For hunters young and old, squirrel hunting is a great start to the season, as well as a perfect introduction to the sport. For many, a squirrel in the bag is the first wild game brought into the field with a rifle or shotgun. A successful first squirrel hunt is the culmination of discipline, patience, and a practical demonstration of firearm safety and marksmanship. It’s the beginning of a journey that develops hunting skills that lead to successful hunts of more challenging game species such as wild turkey and white-tailed deer.
Introducing my children to hunting was an intuitive process for me, having grown up in a hunting family myself. My father was my mentor for hunting and fishing. My brothers and I were very fortunate to have a father as a role model who guided us on the path to becoming competent and confident shooters and, above all, ethical athletes in all our outdoor activities. My father wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
The process of becoming a hunter should be a gradual, multi-step process. An important first step is to accompany an experienced hunter into the field just to observe and learn without the necessary worries of carrying a firearm and hunting. Wild game hunting is a serious activity that requires an understanding of ethics, conservation concepts and game management regulations. Days spent in the field with a good role model in this way create a better understanding of wildlife and habitat. It also creates a bond between the new hunter and the mentor. This connection is the key to the proper growth and development of a new hunter.
The next step is all about firearms safety training. Before new hunters take a firearm into the field, they will need proper firearms instruction from an experienced mentor or trained instructor. Most importantly, safe firearm handling requires conditioning and training to always keep the muzzle of the firearm pointed in a safe direction. Safe gun handling skills require discipline and control, as well as a level of emotional maturity.
There is a certain level of aiming skills that need to be practiced depending on the game being hunted. For example, hunting a squirrel with a shotgun is not the same as shooting a deer at 200 meters with a high-powered rifle. Practice on the shooting range is an essential component that cannot be overlooked.
Hunter Education Requirement
Safety is the primary focus of the Maryland Hunter Safety Course. Conservation, hunting laws, outdoor survival and game care are some of the topics covered. Hunting tips and hunting techniques and strategies are obtained from experienced hunter instructors, but the course is only an introduction. The development of a responsible and successful hunter is the duty of the mentor.
All new hunters must pass a hunter safety course before purchasing a hunting license. There are exemptions that allow qualified landowners to hunt on their own land without purchasing a hunting license. The hunter education and safety requirement applies to everyone who hunts in Maryland, even if they are exempt from the requirement to purchase a hunting license.
Traditional face-to-face course
The traditional classroom hunter safety course is provided free of charge by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. This class provides the most direct instruction from certified hunter education instructors. There is no minimum age to enroll in a traditional class, but the 50-question multiple-choice test is challenging for most students ages 10 and under. These courses are typically offered in the evenings and on weekends. They require a minimum of 10 hours of class time.
There are two options for enrolling in a Maryland hunter safety class: the traditional course and an internet-based course. Both courses require three main components to be successfully completed: a multiple choice test, live fire at a shooting range, and a field event. The field day includes a hunter safety trail where participants demonstrate safe gun handling skills using the training firearms provided. Live fire exercise uses either duty shotguns or .22 rifles or both under the direction of certified security officers. The safe handling of firearms is the main objective of the exercise with live fire instead of marksmanship.
Hunter safety online course
The Internet-based course costs $24.95. It is a service provided by a private company and not administered by the Maryland DNR. This course is available to students ages 13 and up. The online classroom component includes a multiple choice test that must be completed prior to registering for the required in-person field day. Successful online students receive a voucher to be used to register for a field workshop administered by the Maryland DNR. It is important to consider the availability of workshops before considering the option of online classes.
The field day event can last between 4 and 8 hours, depending on how each program is offered in the available places. A brief classroom component may include a review of hunting ethics, tree safety, and the safe handling of firearms. The field day portion includes a 50-question multiple-choice test, a hunter safety trail, and live fire at a shooting range.
hunting learner license
The only exemption to the hunter education requirement for a new hunter is the learner’s license. This license allows a new hunter to hunt with a licensed hunter who is at least 18 years old. The learner license requires successful completion of a short online hunter safety course prior to purchasing this license. The role of the mentor in this case is extremely important, as there is no formal safety training requirement for hunters.
The hunting learner license is a one-time purchase, valid for one year only. With this in mind, parents should consider age and maturity when purchasing a learner’s license for a young hunter. Successful completion of the Hunter Safety course is required to hunt the year following an apprentice year.
