Game Warden Certifies 17 New, Safe Hunters
Published Oct. 22, 2012 @ 6:58 p.m.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, in conjunction with its hunter education program, certified 17 new, safe hunters on Sunday, October 21. The students, coming from the counties of Garza, Lynn, Scurry, Lubbock, Crosby, and even Randall, attended a two-day hunter education course at the Post school campus.
“Nearly all of the students passed both the written and practical exams. I credit that to the level of attention the students gave, as well as to how serious they took the instruction,” says Garza/Lynn County Game Warden Drew Spencer. “I applaud their effort,” Spencer added. Two of the eighteen students even passed the written exam with a perfect score.
Spencer cautioned the students that, even though they may have passed their weekend classroom course, the ultimate test begins the moment they leave the class. Spencer told them that if none of them were ever involved in a hunting/firearm incident, only then will they have ultimately succeeded.
During the two full-days course, students learned about modern firearms and primitive sporting arms handling and safety, outdoor responsibility and ethics, laws and regulations, wildlife conservation and management, hunting traditions, field care of game, wildlife identification, and wilderness first aid and survival. The students were graded by Spencer on practical firearms exercises as well. Students had to demonstrate proper firearm carries and shooting positions, along with having to safely cross a fence while in possession of a firearm.
Spencer thanks Post ISD Superintendent Mike Comeaux for his graciousness in making the facilities available to the class and Post Elementary School Principal Staci Marts for the use of her audio/visual equipment.
“As the students left the class on Sunday, many stopped, shook my hand, and told me that they had learned something new. I had earlier told them that I, too, learn something new each time I instruct a class. That’s why I encourage everyone, not just those that are required by law, to attend a class,” said Spencer.
For more information about upcoming classes, contact Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at (800) 792-1112, (512) 389-4999, or the Website at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/hunter_education.