Validity of I.B.E.P. ?

[J_T]

IBEP is not about media or public perception. Most that take their CORE are youth, and it is often our first exposure to many hunting related topics. (granted nothing beats being mentored by Dad)

IBEP is about enhancing our skills as hunters.

If all hunters, who choose at some point to hunt with a bow, had an IBEP course behind them, they would likely make better choices in the field and enjoy a more rewarding encounter.

If IBEP were mandatory to using a bow, there would be less archery related enforcement issues, which would in turn reduce negative exposure we currently face.

If all bowhunters and prospective bowhunters took it upon themselves to secure an IBEP course, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

It isn't about whether it's mandatory or not, it's about enhancing skills that lead to a better experience. Now why would an outdoor sportsman not be interested in a simple 2 day course for a nominal fee?

FYI many jurisdictions require IBEP to bowhunt.

It isn't about creating more regulation that restricts hunter involvement.

[Will]

IBEP is about enhancing our skills as hunters.

If all hunters, who choose at some point to hunt with a bow, had an IBEP course behind them, they would likely make better choices in the field and enjoy a more rewarding encounter.

If IBEP were mandatory to using a bow, there would be less archery related enforcement issues, which would in turn reduce negative exposure we currently face.

If all bowhunters and prospective bowhunters took it upon themselves to secure an IBEP course, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

It isn't about whether it's mandatory or not, it's about enhancing skills that lead to a better experience. Now why would an outdoor sportsman not be interested in a simple 2 day course for a nominal fee?

FYI many jurisdictions require IBEP to bowhunt.

It isn't about creating more regulation that restricts hunter involvement.

I don't think anyone really sees it as another restriction on hunters...although I doubt yet another fee and course would help to encourage MORE beginner Hunters...many are already turned off by the courses we already have in place.

There is NO question many would benefit from taking such a course...yes it is about enhancing our skills and should be left to those that choose to do so.

Many Old timers faught the core as well...many took avenues to "challenge" the exam......How many Established long time Bowhunters do you think will line up to take this course ? I'd wager not as many as some think.

What Hunting in general needs is MORE exposure to the Public so it can come out of the shadows and once again become an excepted practise, just as it once was.

Promoting this course among BowHunters is without question a Novel idea and should be done.

However making it mandatory will likely repel more hunters then it attracts ! IMO.

[bsa30-06]

[quote=J_T;223685]IBEP is not about media or public perception.


If IBEP were mandatory to using a bow, there would be less archery related enforcement issues, which would in turn reduce negative exposure we currently face.

sounds like public perception.

[Onesock]

Bow Walker- Even with these few response on here, how many people care where people learn to bowhunt? Obviously not many!!!

[bsa30-06]

[quote=J_T;223685]
If all bowhunters and prospective bowhunters took it upon themselves to secure an IBEP course, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Whats wrong with having this discussion, i think its been a good discussion on the IBEP course and what people think about it being mandatory.My opinion is that making it mandatory and forcing people to take it or give up bowhunting is in no way going to help keep or attract new hunters.It is also my opinion that the course would be valuable tool to bowhunters, but not if it is crammed down there throats.

[bsa30-06]

It isn't about creating more regulation that restricts hunter involvement.

this is exactly what is going to happen if it is made mandatory.It will have to regulated , administered , bowhunting licences sold, this is all going to cost more money .

[huntwriter]

Hunter education and public perception of hunting are two subjects that I have spent many years researching. In the later case I am very active in promoting hunting to the average person on the road.

All the research about public perception and talking with the average person about hunting I never had experienced that the publics perception of our hunting heritage hinges on education. Therefore we can safely assume that more hunter education will not make one iota of difference in how the public perceives hunting and hunters.

By far the biggest influence on public perception is how the animal rights and anti hunters portray us in the public. Unlike hunters, animal rights leave no opportunity pass by to get their agenda to the media and they do so with great success because they understand the power of the media and how to manipulate them.
(I another thread Bow Walker was wondering if I made a typo by writing “manipulating”. No I did not, in order to get the attention of the media you have to manipulate them or call it coaxing if you will. Webster: “Manipulate” to manage or utilize skillfully.)

Irrefutable facts about hunters and hunting speak louder than the emotional charged arguments and fabricated statistics of the animal rights groups.

Surveys have shown that over 70% of the people have a favorable opinion of hunting. While 28% have no opinion one way or another. Only a very small but very vocal percentage has a negative opinion of hunting.

Hunters by far (millions) outnumber the animal rights.

Fact that we need to push and make a positive impression in public:

North America’s hunters and hunting economy generate 76 billion dollars and an additional 25 billion in taxes license fees. The hunting economy supports 1.6 million jobs. The lion share of these monies directly benefit wildlife and habitat conservation that can be enjoyed by everybody, including the animal rights. In addition, more than 80% of all hunters are active members of one or several wildlife and habitat conservation organizations, spending more money, time and man-hours in an effort to preserve natural habitat and wildlife resources.
On the other hand, animal rights organizations spend less than 0.2% of their millions on any kind of animal welfare and wildlife conservation programs.

