Profienciey test

[Crittergetter]

Had to get a "bow ed course" done to hunt in Alaska.
I did the online portion and just got signed up to do the field day next Sunday. I was going to go ahead and do the profienciey test also but why in the heck am I supposed to shoot the same distances and shoot alongside the compound shooters???? They said "Shots are set up to be within ethical ranges". Some shots are over 30 yrds. My ethical range is half that!  What the heck do I do now?  

[oldgoat]

Find you another,I've talked to an instructor in S Tex an his profienciey for trad is 2 hrs blood trailing. It is left up the instructor.

[ChuckC]

THAT, is the reason I am vehemently against any sort of proficiency testing.   At whose ethical ranges ?  

And does it mean I am unethical if I can't hit $#!! at 30 yards (but I don't shoot more than 15) ?

Wanna see everybody complain... let a rifle hunter set up the shot course at rifle ethical ranges.
ChuckC

[Crittergetter]

I'll begin looking elsewhere! I wish I could find an instructor who shoots trad!

[nineworlds9]

A compound is a vertical crossbow IMHO and they have no business testing you according to compound yardage shooting a stickbow with no sights as average Joe shooter.  I mean I don't know what level you're shooting at, but most folks aren't shooting well beyond 30 on stickbows unless they compete in Field archery or Oly.  I'm sure if you practiced with the right bow you'd be fine, like a longer, heavy riser setup, but its the principle of the thing.  Screw them.

[monterey]

This might not be relevant, but I think you only need a bow hunter ed for AK if you Hunt an archery only season.  

And, I agree that pro tests are BS.  You can't regulate ethics.  A hunter who is proficient out to five yards could be more ethical than one who is proficient out to forty!

The best proficiency test I ever heard of was voluntary.  Shooting at a steel silhouette with a cut out in the vitals area.  Not really a pro test, but a dandy eye opener.  

Proficiency testing does not test nerves in a hunting situation.  A local compound kid could never put all of his mechanics together when he had buck fever and as a result had two lost deer in two years with no tags filled.  I gave him a recurve, got him to understand what to expect and taught him what he needed to do to shoot out to 20 yards.  He shot the first adult deer that was within that range, declaring that it all happened so automatic that it seemed easy.  He would fail a 30 yard proficiency test.

[Crittergetter]

As of July 1-2016 all bowhunters hunting in Alaska will be required to have taken (and passed) an IBEP or equivalent bow hunter ed course. I practice out to 25 on a regular basis but I limit all my hunting shots to around 15. 10 is even better! Lol

[Kingstaken]

That's why many states no not have one. Too many variables per archers ability and actual hunting situation.
Simple answer since it does not state what bow you are permitted to shoot on your license, shoot a compound for the test.

[WESTBROOK]

Originally posted by Kingstaken:

Simple answer since it does not state what bow you are permitted to shoot on your license, shoot a compound for the test.

Bingo!

If they are gonna make you play the game...play...and play to win!

[Orion]

I used to teach the IBEF safety course (along with Chuck C above).  As far as I know, there was never a proficiency test requirement as part of this course. Are you sure you need one to pass the course and get your hunter ed card?

[Flatshooter]

I'd talk to your instructor about ethical shot distances with traditional equipment. If he's a reasonable and "ethical" person, I'm sure you'll be able to work out an agreeable distance solution between the two of you. As a backup, practice at 30 yds. It shouldn't be too difficult to zone in on a 30 yd target with practice. Good luck!

[Crittergetter]

The proficiency test is not required to pass the course. I was going to go ahead and do it because it is required to hunt a specific wild life refuge here in tx and I thought it may come in handy one day! I havnt seen anything in the Alaska regs that says it is required either. I just wanted to kill 2 birds with 1 arrow.

[Griff812]

When I taught the class the proficiency portion of the test was to make sure you were aware of the equipment you were using and knew the limitations of that equipment.  We spent more time on the blood trailing portion of the class than we did on the proficiency portion.
Of course there can be different expectations from different instructors.  
I do know that it is required to bow hunt in Alaska.

[moebow]

I can't say what Alaska requires now.  I took the test many years ago using a long bow.  At that time, 2 of 3 shots had to be in the kill zone on 6 different targets at various ranges and target sizes.  Of those targets, 5 were easy.  The last one though was a moose target at 47 yards.  I had to take the test twice before I passed.  First try, I could only get one "kill" at 47 yards.

Now, this was at least 25 years ago so things may have changed but at that time, the yardages were VERY much "compound" distances NOT trad range and there was NO accommodation for other than compound equipment.

I agree that allowances for the type of equipment used should be made, but it seems it often isn't.

Arne

[Jack Skinner]

When I was in AK the proficiency test was only if you were going to hunt some very specific areas. I didnt hunt those areas.

[Arctic Hunter]

When I did it, I believe it was 5 targets, two arrows each. You had to put 6 out of 10 arrows in the kill zone, as I recall. But that was a long time ago.

I think the furthest shot was like 27 yards. But don't quote me on that. It may have been 30. I remember thinking it was a little nerve racking for me at the time.

PM sent, Randy!

Bisch

[Tajue17]

I know of another efficiency test to hunt a certain piece of state property and I heard a few of the stickbows guys for that use a compound to pass the test.

and being totally honest I am the worst shot when it comes to shooting at a circle,, 30yds at paper I'd do the same and just walk away grinning.

[TSP]

There's nothing wrong with bowhunting proficiency testing if it makes sense for the weapon used and considers rational decision making as part of the test.  The ability to make rational decisions (such as to shoot or not shoot based on the situation) is no less important that the ability to be accurate...and they're certainly not mutually exclusive.    

Many (I hope most) traditionalists consider 30 yard hunting shots as borderline unethical (or at least reliably impractical) when hunting without bow sites or gadget enhancements.  The only way that test shot makes sense is if you have the option to pass on it...which in this case (and in every hunting situation) you do.