In-person hunters ed will have limits, mask rules

A lot of people have been asking about hunters ed. The Abbotsford Sportsmen’s Club’s instructor group plans to attempt a course this year. We have been working hard at getting it set up.

The public heard that in-person hunters ed could resume on April 1 at the same time the hunters ed instructors did — in the beginning of March.

We received the rules that we need to follow in the mail a little over a week after that. And, since the DNR usually likes six weeks of notice about a course, you can see that this whole situations wasn’t ideal. And we still have all the usual guidelines to follow. Since there is this event called Easter coming, it will speak to why starting a course on April 1 just wasn’t going to happen.

Instead, we would like to start April 10, with a signup and registration on Thursday, April 8, at the clubhouse. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be at 7 p.m., and a class schedule will be handed out then. First come, first served. Showing up early doesn’t get you in the door early and there are some rules.

As instructors, the first thing we noticed is that we must have 36 square feet per person in the building, which means we can take only 30 students. The second rule: masks are required for everyone in the building. We have received no information that a doctor’s note allows someone not to wear a mask, so plan to wear a mask that covers both the student’s nose and mouth, or wait until this COVID crud is completely over and done with. The DNR asks that individuals not taking the class stay outside the building in their cars instead of observing the class.

So, let’s just put this out there. This is a state of Wisconsin class; it is their ball, bat, bases and ballpark. People who object to their rules need to call them. Instructors are not going to debate with anyone anything involving masks or any of the other rules.

Elected representatives for the state are the people that should be contacted by those feeling the need to debate, protest, and revolt, whatever. I’m kind of bringing it full circle with last week’s column.

Some or all of us may feel the same. We may feel different. But we are putting our concerns, feelings, moral compasses, etc., aside to teach the class. The pay for us volunteer instructors is the same if we listen to someone gripe and waste our time or don’t. So we choose not to. We still want to offer live fire opportunities and teach as much hands-on as possible, but there are other rules that we have to follow as well, so we may not be able to offer the same experience we normally we do. We are still meeting and working on how best to do this. As instructors, we had to come to grips with the hard reality that holding any course was better than no course. We had to come to grips with the fact that having spots for only 30 students was better than not having a course. We had to come to grips with the fact that wearing masks isn’t fun, but it’s better than not having a course. We’ll do our best to put on the best, most enjoyable course possible.

The DNR also sent out a release late last week announcing that the county CDACs would be holding their meetings from March 22 through April 1 by virtual Zoom meetings for the deer season. Taylor County’s took place Tuesday night, Marathon County’s will take place on Wednesday evening, and Clark County’s on Thursday night this week.

The complete schedule of all county meetings and the codes to join the meeting if you want to can be found on the DNR website dnr.wi.gov/topic/hunt/ CDACFind.aspx which is kind of like circling back on last week’s column, too.

Currently there are 55,000 acres of public land in Wisconsin that are blocked off due to easement reasons. One of the ways the state is working on fixing that is through land acquisitions to provided access. The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is up for reauthorization, and it is the source of the funds for these land acquisitions.

The state’s conservations groups are asking that you contact your state elected representatives and tell them to fund the program. Fund it for 10 years like it’s supposed to be funded and put Wisconsin citizens ahead of special interest groups. THROUGH A

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CHUCK K OLAR LOCAL OUTDOORSMAN