Hunting and the shooting sport is one of the safest recreational activates to take part in. With 2% of fatal and non-fatal shooting related accidents per 1000 participants hunting and shooting is safer than tennis and – get this – ballroom dancing. It’s hard to believe because each time a hunter experiences an accident that involves a firearm the antis make sure the story is plastered internationally all over the news – Like I said elsewhere, we should learn from the antis how to use the media. On the other hand if a ballroom dancer falls and cracks his or her skull wide open on the slippery hardwood floor it barely will make the local newspaper headlines.

Hunters played a major role in the resounding wildlife restoration efforts of the whitetail deer, elk, grizzly bear and the American wild turkey to mention only few species.

It is these facts that, at least in my many years experience of promoting the hunting heritage, have made the biggest impact on the public. Never, in my experience, could I make the same impression by mentioning that hunters are a strictly controlled by law and in addition adhere or an ethical code of conducts endorsed by mandatory hunter education.

In all of these I am all for hunter education and promote it at every opportunity, but I am against mandatory hunter education.

American statistics (I could not find any reliable Canadian statistics, but we can safely assume it is more or less the same here) show very clearly that mandatory hunter education is one of the biggest hindrances in recruiting more hunters, especially in states where a mandatory hunter education plus a mandatory bowhunter education is required. The problem is not that hunters do not want to be eructated. The problem is the cost that is involved. This is understandable, if a person has to pay an average of $ 150 for a hunter education course and then another $ 100 or more for a bowhunter course before they even can go hunting or purchase hunting equipment then many will reconsider becoming a hunter.

The same statistics also show that in American states where hunter education is not mandatory and therefore cheaper new hunters will attend in great numbers the courses offered. The same holds true for states that offer hunter education programs in schools for free.

Do I see value in hunter education? Absolutely, otherwise I would not have been a hunter education instructor for many years in America and now in the process of becoming one here in BC. I see the value of hunter education because it gives me another tool to promote hunting and get more hunters into our ranks. Hunter education has value because it gives the student an insight into our heritage and makes him aware of what is required of hunters.

What hunter education cannot do is teach hunter ethics, it only can highlight them. You cannot teach a youth at the age of ten ethics in a 40+ hour course. Hunter education has had no influence on making hunting safer. Hunting always has been one of the safest activities. The reason that accident numbers have gone down is not because of hunter education but because hunter numbers have sharply declined over the last 20 years.

Once a hunter is out in the field it is up to him alone how he behaves and how he conducts himself. Hunter education cannot eliminate accident or undesirable behavior because education of any kind cannot eliminate the human factor.

If it could then the person that almost killed me many years ago by shooting an arrow at me from 25 yards would not have shot an arrow at me and to boost sit in MY treestand. That person should have known better than any other because he was a hunter education instructor of a reputable organization.

There was another case of a well known outdoor writer and bowhunter education instructor that was charged with poaching but before he could be arrested he fled the country to Africa where he operates an outfitting business and hasn’t returned since.

Finally, as hunters we need to get politically organized. Here we can take a slice from our friends to the south. In America hunters are well represented in the government by such reputable organizations as the Congressional Sportmen’s Foundation and the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, two organizations that fight aggressively for hunters rights in the halls of the White House and the U.S. Congress and are very successful at it too.

[J_T]

What hunter education cannot do is teach hunter ethics, it only can highlight them. You cannot teach a youth at the age of ten ethics in a 40+ hour course. Hunter education has had no influence on making hunting safer. Hunting always has been one of the safest activities. The reason that accident numbers have gone down is not because of hunter education but because hunter numbers have sharply declined over the last 20 years.

Once a hunter is out in the field it is up to him alone how he behaves and how he conducts himself. Hunter education cannot eliminate accident or undesirable behavior because education of any kind cannot eliminate the human factor.

Hunter education does exactly that. Improving One's skills through education is the key to adjusting ethics if ethics equals good decisions made while afield. IBEP will improve the bowhunter's decision making process. Thus, his ethics.

So you can teach ethics, by improving skills. You can reduce the occurance of poor decisions. To think otherwise likely undermines faith in society as a whole. Nonsense.

For those who have not taken an IBEP course. Just go take it, and then pass judgement on what should and what should not be.

[GoatGuy]

Hunter education does exactly that. Improving One's skills through education is the key to adjusting ethics if ethics equals good decisions made while afield. IBEP will improve the bowhunter's decision making process. Thus, his ethics.

So you can teach ethics, by improving skills. You can reduce the occurance of poor decisions. To think otherwise likely undermines faith in society as a whole. Nonsense.

For those who have not taken an IBEP course. Just go take it, and then pass judgement on what should and what should not be.

Hunting's a peer taught activity. Ethics will be taught by the kids dad not a course. Same applies to all professions and in every day life. Ethics are something that you carry around with you from day to day - the formed by your social support group, not a class on 'ethics'.

You can teach a minimum level of proficiency but you want if dad takes bad shots so too will the kid.

That's something hunting will always struggle with.

The real key is to increase the breadth of the social network and support group. That's how you get results.

Keep at 'er

[bsa30-06]

You can not thru any amount of hunter education, change an individuals ethics.Some things that one hunter finds ethical another may not.Ethics are the values of an individual,and everybody will have a slightly different set of values/ethics.If an individual has poor ethics and takes marginal shots i doubt that he is going to change his ways after taking the IBEP course.Once again i will say that i dont think the IBEP course is a bad thing , i just think that hunting is regulated enough and the addition of another mandatory course will only create more red tape to jump thru.