Cocalico Sportsmen's Association

As part of our comittment to the preservation of the tradition of hunting, and the ongoing participation and development of youth in this sport, Cocalico Sportsmen conducts three PA Game Commission Hunter-Trapper Education courses each year, beginning in June and ending in September. These are three of the fourteen classes that are conducted in Northern Lancaster County under the direction of the PA Game Commission. We provide the use of facilities, free lunch and refreshments to all students participating, while the course and reference materials are provided free to the students from the PGC.

The course is (10) hours conducted over Friday evening and all day Saturday, and is comprised of basic instruction designed to start the students on the road to becoming safe, ethical, knowledgable, involved, and responsible hunters. It includes an introduction to firearms and their safe handling, archery, trapping, and black powder muzzle loaders, as well as outdoor safety and wildlife conservation and management. Lectures and demonstrations are intermixed with hands-on participation by the students, along with several videos called "trigger films", designed to provoke thought and discussion on the various topics. Also included is a review of the PA Hunting and Trapping Laws by a Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer.

The course concludes with a test that the students must pass in order to receive their Training Certificate, which is necessary for them to purchase their first PA hunting license. You must be at least 11 years old to participate. Adults may also take the course to obtain their Certificate as these are more often now required for non-resident hunters to obtain a license in the western states such as Colorado and Wyoming.

Between 1959, when formalized hunting safety training was adopted in Pennsylvania, and 2003 over 1,700,000 students have been certified, with the resulting decline of hunting fatalities and injuries from firearms reaching nearly 80%.

The dates for 2008 Hunters/Trapper Education classes are June 20 & 21, August 1 & 2, and September 19 & 20. You may register online at the PA Game Commission website, www.pgc.state.pa.us or call the clubhouse at 717-336-2997 and listen to the recorded message for instructions.