up and you’ve already planned your child’s first trip, there is a one time exemption you can take advantage of called the Hunting Passport. The Hunting Passport allows a child 8 and older to try hunting with a licensed adult without their hunter education certification and the cost is only $1.75. Idaho Fish and Game says the program is in place to allow a beginning hunter to experience hunting before committing to the coursework to complete hunter education. The person on the passport must be with the licensed hunter at all times, and the passport can only be used one time.

On the national level, kids’ participation in hunting and fishing is starting to see a drop. If parents don’t show interest in these outdoor activities, children often don’t follow. Luckily, here in North Idaho there are many passionate sportsmen and conservation groups dedicated to keeping our children interested in exploring the forests that surround our communities. Finding a trophy can take months of preparation and years of practice, but trophy hunting isn’t what it’s all about. Hunting is about camaraderie, nature, exhilaration and escaping our day-to-day lives for a short while. It’s a skill we can teach our sons and daughters to provide food for their families, and to respect the woods and everything that dwells within. It’s a skill that requires continual awareness of your surroundings in order to ensure everyone has a good time and comes home safely. If your child is ready to try hunting, remember to get them signed up for hunter education so you can be by their side when they fill their first tag.

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