Laura Erbe, 2006 Essay Contest Winner
Laura Erbe
Why starting young in hunting helps to create a safer hunter in the future? Boy killed in hunting accident. Man accidentally shoots friend because of bad aim. Hunter falls out of tree stand. Cattle shot during deer season. Electric lines shot during dove season. Do these headlines sound familiar? Maybe it’s because people need to be taught hunting safety at an earlier age. Today, I am going to tell you why I think kids should start young in learning to hunt.
As soon as possible, you should have kids take lessons about safety. Correct hunting skills can teach kids good habits. It also teaches them responsibility. Rifle classes and hunter safety courses all teach them on thing no matter what; be responsible! Guns just require responsibility! These classes also teach you some good rules like being sure of your target; how to handle a rifle safety while in the field; how to identify game and how to hunt in a group. It also teaches them respect for the game animals being hunted. Another thing to do with a future hunter is have their dad take them hunting so they can practice these new hunting skills. Also, it’s a good way to spend time with your dad, which is fun. One more thing to do with a kid is to walk through the woods or fields and teach them to look for signs of game. Some things to look for are tracks, droppings and fur or feathers. With all of these opportunities to learn safety as a young hunter, we should have more safe hunters in the future. If you start young with safety, it usually sticks with them for the rest of their lives.
So, as you can see, it is a good idea to start young with future hunters. Not only does it promote good habits, it also teaches them responsibility. It also makes everyone safer when hunting. All these things will help you throughout the rest of your life.
