In another essay from the same first class that received this assignment, the second class of 2004, the first adult student to ever take my course, Mark Wiederhoeft, wrote about a very different angle of approach to firearm safety training. Mark grew up in a different country and had recently been introduced to the outdoors heritage that is ingrained in our American culture and how that was especially specific to Northern Minnesota. Mark’s essay shows that, even though the course is geared toward youth, there is still plenty of room for an adult to discover the responsibilities and ethics of a true sportsman. Though he would be the only adult in this class, there would certainly be others to follow in future classes, and his outlook on the commitment was one that showed respect for the class, laws, society, hunting community, and natural resources. It was a learning experience for me as well.
I moved here to Bemidji in July, 2003, and got married in August. I learned quickly that hunting and fishing are huge pastimes or hobbies here, maybe even a way of life. I decided about October that I wanted to try hunting for the first time. I went in to buy my hunting license with my father-in-law and that’s when I learned that I needed to have a firearm safety certificate because I was too young. I had thought for sure that I wouldn’t need anything like that because I am 21 years-old, but I do. So there is one reason for me to take this firearm safety course, so that I can get to go hunting.
I grew up in Brazil, in a small, rural town. One would think that I hunted a lot or fished a lot having grown up in a tropical country where you always hear about the animals and everything, but I have not been around firearms too much. I did get to fish some in Brazil, but not regularly. Actually, my only actual experience with a firearm at all growing up was a Daisy BB gun that my cousin next door had. It was always fun to go over and shoot some with him, and as far as safety goes we knew where the safety was on the gun and we knew we shouldn’t point the gun ever at anybody. Last year I got to shoot the family’s .30-30 some, and it was very exciting and a whole new experience for me. The biggest thing was that I didn’t know how to handle a high-powered rifle like that. It was a lot bigger and heavier than the Daisy, and hundreds, if not thousands, of times more dangerous. I wanted to learn more about firearms and how to handle them safely, even if I didn’t get to go hunting at all. I have enjoyed the course a lot and learned a whole lot of new things that I had not even considered when handling a firearm and game hunting safely. I don’t mind being 10 or 12 years older than everybody in the class. I think it is a good investment of my time because it’s only logical that I would know more about firearm safety if I even ever plan on trying to hunt some, or even be around people who are into hunting big time and they might have a firearm around me. I think everybody should get the chance to go through a course like this. It would make everybody safer I believe.
Mark Wiederhoeft
Copyright 2008
