The local youths who completed Minnesota Department of Natural Resources firearm safety training were quite dedicated as the class schedule was disrupted by school closures and inclement weather on field exercise day. Finally, on June 15, with occasional sprinkles and fierce black flies, 37 kids finished the course. Congratulations and safe hunting to them all.
In order to buy a license to take wild animals with a firearm in Minnesota, anyone born after Dec. 31, 1979, must have a Firearms Safety Certificate. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) offers courses to certify students. The courses cover safe use of firearms and tree stands, hunting laws, wildlife identification and management, fundamentals of shooting, hunting ethics, landowner relations, and survival. Courses are conducted by certified volunteer instructors statewide, with assistance from DNR conservation officers.
The youth course is designed for ages 11-15 and is offered each spring in Grand Marais. It involves classroom sessions after school and field exercises on a Saturday morning.
The DNR provides administration forms, instructional materials, ammunition, targets, and eye and ear protection. Cook County Community Education advertises the course and collects registration forms and fees. The Cook County Community Center provides free classroom space. Rob Staples generously makes his property available for field exercises. Donations from local residents and The Sons of The American Legion paid for firearms and range accessories.
A new resource in 2013 is the set of firearm and hunting safety DVDs in the Grand Marais Public Library purchased by the Grand Marais Library Friends and the Arrowhead Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association.
The seven 105-minute classes in 2013 began on April 15 and ended with a written test on May 6. Field exercises scheduled for May 4 were cancelled because of freezing rain the evening before and remaining snow and ice on the ground. When conducted on June 15, biting black flies and occasional sprinkles were encountered during the 3.5-hour exercises. Students fired a .22 cal. rifle at targets, practiced handling rifles and shotguns safely in simulated hunting situations, learned how to safely use a tree stand, and reviewed hunting regulations and ethical behavior.
Volunteer instructors in 2013 were Mariano Arguedas, Paul Eiler, Dave Ingebrigtsen, Rick Johnson, Doug Klein, Ben Larson, Dick Parker, Bob Sopoci, and Ann Sullivan. Conservation Officers were Mary Manning and Thomas Wahlstrom.
Students were Matea Acero, Sela Backstrom, Jessica Berg-Collman, Lynden Blomberg, August Carpenter, Gabriel Copeland, Bayley Cox, Ethan Deneweth, Laura Foster, Jayden Grivette, Tarin Hanson, Jack Haussner, Keenan Hingos, Jaymie Kirk, Ian Kurschner, Claire LaVigne, Mason Liljestrand, Marcus Logan, Elsa Lunde, Alyssa Martinson, Molly Meyer, Andrew Miller, Hannah Muntean, Kate Muntean, Ian Parker, Abigail Prom, Joshua Prom, Claire Sherburne, Sarah Smith, Connor Somnis, Ole Sorensen, Ethan Sporn, Trent Spry, William Surbaugh, Bennet Trepanier, Skyler Wilson, and Bianca Zimmer.
Each student received a compass from The Sons of The American Legion, a blaze-orange vest from Superior Lumber and Sports, and a firearm cable lock from the Grand Marais Masonic Lodge.
Students can log onto the DNR website to record their safety course, pay the certification fee, and print their certificate. Adults wishing to review firearm and hunting safety are encouraged to read a student’s workbook, view the videos available in the library, or investigate the safety course options on the DNR website.
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