Vern Ross

Executive Director

Pennsylvania Game Commission

Dear Mr. Ross,

            I would like to thank you for the letter in response to my letter to you about the issue of the new hunter trapper education program. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to explain the goals of the new program. However sir, you did not answer the question but rather skirted around facts that have yet to prove themselves. I read the Game News from cover to cover, I understand the fact that hunting and Hunter Trapper Education must compete for the time of the youth to continue our heritage of hunting, but, again, the current method works and has worked since the 1960’s. Again I must expound on the fact that by making it easier, it won’t necessarily bring in more individuals into the hunting realm nor will it bring in the quality. I have talked with several WCO’s about this issue and as a matter of fact, they know nothing about youth and their needs and how to interest them into hunting and the outdoor sports. Frankly sir, I don’t believe that many in the game commission know how to accomplish that task either. I got involved in hunter trapper education for two reasons, but mostly it was and is because I know what youth want and need. This comes from working with youth for over 25 years. They need and want the discipline of the classroom and the field. Giving them what you think they want, interactive Internet experience, will not impact them like the classroom and the field will. I believe that this new system is a compromise and only serves the purpose of entertainment and not that of education. If this compromise does take effect and you will know in a few years, hunting will diminish because there will be no challenge or effort in going through hunter trapper education in order to hunt and hunting will not be that big a thing because it will be just like anything else, something forgotten and no time for. That is the first issue.

         
   Secondly, Sir, new hunters, that is junior hunters must have an adult/parent, /guardian/family member with them. If there is no one to hunt with this youth then what? They won’t be out in the field either. I have made every effort on my part to get the parent/family member/ adult/guardian involved in the hunter-trapper education program. This seems to be lacking in this new curriculum. Without them there will be no youth in the field either. Remember sir, they are the ones with the money to buy the license and if they feel that the Hunter-Trapper Education program is garbage they won’t pay for a license for the youth and they won’t be out in the field either. Remember also that the average individual is still computer illiterate and they don’t trust the machine and further, they don’t seem to want to either. Taking the human concept out of the process of instruction may seem to be easier, however it has cost the PGC a lot of money as compared to the fact that we volunteers do all this for free. Catering to something that the commission knows nothing about spells disaster. I really want to help if you allow me to do so. Just a little food for thought. Youth today remember contact with adults when it is informative and actually disrupts their schedule. They recall the events of tragedy, violence and discipline very well. If they can relate to the way an adult addresses them they will learn, but again there must be dynamics in that relationship and not just information otherwise they block them out and remember nothing. The computer is part of their world and it seems that they remember nothing of the information that they receive from a computer. But put them in a situation that is both exciting and scary, myself and my crew at our gun club, and there they have an experience that they talk to their friend about. This has worked for almost 40 years, accidents were down and more people every year seemed to take to the field, however if this is made that accessible, it won’t increase the numbers because the interest will not be there because it will be looked at as something that the unreal world of the computer invented. However, keep it in the classroom and in the hands of adult instructors who are hunters, shooters, and former military, and you have an event that will stick in the mind of the youth and give the adults something to talk about with their young hunter. Put it on the computer and that takes away from the adult involvement and the youth will not talk this over with the parents. Lastly Sir, we need the involvement of the parents. My instructors and I have received countless letters and personal thanks for our efforts in teaching the program but also for giving them an opportunity to share something with their son or daughter. Further it gives them something to talk about and something to plan for, and that is the hunt. Please allow me to help out if I can, I really want to see youth continue to have an interest and to be safe in the field.

                                                            Respectfully,

                                                            Dr. Paul A. Bensur, Jr. Ph.D.

                                                       Instructor # 10876

                                                            President

                                                            Northwestern Sportsmens Club