I'd do it now young man. It's just a BS formality thing anyways. When you're in recovery you can think about the fun you're gonna have and be glad you're ready to go!

 

One thing to think about, wayyyyyyyyy back when I took hunter safety, we had to spend time at the range also. I don't think that had changed when I looked into it for my son a couple years ago. Depending on what shoulder is hurt, you may want to recover before shooting a shotgun or rifle.

 

I took hunters saget around 1982. There was no range time required it was all in a middle school cafeteria.

My youngest son took it about 8 yrs ago in lapeer and there was no range time. He did an online course and then a 1 day required "field day" which was kind of a joke. It was indoors in a hall and they went through the same hunters safety book he had already completed. Then they had him shoulder some toy guns and prove he understood some safe handling requirements. Never fired a gun.

 

It will be the same as printed in the 2022 Hunting Guide. DNR website has the guide online. New guide will be published soon, but this hasn't changed in many years.

L & O

 

You’re right. It’s required. Field day does include shooting so it will probably have to wait until next year.

 

During COVID they did an online course, AND online field day . Wish they'd still offer this but get why they don't.

 

You can still do the on line home study, but still need to show up for written test and field day. Some accommodations may be available for shooting events. Check with the folks doing the class you are looking at.

 

Way back w my son at Oakland cty sportsman club, we only shot a .22 rifle. If your other shoulder is good and they have something else to shoot, use that instead. Swinging on a clay bird could be interesting though.

 

I never heard of hunter safety class until my kids started hunting so I guess that makes me really old.

 

It's a hoop I had to jump through in 1996 at age 12, it was September and small game opened up halfway thru the two week course, Tues and Thurs evenings for a couple hours after school I went down the road from me at Kellogsville with my dad and took the course. It was all class and no field day or shooting guns or anything.

I had already been small game hunting around my grandparents property for a few years and wanted to go on state land, i seem to remember that being allowed back then and not sure if it is now, we dont have the land anymore anyways. It was a lot of fun as a kid having some land to wander around and hunt or go to the pond and catch frogs or bluegills and there was a lake on the other side we can go catch largemouth or northerns with some panfish.

As for the class it was boring for me because as a kid I was always out hunting, fishing or trapping and if I wasn't out I was reading about it, watching it on Saturday mornings on TNN or thinking about it.

I did pick up something interesting, at mine The instructor brought in a blown up shotgun that took the previous owners hand off. It was a 12 Guage and the previous owner kept 20 Guage shells on one side of his vest and 12 Guage on the other. He pulled up and shot at a bird and reloaded from the 20 Guage side with a shell and kept walking. He pulled up on another bird after a while and the shotgun went click, he chambered another round and that shell fired but stopped at the 20 Guage shell that lodged halfway down the barrel.

To this day I won't mix shells or rifle rounds in my vests just in case I have my brain slip up a little.

I have a couple daughters and the oldest has an interest in hunting, especially turkey and duck hunting. Not so much deer or squirel hunting sitting out in the woods and being quiet. If they want to hunt I plan on re-taking the course with them just to see how things have changed in all these years and have some fun with it too, hopefully pick up some new information.

 

I never heard of hunter safety class until my kids started hunting so I guess

 

Old people repeat themselves a lot.

L & O

 

Took my son to hunter safety this spring at Eaton Rapids. The range time was three shots with a .22 rifle. Plus I think you would get a pass if you had surgery. I would get the class out of the way. The sooner the better!

 

When did they start doing a “range time” thang? I took it in 79 and didn’t do it, it was in 6th grade shop class. My son took it in 2016 and no “range time” thang either…

 

77 at the Wayne County Sportsman club
Had a choice between a 12 or 20ga to shoot 3 clays on the skeet range

 

MDHA Blue Water Chapter bought pellet rifles for the member instructors. You can handle a .22 I'm sure. It mostly the handling not so much the shot proficiency.

 

Took mine around 96'-97' Stepdad set it up so don't know all the details but it was after school at some place in Sandusky, 3-4 days after school, last day was a "field day" we shot BB guns inside the classroom.

 

I think it all depends where you take it. I have a friend who was a cop and had to take it to hunt. Crazy stupid. But it is what it is. Another friend took it online. Def no range time with that.

 

Good to know guys, i can definitely handle a .22. Was wondering if it was something I could do while my arm was in a sling this fall or if I should do it now

 

I took Hunter Safety in 2021. It was all classroom style and a test. No guns of any kind.