ELKINS — The Randolph County Sheriff's Office and its Prevention Resource Officers have been helping prepare students for the outdoors by offering hunter education courses in schools across the county.
To make the course more accessible to students, classes are offered during school hours. Each session took place over her three days, with the most recent class taught at Herman School and attended by 14 students.
Randolph County Prevention Resource Officers Rocky Hebb, Daniel Pennington and Ethan Carr are all certified hunter education instructors and conduct the courses.
“Our professionals take courses at various schools throughout the county.” Randolph County Sheriff Rob Elbon told Intermountain. “Herman was the last school they were enrolled in, and student participation there was also good. They previously offered courses at Elkins High School and Elkins Middle School, Tygarts Valley High School and TV Junior High School. .”
All students who attended the Harman School passed the exam at the end of the course. Each student received a Hunter Education Card. This will be valid for the rest of your life.
“I think it’s great that schools can offer these courses.” Elbon said. “When I was a kid, I took a hunter safety course, but it had to be off-site, away from the school. So our officers brought it to the school and the students went somewhere. It's great that I don't have to go there and find a way to get it.”
Elbon said that during course training, students are taught additional things that will help them when they are outdoors.
“They will be taught things like how to make a campfire and other survival skills.” Elbon said. “That way they know what to do if they get out in the woods and get lost.”
Elbon said offering the course allows students to be exposed to something different they might not be able to experience elsewhere.
“A lot of kids are working on things like electronics.” He said. “They're not exposed to the outdoors like they were years ago. When they were younger, they didn't have anything to do but go outside and hunt and fish and do other things. But that's no longer the case.
In West Virginia, anyone born after January 1, 1975 must complete a certified hunter education course before purchasing a basic hunting license. If you are purchasing a hunting license for the first time, you will need to show proof of completion.
Topics covered in hunter education courses include gun safety, wildlife management, ethics, survival/first aid, prey identification, how to hunt safely and ethically, and more.
Corporal Greg Smith of the West Virginia Natural Resources Police assisted with the Preventive Resource Officer course.