The National Bowhunter Education Foundation's mission is
To promote responsible bowhunting through education.
The Ohio Bowhunters Association in conjunction with the International Bowhunter Education Foundation and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources offers free Bowhunters Education Classes to all Bowhunters from Ohio and abroad. These courses offer the new as well as the seasoned bowhunter a wealth of knowledge that will challenge and educate today's bowhunter.
The OBA has been on the forefront of bowhunter education since the mid-1970's when we started our own Bowhunter Education Program. Now that the OBA is involved in the International Bowhunter Educational Program we have access to a network of volunteer instructors and a variety of materials the OBA developed or helped develope. We are also able to expand our educational base across the country and world-wide. Some states require this course before you can legally obtain a valid bowhunting license. If you are planning on hunting in the future in any of the states listed below, you will need to take this course to obtain a license.
The International Bowhunter Education Program (IBEP) is offered in all 50 states, all Canadian Provinces, and 13 foreign countries. 17 States and Canadian Provinces require you to take an IBEP course before legally obtaining a bowhunting license. Always check local laws as regulations may change or special regulations may exist in some areas.
The states and provinces requiring
an IBEP course are:
- Alaska
- Connecticut
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Brunswick
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Nova Scotia
- Quebec
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Vermont
Bowhunter Education is also
offered in these countries:
- Australia
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Mexico
- Norway
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
The OBA sponsors these courses and they are free of charge and open to the public. All materials needed as well as lunch and drinks are provided. If you are a young or new bowhunter you will learn basic and advanced skills that will put you ahead of the learning curve. If you are a seasoned bowhunter you will build on what you currently know and gain skills that you will pass on to others. Here is a short list of knowledge and skills you will gain from the Bowhunter Education Course.
- You will learn of the history and development of modern bowhunting and the challenges of hunting with the bow and arrow.
- Wildlife conservation and the bowhunters role in conservation.
- Wildlife identification.
- Archery and bowhunting safety.
- Bowhunting ethics and the responsibility of today's bowhunter.
- How to select the proper hunting bow and equipment for you.
- How to make arrows and match them to your bow.
- The proper way to sharpen broadheads for maximum penetration and humane bow kills.
- How to prepare for bowhunting by choosing camouflage, dressing for the elements, proper archery practice, and scouting your hunting area.
- Hunting techniques and strategies such as still hunting, stalking, and glassing. Ground and blind hunting as well as treestand hunting, treestand location selection and treestand safety are covered.
- How to use scents, lures, decoys, and game calls in your hunt.
- Bowfishing, bowfishing equipment and challenges.
- Shot placement, shot strategy, and setting up the perfect shot.
- How to recover and care for big game such as blood trailing and field dressing.
- Basic First Aid in the field and preparedness for injury or hazards.
- How to read topographical maps and compass use.
- Survivor skills and how to deal with hypothermia, heat stroke, and exhaustion.
A personal note from John Hobbs on the Bowhunter Education Program
My name is John A. Hobbs and I am the State Chairman of the Bowhunter Education Program for Ohio. I became a Bowhunter Education Instructor in 1983 when Alvin Dudley introduced me to this program and I have trained or help train thousands of Bowhunters, both beginners and advanced throughout Ohio. I am past President of the Ohio Bowhunter Association and was in office when our good friend George Hilf prematurely past away. The officers and advisory council of the OBA asked if I would take over the position of State Chairman of Bowhunter Education after George’s passing. I stepped down as OBA President to become the State Chairman to focus my talents and energies in training bowhunters through this program,
Through the Ohio Bowhunter Association, the International Bowhunter Education Foundation, and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, we offer these classes FREE of charge and it is open to anyone and everyone. This international course is mandatory in many states, provinces and countries and covers all types of archery equipment and bowhunting styles. A few items covered in this course are ethics, tree stand safety, tuning of bows, broadhead sharpening, shot placement, blood trailing and much more. All designed to help you become a better bowhunter.
We also host George Hilf’s Annual Bowhunter Education Weekend. This has in the past and again this year will be held at Deer Creek State Park just south of Mount Sterling Ohio on the weekend before Ohio Deer Archery Season opens. This year's date will be the weekend of September 19 & 20, 2009. On Saturday we host a Bowhunter Education Class, as well as a 3-D archery shoot that will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday. The cost is $10.00 per shooter & kids shoot free. This is one way we raise money in order to keep this program free of charge as other states must charge fees for this program. We strive to teach ethical and safe bowhunting and look forward to helping you become a better bowhunter.
Keep them sharp and shoot them straight,
John A. Hobbs
OBA Bowhunter Education Chairman
UPCOMING BOWHUNTER EDUCATION CLASSES
Sunday, March 27, 2011.
Bowhunter Education Instructor Update.
John A. Hobbs can be contacted at jhobbs@ohiobowhunters.net or call (614) 876-8523 for info.
July 9, 2011 OSTA Bowhunters Ed Class and Shoot.
Time - 9am-4pm.
Instructors- Paul Knisley-brandxpau@aol.com (740) 412-4048, and Ed Jarvis (614) 231-3409.
August 13, 2011.
Location - Apache Bowhunters. Lockbourne, Ohio.
Instructors- Paul Knisley - brandxpau@aol.com, (740) 412-4058, Ed Jarvis (614) 231-3409.
September 17, 2011.
Location - Pickaway County. Deer Creek State Park. Mount Sterling, Ohio.
George Hilf’s Annual Bowhunter Education Course and Weekend Shoot.
Time 8am-5pm.
Instructors- Paul Knisley, brandxpau@aol.com, (740) 412-4058, Ed Jarvis (614) 231-3409.
Deer Creek State Park. 22300 State Park Road. #20. Mount Sterling, Ohio 43143. Near the lodge.
When new courses become available they will be posted here.
For additional information or to register for a class, contact John A. Hobbs at jhobbs@ohiobowhunters.net or call (614) 876-8523.
Website designed and hosted by Jim "heydeerman" Suttinger for the Ohio Bowhunters Association.
Website content owned with copyright by the Ohio Bowhunters Association 2010.
