4-H Shooting Sports Hunting, Wildlife and Outdoor Skills Curriculum Leader Manual and Teaching Activities National 4-H Shooting Sports Committee 4-H Shooting Sports Hunting and Outdoor Skills Curriculum TABLE OF CONTENTS Leader Manual Acknowledgement 4 YOU, the 4-H Shooting Sports Hunting Instructor 5 Introduction to Hunting 1. History of Hunting 8 Caveman Skeet 12 Knapping 12 2. Why We Hunt 13 3. Hunting Ethics 16 Dilemma Techniques for Teaching Hunter Ethics 21 4. Hunting Laws and Regulations 23 5. Hunter and Landowner Relations 26 6. Wildlife Management and the Hunter 31 The Deer Herd Game 35 Caramelita Hunt 37 7. Careers in Hunting, Shooting Sports and Wildlife Management 39 Types of Hunting 1. Hunting with a Rifle 44 2. Hunting with a Shotgun 48 3. Hunting with a Handgun 54 4. Hunting with a Muzzleloader 58 5. Bowhunting 66 6. Hunting with a Camera 72 Outdoor and Hunting Equipment 1. Use of Map and Compass 74 2. Using a GPS 82 3. Cutting Tools 86 Getting Ready for the Hunt 1. Planning the Hunt 93 2. The Hunting Camp 98 3. Firearm Safety for the Hunter 107 4. Survival in the Outdoors 115 Fire building Activity 122 2 5. Constructing a Hunters Trail 123 Hunting Skills and Techniques 1. Recovering Game 125 Artificial Blood Trails 131 2. Field Care and Processing of Game 133 3. Hunting from Stands 141 4. Stalking Game Animals 147 Quiet Stalking Activity 149 Spotting and Camouflage Activity 150 The Scent Activity 151 5. Hunting with Dogs 152 Popular Game Species 1. Hunting Rabbits and Hares 156 2. Hunting Squirrels 164 3. Hunting White-tailed Deer 173 4. Hunting Ring-necked Pheasants 182 5. Hunting Waterfowl 190 6. Hunting Wild Turkey 195 Appendix A 4-H Hunting Website Materials 205 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The 4-H Shooting Sports Hunting Materials were first put together about 25 years ago. Since that time there have been periodic updates and additions. Some of the authors are known, some are unknown. Some did a great deal of work; some just shared morsels of their expertise. We are grateful for the contributions of all of them. Because much of the original work has been altered, we didn‟t think it was proper to keep the original authors listed on the chapters they contributed. We cannot assume our attempts to update chapters would have met their approval although we hope it would. A primary thanks goes to Dr. Ron Howard, Professor and Extension 4-H Specialist at Texas A&M University. Ron spearheaded the original efforts, authored the majority of the chapters and updated other chapters over the 25 year period. Here are others who contributed to this manual: Shari Dann (Michigan), Tom Davison (Texas), Kelly Gorham (Montana), Jim Kitts (Minnesota), Jim Knight (Montana), Jeanne Olmstead (Montana), Jack Payne (Florida), Jim Smith (New Mexico) and Bill Stevens (Minnesota). Support for this curriculum was provided by 4-H National Headquarters, Division of Youth and 4-H, Institute of Youth, Family and Community at the U.S. Department of Agriculture‟s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. This support was made possible through funding from the National Conservation Training Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 4 YOU, the 4-H Shooting Sports Hunting Instructor Congratulations and thank you for taking the first steps in becoming a 4-H Shooting Sports Hunting Instructor! The commitment you are undertaking will affect 4-Hers, parents, families, the general public and the overall hunting community. With your commitment comes a responsibility to conduct trainings that ensure a positive future for those you affect and the tradition of hunting in America. As a member of the 4-H Shooting Sports team, always keep in mind that the purpose of ANY 4-H program is youth development and teaching life skills to young people. The Hunting discipline and all the 4-H Shooting Sports programs are valuable for helping young people develop self confidence, personal discipline, responsibility, teamwork, self esteem and sportsmanship. Always keep this in mind as you instruct, mentor and serve as an example to your students. You as a 4-H Hunting Instructor will have a unique set of challenges and considerations to address. Review the following section to be sure you understand how you can be an excellent hunting instructor and also consider the related complications of teaching hunting, wildlife and outdoor skills to 4-Hers. SAFETY Firearms, getting lost, falling injuries, fire, knives, wild animals, hypothermia, blisters, fatigue...WOW! Are we sure we should expose young 4-Hers to all the dangers involved in hunting? Absolutely! The safety concerns related to hunting are best addressed through education by qualified instructors. Understanding how to be a safe hunter and developing the awareness, knowledge and skills to be a safe hunter is one of the greatest benefits of the 4-H Shooting Sports Hunting, Wildlife and Outdoor Skills Curriculum. You, as the instructor, must always make safety the highest priority when conducting your training sessions. Always have a sufficient number of adults to assist you. Have a back up activity available if expected assistance is not available. Familiarity with all 4-H Shooting Sports discipline is critical to understanding skills within the 4-H Hunting discipline. 