The NYS DEC is now allowing Hunter Education classes to resume in-person sessions. DEC will also continue to offer online courses.

Joe Viva, a Master Instructor of Hunter Education, recently held his first in-person Hunter Education class since the pandemic began. Joe said, “I am a proponent of the return of in-person courses. As a volunteer, I am not burdened by political, nor monetary motives. With few exceptions, most Hunter Education instructors teach to educate future hunters in making wise choices when hunting. The one element the online courses cannot duplicate is the experience in-person course instructors share with the students.”

David Bagley a Certified Hunter Education instructor stated, “In-person Hunter Education provides the new hunter with a hands-on experience that an online program just cannot duplicate. It also provides the opportunity to ask questions and get answers from someone with hunting experience, see the tools and implements first-hand and not on a monitor screen, learn to safely fire a firearm under the guidance of an instructor, proper and safe use of a tree stand and how to track game.”

Bagley also noted, there can be some disadvantages for both the instructor and the student. Instructors need time to be allotted to schedule, plan, pick up supplies, prepare the facility, clean up after class and enter results into the state's database as soon as possible.

Students may have a disadvantage by shuffling time to be able to attend all of the required sessions and complete the required homework prior to attending the in-person training.

Bagley concluded, “Hunter Education is a must, hunter and firearms safety is a must, recruiting new hunters regardless of age, ethnicity and gender is a must. We as a hunting and firearms community must do whatever it takes to keep this storied tradition and our inalienable rights for all of us both present and future.”

NJ Bans

Urine-Based Deer Lures!

New Jersey's Division of Environmental Protection has banned the possession, sale and use of all natural, deer-derived hunting lures that contain deer urine and glandular secretions, to prevent the threat of chronic wasting disease (CWD).

CWD has not yet been found in New Jersey, but it has in neighboring states of New York and Pennsylvania. The Division says it is doing everything in its power to prevent CWD from entering New Jersey's deer herd.

Have a Great Memorial Day Weekend!

Jack Danchak is a longtime sportsmen and spent 30 years as the President of the Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs of Sullivan County, Inc.