by: Tom Mason
JULY 2001
Date of Post: July 2003
In an effort to make sure that every hunter gets the most of this exciting activity and stays safe in the woods at the same time, every new hunter in Nova Scotia is now required to pass the Hunter Education Program, a two-part program that includes the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and the Nova Scotia Hunter Education Course.
Offered by the Nova Scotia Community College, the Canadian Firearms Safety Course teaches students how to safely use, store, transport and maintain firearms. At the end of the 12 to 15 hour course, students must complete a practical test and a written test with a pass mark of 80 per cent. Anyone over the age of 18 who feels they are already proficient in the use of firearms can "challenge" the Firearms Safety Course and proceed directly to the testing phase.
The second part of the education process is the Hunter Education Course. Rather than focusing specifically on firearms, this course takes a holistic approach, giving new hunters important instruction in things like ecology and wildlife management, hunter ethics and landowner relations, laws and regulations, basic first aid and survival skills, and field techniques. A written test is given at the end of the course with a pass mark of 80 per cent.
The Hunter Education Course is offered through the Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters. For hunters who want to skip the classroom aspect, the course is also available on the Internet or through a home study program. Participants must complete the same written test at the end.
Bowhunters must also take a course, conducted by the Bowhunter Instructors Association of Nova Scotia. Similar to the Hunter Education Course, the Bowhunter Education Course includes instruction on ethical hunting, laws and regulations, equipment, basic survival skills, first aid and safety. It also includes useful hunting tips and instruction. At the end, students must be able to shoot three out of five arrows into a 30-cm target from a distance of 4.5 to 6.0 metres and pass a written test with a mark of at least 88 per cent.
The results of these important courses have been impressive, and the statistics speak for themselves. Since mandatory training for new hunters began 11 years ago, the number of hunting-related injuries and fatalities has dropped 50 per cent. More than 1,000 firearms hunters and nearly 300 bowhunters took the courses last year.
For more information on the Hunter Education Program visit this website: www.novascotia.ca/natr/hunt/intro.asp or telephone 1-800-731-4000 ext. 6505.