I didn't expect anyone to agree with me, just to think about it. I don't know a lot, and i am the very first to claim i am an expert of nothing. I have only hunted Elk for 8 years, and during that time i have seen some really unsafe behaviors and down right illegal actions. I grew up hunting my whole life, just not big game.
I have read every single post, and appreciate the thoughful and sometimes less thoughtful comments. Insults and swearing, to me, are just the fustration of those that can't see past their own world and can't come up with the words to articulate a different thought or rebuttal.
It also seems like most, that are lashing out, are only thinking of their fathers or people they grew up hunting with. I guess i just run into more hunters when in the field than some other people. From what i have seen, there are plenty of cases where people in general in the field are not what we may call good embasadors of the sport. If you disagree or haven't seen that, well, you are very lucky person.
I agree that anti's could make it impossible to pass the tests as they have in NY, where if you get a CCW card it's a pure miracle and sign of devotion. So Eugene, you have a good point.
I wasn't going to beat the drum on this topic, but after two more pages of comments, I will make another observation.
I took the meat stick (300win mag) to the range to check the zero. This is the first time i have had to buy another box of ammo for this rifle. In the past 8 years i have only fired 20 shots,(one to check zero, one for an elk after zeroing) I get to the range, and it's a circus. the range officers, in the hour that i was there, were very busy telling people to follow the rules, don't flag the line, and almost all of the people there were out shooting their hunting rifles.
I was stunned at the line of 30 people ( i counted thinking i would post it here and wasn't sure if i would) waiting in line to have someone else zero their rifle for them. The range has more than 50 tables for the public. A group sets up there at the range and offers zeroing as a service. The go to guy for this is an older guy that looked like mid 70s and he was really good, I sat and watched him for 20 minutes. He was very methodical, and dilligent.
Now, if you are not talking about your dad or family friend or grandma, wouldn't you be concerned about hunters going into the field that don't know how to, or just can't seem to zero their own rifle?
There were plenty there I saw on the line on both sides of me that had the biggest shoot and see targets that looked like they were shooting 100yrds using a shotgun.(15 MOA kind of shooting)after 20 shots.
I also went to the states reported elk hunting success and calculated the averages for several things.
These are the hunt success rates in percentages for all the hunts in 2013(latest data, and self reported on the postcard all hunters get after their tag expires) I think the archery numbers are better than i expected and the overall percentages were lower than i thought they would be. It's hunting, not shooting, but, was just surprised that more than half the people that hunt Elk don't get one.
Rifle all groups 42%
Juniors 59%
Elderly 33%
muzzleloader 50%
Archery 31%