Hunting for Lessons

Sometimes when you follow the interests of your children, you end up in very strange territory. Currently, we are studying the Northeast Hunter Education Manual. I know it seems like an odd line of study, but this is where we have been led. We began being led a long time ago thanks to a Boy Scout camp BB gun range. DS’s marksmanship impressed the range master. From there we joined the local range and both kids took shooting lessons. They have both now been shooting competitively for three years. DS was even named as an honorable mention member of the State rifle team this year.

Two years ago, the boy that I only thought would shoot an animal with a camera went hunting for the first time with friends of ours. Last year, they actually got a deer (more like our friend got the deer and my son was present). This year, he will turn 12 and be eligible to hunt himself: thus, the Northeast Hunter Education Manual. The sportsman club that my husband is a member of is sponsoring the course for free, but it is put on for people of all ages, so we are getting some pre-course studying done to help the kids to be prepared. The funny part is Mrs. Not Hunter herself is reviewing the book with them. I have only held a gun twice in my life. On the positive side though, the course has required READING, quite a bit of MEMORIZATION, and SCIENTIFIC information about habitats and animal conservation. There are GRAPHS to read and VOCABULARY to familiarize yourself with. To ease my mind, there is plenty of safety review. So, we will review the book in advance and then the kids will take a two day course. I’m not sure if I’m rooting for them to pass or not. This is a new realm for me.

So needless to say I’m getting lessons in, they’re following their interests, and we’re both getting yummy venison.