4-H Hunting Instructors are not approved to teach any other shooting disciplines unless they completed the discipline-specific training. Every 4-H Hunting Instructor must have passed a state Hunter Education program. Always have an appropriate first aid kit available and a person with the knowledge and ability to use it. When conducting activities using fire, always address necessary fire control measures. In all exercises, be sure to understand the skill levels of participants to avoid putting them in unsafe or uncomfortable situations. 5 Before any live-fire activities, youth participants must be trained by a 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor in safe use of the firearm being used. SENSITIVITY “WHAT! Sensitivity?” “I am proud to be a hunter! I don‟t need to apologize for what I do!” WHOA! Let‟s not get too sensitive ourselves! One of the most difficult concepts to pass on to our students is the balance between being proud of our hunting skills and offending others who might not have the same calling. As a 4-H Hunting Instructor you need to walk that fine line. And you need to have the skill to pass that ability on to your students. Students should learn from you they must conduct themselves safely and must show respect toward the animals they hunt and for the landowners where they hunt. They must also show a respect for the rest of society who will ultimately determine if we hunters, as a minority, can continue to pursue this legitimate activity. Be aware that not everyone understands or appreciates hunting in the same way. Though we have our own thoughts, facts and philosophies – we should be careful in how we act, speak, write, teach, etc – so that we present hunting in the best possible light. Be cognizant of the fact that not everyone that takes part in this curriculum has the same background experience and understanding. BUT let‟s not go overboard. Let‟s be sensitive, but let‟s not dilute our message. Hunting is a legitimate activity…even in today‟s world. It has a place in recreational pursuits and wildlife management. America has a rich hunting heritage – which we need not apologize for. As an instructor, be aware that your students will have much less exposure and experience than you. Too much challenge or too much expectation might turn them off to hunting. This is especially important when conducting care of harvested game exercises and early field orienteering activities. MISUNDERSTOOD TERMS Times change and so does our language. The common meanings of words change over time (“cool”, “gay”, etc.). We are sometime resistant to change because it seems we are conceding to pressure groups or we are trying to be “politically correct”. Some words or phrases however, can cause confusion or may provide fodder for those who want to attack our hunting heritage. As a 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor, you should understand the concerns and discuss them with your students. The term “sport-hunter” can be taken negatively. It is commonly used to mean we hunt as a sport or recreational activity – and not because we have to in order to survive. However, the term came about during the era of Theodore Roosevelt. Today, “sport” is seen as competitive and for the “thrill”. Because we 6 don‟t always have the opportunity to define the term when we use it, we should try to use “regulated hunting” when we want to differentiate from market or survival hunting. “Trophy hunting” is a concept that can be misunderstood. As a 4-H Hunting Instructor, you must understand the importance of helping students value ALL game they harvest, not just those with large antlers. You must help them appreciate the table fare, the chase, the challenge of the natural elements, the exposure and interaction with the natural world, the camaraderie with fellow hunters and all the other aspects of the hunting experience. Too much emphasis placed on antler size or bag limits will lead to diminishing the most enjoyable aspects of hunting. STORIES AND TALES From the time of the earliest hunters, recalling the memories of hunts and telling the story to anyone who would listen, has been an enjoyable addition to the hunting tradition. As a 4-H Hunting Instructor, your previous experiences and your desire to share them can be both a benefit and a determent to your success as an instructor.