Hunter Education and Outdoor Participation

December 20, 2018

The only way to curb the decline in hunters across the country is to get youth involved in the outdoor lifestyle and bring new or former adult outdoorsmen and women into the fold, as well. The statistics are very revealing, it’s estimated that only 5% of the population across the country hunts. Even more amazing is the fact that those 5% of people contribute nearly 60 percent of the funding for wildlife agencies across the country with their purchases of licenses, ammunition, firearms and more. A thriving hunting culture and population is important, not just to keep the lifestyle alive, but also to take care of natural resources – the wildlife and the great outdoors we all love.

So, how do we accomplish this? It all starts with education, opportunity and good outdoor mentors. Joshua Peters is the Community Resource Officer for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Police in Kansas and he knows about this effort. He joins The Revolution this week to talk hunter education classes and advocating for outdoor participation.

Joshua talks about the Hunter Education class he led recently where he instructed more than 30 kids, helping them pass and get their hunter education certificates. With kids as young as 11, nineteen participants 17 years old and younger, and eight young female attendees - the classes are diverse. Josh emphasizes how important it is to encourage not only youth participation in the outdoors, but also female involvement as well. Statistics show that women make up the fastest growing segment in hunting, shooting and firearm ownership and, as such, they have a lot to contribute when it comes to conservation.

Hunter education is state mandated, however it’s much more than just a required weekend class where you get a certificate if you pass. These classes really do teach important fundamentals like shooting skills, hunting skills, firearm and general hunting safety, woodsmanship skills, survival techniques, the responsibility and ethical standards hunters need to live by and so much more! Joshua highlights some of the activities he set up for the field portion of the hunter education course where they taught kids how to safely cross fences and even used deer decoys to illustrate the difference between safe shooting scenarios and dangerous ones. Hunter education isn’t just for kids, adults are required to have certificates as well and Joshua notes that by getting adults outdoors it’s easier to get kids outdoors. Furthermore, an outdoor active lifestyle also encourages physical fitness. The health benefits of being outdoors are a bonus!

Be sure to tune in as Joshua Peters, Community Resource Officer for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Police in Kansas, shines a light on the importance of introducing people to the outdoors.

Become an outdoor mentor and pass on the lifestyle!

Trav

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Travis Ferguson

Trav is a small town kid driven by hunting, fishing, rock/honky-tonk music, cold beer and his wife and kids. Being raised in a rural area surrounded by wildlife and lacking the luxurious amenities of big city life might be challenging to some; however, to Trav, it was an utter blessing. From his inception on, Trav has spent his life outdoors, he was taught at a very young age to hunt and fish and over the years these skills have molded him into a self-sufficient outdoorsman that strives to live a sustainable and God fearing lifestyle. When Trav isn’t behind the mic he’s either in the woods or on the water sharing his passion and love for the outdoors with his family and friends. So, don't bother searching for him online and you couldn’t pay him to own an iPhone, but let me reassure you of this: If there’s hunting and fishing, cold beer on tap and shaving isn’t required, he’s certainly not too far. What you see is what you get with Trav and to sum him up is simple, he doesn’t ask for a lot and he’ll never need much, a rifle, a bow, the love of his good looking wife and to be all that his children will ever need!

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