Topic: A bit of a rant

[MarkinIdaho]

I'm not sure where else to put this... so if this isn't the right spot, please feel free to move it, Jeff.

Last night I took my son to his first hunter's ed class.  My wife also registered to get some basic familiarity with firearms, although she has no interest in hunting.  All the Boise classes were full when we went to register, so we ended up going to Nampa.  What a disappointment.  It was nothing like the experience I had when I was a kid.  The lead instructor was rude (to adults and kids) and truly had no clue how to "teach."  At times he thought he was being "cute" - I thought otherwise.  He also intimidated several of the kids - not exactly what you want to happen when you are trying to pass on an enjoyable past-time.  My wife was certainly not impressed and I was suprised when she didn't jump down his throat for being so rude.

I know Fish and Game is hurting for volunteers to teach, but just because they are warm and breathing doesn't make them qualified teachers.  He may have had a passion for hunting and weapons, but he simply should not be leading a class.  Two other gentlemen were there.  One was getting on in years - seemed knowledgable, but it was obvious he was past his teaching prime.  The other guy that was there seemed very knowledgable and should have been leading the class, but for some reason wasn't.  I think he was new to the program and was there to "help."

I know Fish and Game now has different options for the classes, including a home study class and an online version.  I may switch him over to the home study class and I'll "enhance" it myself with hands on stuff.  He'll then have to do a "field day" to complete the course.  I thought having an instructor would be a good thing, but this definately wasn't.  I'm sure other instructors are not this way - we just were lucky enought to get a bad apple.

Ok - rant over.  Carry on. 

[Hubby_MC]

A few years ago I attended hunters safety with my oldest son, the instructor in garden city was EXCELLENT, I mean this guy was great. He was an ex-marine and he knew marksmanship, he was also an old hunter and he passed on tips and information I had never heard before. I was really really glad I attended. Two years later, I took the same course with my younger son. Again in garden city, the instructor was very past his prime. He couldnt formulate complete sentences, forgot what he was talking about, and we ended up just teaching our boy what he needed to know to pass.

Two bits the same as a dozen I guess. Better luck next time!

[agunforeachhand]

Now this isn't always correct but sometimes a father is the best teacher. MarkinIdaho why don't you teach him then ,with the online course and then prep him for the field day? Plus you would get excellent father -son time. My dad doesn't shoot or hunt, but he fishes and I enjoy the times I go fishing with him always. Except when we are fly fishing ( because I suck at it) JMO

[MarkinIdaho]

Now this isn't always correct but sometimes a father is the best teacher. MarkinIdaho why don't you teach him then ,with the online course and then prep him for the field day? Plus you would get excellent father -son time. My dad doesn't shoot or hunt, but he fishes and I enjoy the times I go fishing with him always. Except when we are fly fishing ( because I suck at it) JMO

That's exactly what we've decided to do.  He's a smart kid and the testing won't be a problem.  He'll probably power through the content in a day, and remember it all.  BTW, I called F&G to talk about our options.  The woman I talked to, who I know, said, "The online course is harder.  Some kids have problems with it and passing the test."  As far as I'm concerned, if it's harder, then all the better.

Fly fishing??  That takes far too much coordination... I suck at it too!!

[Norton1]

Fly fishing - we were at our new compound on China Beach and I had bunker duty for 90 days. Sweeeett! Drink beer during the day and guard the perimeter at night. Not bad duty from where we'd been.

Then one morning I'm sitting on top of my bunker getting some rays when I see something moving out on the water. WAY out on the water. I grab my field glasses and look and there lazily swimming around is a Killer Whale. He'd apparently been caught inside the reef by the tide and was just swimming around. Being a good Boy Scout I grabbed my M-14 and cracked a couple of rounds off at him.

All the troops in the water are beating feet getting out of the water as I'm yelling that there's a killer whale out there! And I crank a few more rounds off at him. I can see the splashes so know he's out of my range but then one of the Marines on the beach side bunkers started pumping 50 Cal at him. Pretty soon every Jarhead with a weapon is shooting at this guy. And the rest are drinking beer and cheering like mad. Sometimes killing something that isn't trying to kill you can be downright fun. Great sport really - -

After a half hour or so we realize that what we have isn't cutting it so we call for air support. MAG-16 on the hill sends us a gunship and he goes to work on the fish. He's nose over shooting rockets and triple M-60 into the whale. We can see pieces of the fish coming off and it's now a matter of time before the guy gives it up. And after a bit the chopper circles low and slow and the crew Chief tells us he's just floating so we applaud our good fortune for entertainment for that day and go back to catching rays and drinking beer.

Fly (helicopter gunship) fishing - and I was very good at it -

True story from April/May of 1966 in the People's Republic of Vietnam.

[MarkinIdaho]

Fly fishing - we were at our new compound on China Beach and I had bunker duty for 90 days. Sweeeett! Drink beer during the day and guard the perimeter at night. Not bad duty from where we'd been.

Then one morning I'm sitting on top of my bunker getting some rays when I see something moving out on the water. WAY out on the water. I grab my field glasses and look and there lazily swimming around is a Killer Whale. He'd apparently been caught inside the reef by the tide and was just swimming around. Being a good Boy Scout I grabbed my M-14 and cracked a couple of rounds off at him.

All the troops in the water are beating feet getting out of the water as I'm yelling that there's a killer whale out there! And I crank a few more rounds off at him. I can see the splashes so know he's out of my range but then one of the Marines on the beach side bunkers started pumping 50 Cal at him. Pretty soon every Jarhead with a weapon is shooting at this guy. And the rest are drinking beer and cheering like mad. Sometimes killing something that isn't trying to kill you can be downright fun. Great sport really - -

After a half hour or so we realize that what we have isn't cutting it so we call for air support. MAG-16 on the hill sends us a gunship and he goes to work on the fish. He's nose over shooting rockets and triple M-60 into the whale. We can see pieces of the fish coming off and it's now a matter of time before the guy gives it up. And after a bit the chopper circles low and slow and the crew Chief tells us he's just floating so we applaud our good fortune for entertainment for that day and go back to catching rays and drinking beer.

Fly (helicopter gunship) fishing - and I was very good at it -

True story from April/May of 1966 in the People's Republic of Vietnam.

Now that's fly fishing!

Alright, Steve.  Do you go to Pizza night?  Given your horseback riding and now your fishing story, I think I need to meet you.  Maybe I already have... I'm horrible with names. 

[Norton1]

I'll be at Pizza this week. I drive a blue 66 Olds 442 - yep a real live 4-speed car. Looks like crap but runs pretty good - 

[Kcboats]

LOL, now that is a fishing story!  Marines have all the fun...my grandfather was a Marine in WWII and served as a tank commander.  One of his favorite stories is about training recruits out at Pickle Butte and shooting pheasants with the main gun, .30 Cal, and .50 cal.  Never figured out why they kept coming back, the pheasants that is, but they were there every weekend for years...and he said he never got one!  Thats why he was the commander and not the gunner I guess, although he and I hunted for years together and he used a .410 bolt action shotgun and would shoot more birds than me with a 12 gauge.  No lie, when I was 15 years old he got a triple with that .410!!!  Three pheasants with three shot.   To bad he passed away, he was an amazing teacher and could have taught the Fish and Game something.

[Nomad]

 A Marine with a 442 that breaks down to well can't put it in print as
some may take it the wrong way and spin the *R$*^%# and have
a major prob...lem....Steve's ok in my book even if he has more.....
EXPERIENCE......or time at it....