The Abolition of the Practical Exam in Hunting with Bow or Crossbow Raises Concerns

Since August 2020, the Introductory Hunting with Bow or Crossbow (ICAA) training has been offered only online. The practical examination, which made it possible to obtain a hunter’s certificate with a bow or crossbow, has been abolished.

This situation raises eyebrows among hunting specialists in Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Marc Prince is an archery technician at the Pronature store in Rouyn-Noranda. According to him, there are many more disadvantages than advantages to the abolition of the practical archery exam.

Many people come to buy bows and crossbows. Often, these are people who have never touched it. These are weapons with which you have to practice for a long time if you want to become good, especially when it comes to the bow.

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The Pronature store in Rouyn-Noranda

Photo : Radio-Canada / Marie-Hélène Paquin

According to Mr. Prince, it would have been preferable to add a practical exam for crossbow shooting, rather than abolishing the one for archery. bow. He claims that the exam made it possible to distinguish those who were ready to bowhunt from those who were not.

That gave us a good idea. There were people who really weren’t fit to go bowhunting. These people were failing their practical exam. These people will now have the right to go hunting in the forest.

Mr. Prince, who has 30 years of experience with this type of weapon, believes that this situation will increase the number of animals slaughtered in the wrong way, or even injured unnecessarily.

An effect on livestock?

With the abolition of the practical exam, Mr. Prince suggests that a greater number of individuals will use their hunting license. According to him, some could take advantage of the situation to buy a permit, without even owning a weapon, in order to form a hunting team with a partner.

Ultimately, I think there are going to be more people in the woods who want to hunt with bows and crossbows without being qualified.

He maintains that this situation could have negative effects on the livestock.

Comparable to the abolition of driving lessons

Dany L’Heureux, president of the Témiscamingue Center Hunting and Fishing Association, worked as an instructor in the now abolished practical courses.

According to him, theoretical courses on the Internet can hardly replace practical training.

It’s as if I were saying, we’re going to take our driving course, we’re going to do this on the Internet, no practice, no nothing. They say that guns are dangerous, devices are dangerous and misuse can be dangerous.

Mr. L’Heureux maintains that practical training made it possible to develop skills that are not possible to acquire on the Internet.

During the practical lessons, people had the opportunity to see the instructors operate the machines and ask their questions to professionals. They could then put the advice received into practice.

A 100% digital shift

Asked about the reasons behind this shift towards digital, the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP) refers us to a press release published last July.

The MFFP affirms that the modernization of training methods aims to meet the expectations of the next generation and to simplify access to the hunter certificate. Although this new formula was planned before the start of the pandemic, the ministry is also pleased that it will help facilitate physical distancing.

2020-09-03 07:00:00
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