B.C govt no longer requires CORE training for novice hunters

[coffeeFreak]

Hunter aghast at decision to delay training for beginners

BY IAN AUSTIN, THE PROVINCE JANUARY 24, 2014

Hunter Phil West nearly fell out of his chair when he read in The Province that the B.C. government no longer requires young hunters and novice hunters to take safety training.

In a bid to boost the numbers of hunters in B.C., the government quietly announced that youth hunters aged 10 to 17 and adults new to hunting would no longer need to take the CORE (Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education) training.

"These changes will give youth and other new hunters an opportunity to find out if they enjoy hunting," Forests and Lands Minister Steve Thomson writes in the government's Hunting and Trapping Synopsis 2012-14, "before requiring them to go through the time and monetary commitment of taking hunter safety training."

West takes a dramatically different view.

"ARE THEY INSANE?!" he wrote The Province.

"Giving a hunting licence to someone with no training or education in the sport and sending them into the forest with a loaded rifle! Why do you require a test before you're allowed to drive a car? Why not put them in the seat of a jet plane to see if they like flying while they're at it?" Reached at his workplace in Langley, West explained: "I was pretty steamed when I wrote that."

West said he hunts three or four times a year, bagging a deer sometimes, or some grouse or a rabbit. The idea that he'll be sharing the woods with untrained kids as young as 10 scares the hell out of him.

In a statement, the Forests and Lands Ministry said junior and novice hunters must be accompanied by a hunter who has completed mandatory safety training.

Citing two changes to the Wildlife Act in 2013, it said: "The first expands the definition of a youth ('junior') hunter from the previous 10 to 13 year age range to 10 to 17 years. The second creates an 'initiation licence' - a onetime-only opportunity for an adult who wants to try hunting, after which they would have to qualify for an adult hunting licence."

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http://www.theprovince.com/Hunter+aghast+decision+delay+training+beginners/9424361/story.html

[Buckeye19]

Very misleading title and story. Par for the course with this type though. The youth license always allowed kids 10-13 to hunt without the CORE course under the direct supervision of a licensed hunter. The only change is that it is now 10-17 and a one time new hunter license for any male/female who wants to try hunting. Again, under the direct supervision of a licensed hunter who has passed the CORE course.

Hunting can be an expensive endeavour to get into and this allows people to see if they enjoy it before investing a lot of time and money into the courses required to hunt.

As for owning a firearm, a person has always needed a license for that. Nothing changing here.

This is a great step taken by the Province which will hopefully see many people become licensed hunters because of it. Phil West's comments carry no weight.

[coffeeFreak]

Thanks Buckeye19 for the clarification!

[KL3-Something]

I still think that the CORE should be required to youth hunters (the 14-17 year olds) unless they want to hunt on their accompanying adult's tags.

As for adults getting a shot at trying it out without taking the course, I think the concept is good. But unfortunately the same government hasn't seen fit to put enough COs out there to check to make sure these guys are actually being accompanied. I have taken adults with me out there who have had an interest in getting into hunting. And even where they have the most honest of intentions they simply haven't had the knowledge to make decisions on their own (i.e. Proper species identification). But on the up side most have gone on to take the CORE and take up hunting.

If the government wants the money they need to ensure the right checks and balances are in place (I won't hold my breath on that one)

[Buckeye19]

They still have to hunt on their accompanying supervisors tags. Thus, not able to hunt on their own. This is nothing but positive news.

[Rwede]

They still have to hunt on their accompanying supervisors tags. Thus, not able to hunt on their own. This is nothing but positive news.

Correct.

This Phil West guy likely thinks a 12 year old kid will shoot "his deer."

What Phil West doesn't understand is anything to do with the rules surrounding this initiative.

This change is great news, as it gives kids a chance to try hunting to see if they like it before they invest much time and money getting through their courses and gearing up to go.

Phil West doesn't realize it, but the more people we have buying hunting licenses and tags and spending money to go hunting, the more money we have to manage the game populations and do habitat enhancement work. Over the long term, that means that Phil West will have a better chance to put a deer in his freezer.

[Buckeye19]

Correct.

This Phil West guy likely thinks a 12 year old kid will shoot "his deer."

What Phil West doesn't understand is anything to do with the rules surrounding this initiative.

This change is great news, as it gives kids a chance to try hunting to see if they like it before they invest much time and money getting through their courses and gearing up to go.

Phil West doesn't realize it, but the more people we have buying hunting licenses and tags and spending money to go hunting, the more money we have to manage the game populations and do habitat enhancement work. Over the long term, that means that Phil West will have a better chance to put a deer in his freezer.

Phil West sounds like a certain someone who attends the Region 8 meetings and is always pushing for an end to youth seasons (amongst others) and an implementation of bow-only seasons. Can't have kids shooting "their deer".

[bob vernon]

These changes don't mean a lot. With many Conservation officers being "centralized", there's hardly any risk in hunting without a license. The Revelstoke officer is being moved to an office in Golden. How often do you think he'll be on the Okanagan side of the Monashees?

[Buckeye19]

These changes don't mean a lot. With many Conservation officers being "centralized", there's hardly any risk in hunting without a license. The Revelstoke officer is being moved to an office in Golden. How often do you think he'll be on the Okanagan side of the Monashees?

Someone hunting without a license is a poacher. We're not talking about the same thing. These changes do mean a lot. It's a great way for people unsure if they enjoy hunting a chance to experience it before making a significant commitment of time and money. They will be able to go out with someone who can show them the ropes which in turn will hopefully lead to an influx of new hunters in BC.

[twobits]

Someone hunting without a license is a poacher. We're not talking about the same thing. These changes do mean a lot. It's a great way for people unsure if they enjoy hunting a chance to experience it before making a significant commitment of time and money. They will be able to go out with someone who can show them the ropes which in turn will hopefully lead to an influx of new hunters in BC.

These changes are definitely positive. Part of the urban deer problem can be traced directly to the decline in hunting. Just a few decades ago every fall it was common to hear conversation in neighbourhoods and work places "Have you got your deer yet?" Pretty rare now. Regular and extended Doe season in certain areas would help as well. Time investment in finding that "Buck" probably frustrates many away from hunting.

[Rwede]

Phil West sounds like a certain someone who attends the Region 8 meetings and is always pushing for an end to youth seasons (amongst others) and an implementation of bow-only seasons. Can't have kids shooting "their deer".

LOL! I don't think he goes to R8 meetings anymore, as the people at R8 meetings are truly concerned conservationists who understand the science of game management and the importance of introducing youth and new hunters to conservation activities.

He just snipes from the sidelines on HBC once in a while. ;)

[Rwede]

These changes don't mean a lot. With many Conservation officers being "centralized", there's hardly any risk in hunting without a license. The Revelstoke officer is being moved to an office in Golden. How often do you think he'll be on the Okanagan side of the Monashees?

We can always use more COs, that's a given. However, with the east side of the Okanagan going back to Region 4 management now, resources are being re-deployed to more strategic marshalling points. The Monashees will be patrolled just as much as they are now.

Regulations aren't written with an exasperation about enforcement: the law is the law, and is designed with conservation and some social aspects in mind. It would be like saying there's no use having speed limits in school zones because some people speed anyway - I don't think that would be a good way to view it.

[bob vernon]

How many Conservation Officers are there in BC? I've been digging around the Government of BC site and can't find that information. I did find a newspaper story that did say that there were 152 in 1995, and 115 in 2005. Where are we now?

I do know one guy. Not a friend, just an acquaintance, who was caught in violation of hunting laws years ago and also fishing laws later. It hasn't deterred him. I hope there really is some patrolling between Vernon and the Monashees.