Next Step Courses Are Free to Certified Hunters and
Trappers; Registration Required
New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos
today announced that DEC's Hunter Education Program (HEP) is now offering
"Next Step" courses in seven disciplines for those who have
completed a hunter education, bowhunter education, or trapper education
certification course.
"The newly introduced
Next Step courses are an ideal way for new hunters and trappers to gain
skills and confidence through additional education and hands-on
experience even if they do not have a mentor to help them get
started," said
Commissioner Seggos. "I
encourage anyone recently certified or looking to refresh or build on
their hunter education knowledge to register today."
Taught by HEP staff and
certified HEP instructors, Next Step courses are offered in seven topic
areas: rifle; shotgun; crossbow; archery use and marksmanship; fur
handling; land trapping; and water trapping. Each four-hour course
focuses on safety techniques and offers students hands-on experience
learning practical skills from knowledgeable instructors. The
"hands-on" aspect of the courses, coupled with smaller group
sizes, allows for more one-on-one instruction. Course participants will
spend time putting what they've learned into practice on the range or in
field exercises, which will help build confidence and comfort with the
tools and techniques of hunting and trapping while reinforcing important
safety habits. Courses are:
·
Firearms courses (rifle or shotgun) -
learn about different types of rifles or shotguns, hands-on instruction
in safe firearm handling and safe zones of fire, loading and unloading
rifles or shotguns, shooting positions and stances, and target practice
on the range;
·
Crossbow and archery courses - learn
about the parts of a crossbow or bow, how to hunt safely with a crossbow
or bow, how to shoot a crossbow or bow, and target practice on the range;
and
·
Trapping (water trapping or land
trapping) and fur handling courses - learn safe, efficient, and humane
trapping techniques for various furbearers trapped in the water (e.g.,
beaver, muskrat) or on land (e.g., coyote, raccoon), how to process furs
and the equipment needed to do so, and how to use the furs including
preparing them for market.
All Next Step courses are
free, but registration is required. Supplies and equipment are provided
by course instructors so students do not have to
bring their own. Those interested will need their hunter or trapper
education certificate number to register. The minimum age to take a Next
Step course is 12. There is no certification offered with these courses.
To learn
what Next Step courses are being offered, and to register,
visit DEC's website. Since these are new courses, availability may be
limited. Hunters and trappers are encouraged to check back often as
courses will continuously be added.
Hunter Safety in New York
Most of the hunters involved
in a hunting incident are many years experienced hunters who may have
taken hunter education 20 or 30 years ago. The Next
Step courses are designed to be a good refresher on
hunting and firearm safety for even experienced hunters.
The 2022 New York hunting
seasons tied 2021 for the safest-ever year, with the lowest number of
hunting-related shooting incidents since record-keeping began more than
70 years ago. DEC documented nine hunting-related shooting incidents
(HRSIs) during the 2022 hunting seasons, one of which was fatal.
Four of the nine HRSIs that
occurred last year were two-party firearm incidents, while the other five
were self-inflicted. All identified shooters were experienced hunters
with an average of 30 years of hunting experience, emphasizing the need
for all hunters to remain vigilant when heading into the field. All
incidents could have been prevented if those involved followed hunting
safety rules.
The one fatality was due to a
self-inflicted gunshot wound by a turkey hunter.
In 2022, 13 elevated hunting
incidents were reported; four of these were fatal. Only two of the 13
hunters involved were wearing a safety harness. Tree stand
safety is integrated into DEC's hunter education course because these
incidents have become a major cause of hunting-related injuries. The
proper use of tree stands and tree stand safety
equipment will help prevent these injuries and fatalities. If used
correctly, a full body harness and a lifeline keep hunters connected from
the time they leave the ground to the moment they get back down.
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