By Eric Nuse, EVP International Hunter Education Association

What would you do to reduce the number of hunters in your state or province? As I went through this exercise, I realized that we are doing many of hese things right now. In this article I'd like to share my top barriers to hunting that we are currently inflicting on ourselves:

Let's look at my nine top barriers and flesh them out in a bit more excruciating detail. This time I'll add my modest proposals for breaking them down.

1. "Force people to commit time and energy to hunter education before they are ready. Don't even think about letting them try hunting before being licensed and trained."

The primary problem with hunter education is not what is taught or even how it is taught-it is when it is taught. For the youth coming from hunting families and hunting cultures, hunter education is not a barrier; it is an enhancer and actually helps recruitment. (Wentz, Seng 2000)

In most jurisdictions, the first step in being a hunter is to attend and pass a hunter education course. No problem for our hunting family wanna-be hunter. They already know all about hunting through tagging along, shooting airguns, and eating wild game. But our bird watching / urban person is interested but knows very little about hunting. "I have to what? How many nights and all day Saturday? Thanks, but no thanks!" The problem here is not hunter education per se. They will need and want the information and skills learned in the hunter education classes. The problem is, it is the wrong sequence of events for these folks. They need to know more about hunting and have a chance to try hunting before committing time and energy to a formal course.

Stages of Hunting Adoption - (based on attitudes & behaviors)

1. Awareness
2. Interest
   • Passive Interest - Might go if someone asks them
   • Active Interest - Seeks opportunities
     • Most agency hunter education programs intervene here
3. Trial
   • Suggested place to require hunter education
4. Continuation with Support
5. Continuation without active Support
6. Continuation as Proponent Hunter education instructors, conservation club leaders, etc.

(Adopted from Wentz & Seng 2000)

So what is the solution?

Some have suggested reducing the hunter education requirements or eliminating it as a mandatory course altogether. That would be throwing the baby out with the bath water. These new hunters need this information and skill sets as much or more than our traditional recruit. What they need is a way to "try" hunting. The plan I like best I call, the "Uncle Bob Plan." It would allow Uncle Bob to take an interested hunter small game hunting using a guest pass that comes with their hunting license. Uncle Bob accepts full responsibility for the actions of his guest and they share a bag limit between them. Uncle Bob has a vested interest in making it a safe, fun trip-and he has no advantage as far as being able to take more animals. If he wants to take another person out or do a follow up trip, Uncle Bob can purchase additional guest passes. There would be no age restriction for the guest, although you could restrict it to new hunters or lapsed hunters who haven't hunted in the last five years or so. (Byrne & Nuse 2003)

Many states already allow hunting without hunter education or a license for youth by exempting minor children of landowners, and youth under certain ages. I'm suggesting we formalize and expand it to older youth and adults.

The "Uncle Bob" strategy moves hunter education from a position of being a barrier to a position of helping the modern new hunter along the path to becoming a life-long hunter.

From the International Hunter Education JOURNAL Winter 2004