Author Topic: School vs Hunting (Read 1487 times)

Castaway · « **on:** September 09, 2005, 02:16:09 AM »

Not exactly where to post this, but I' doing some informal research. Are there any school districts that you personally know of that close school for opening day of any species? I heard that some Pennsylvania counties did as little as 10 years ago. My dad told me last night that in some eastern Kentucky counties, school was closed the first day of squirrel season.

Why am I asking? I'm a teacher in a Florida middle school and was called into the office yesterday and told a parent had complained about me talking about hunting. Seems her daughter is so upset she now will not eat meat. Now, I can't talk about hunting any more. One kid/mom in thousands of kids ruined it for those that enjoy our sport.

PEPAW · « **Reply #1 on:** September 09, 2005, 03:25:54 AM »

Along the same lines, we mentioned to our teacher that our 6 year old loved to hunt and would be telling everyone that she was going to kill a deer soon. As luck would have it, her teacher is an avid hunter and understood. Her teach in PRE - K was even more avid. Sounds like I live in the right area to raise a hunter. (cypress, texas on the outskirts of Houston)

pepaw

RCL · « **Reply #2 on:** September 09, 2005, 03:49:13 AM »

The hypocrisy of the sheeple never ceases to amaze me. :roll:

Do a class on slaughterhouses. Maybe that will be more to her liking.

Savage .250 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 09, 2005, 04:11:01 AM »

Maybe her "parent" needs to show her (in graphic detail) how they kill cows. OOPS, slaughter. Have to be politically correct.
She surly would be a ...veg-e-tear-re-un after that.

" The best part of the hunt is not the harvest but in the experience."

flintlock · « **Reply #4 on:** September 09, 2005, 04:23:32 AM »

Castaway...I bet that parent would really flip out if I came to your class with my flintlock rifles and gear and talked about the American Revolution... :-D
I've been doing that for about 15 years at 3 different schools here in NC...
and the kids love it...I have even gotten feedback from parents that their kids had them take them to Old Salem, NC, Guilford Courthouse, Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown areas over the summer...

They really get a kick out of seeing me loading and shooting (toilet paper wads) these rifles.... :grin:

Castaway · « **Reply #5 on:** September 09, 2005, 05:02:21 AM »

Up until 6 years ago I brought in moulds and when I did states of matter. good concept, the concept of frozen lead being hot enough to start a fire was a real eye opener. One mom compalined and that was that. I'm ready to hold the line on the hunting though

Special Ed · « **Reply #6 on:** September 09, 2005, 05:10:04 AM »

I don't know of any around here (Mid-MI), that close.
But when I was in school they had a form you took home & had a parent sign for getting you out of school for the Pheasant season and/or Deer season openers.
General Motors now has a floating holiday that they use to shut down for the Deer season opener. It really don't do much good, the plants are all empty for at least the first week.

Ed

longwinters · « **Reply #7 on:** September 09, 2005, 06:43:23 AM »

In Michigan's Upper Penninsula almost all the schools have off the opening day of deer season. Even if they didnt my boys would be in the woods with me. There are many who take off more than that with a note from the folks.
:wink:

Long

iiibbb · « **Reply #8 on:** September 09, 2005, 09:19:36 AM »

Crazy Finns

williek · « **Reply #9 on:** September 09, 2005, 09:32:28 AM »

I am a retired school superintendent from northern Wisconsin.
The deer season in Wisconsin coincides with Thanksgiving vacation. I closed the school for the entire week. (as did others in the northern part of the state)
I once had a Federal education employee who wanted to meet with me during the deer season. I explained to him that the school was closed for the deer season. He couldn't believe it until I told him that deer season was a bigger family occasion than Christmas. (You could still say Christmas in those days! 1980's) He then explained that he would come and meet me, and I could explain things for his information. I explained that if he came to see me during deer season he had better be wearing blaze orange and carrying a gun. He didn't think it was funny. Quite frankly, I didn't care. In fact I enjoyed the hell out of it!!!!!!!!!
Good Hunting
williek

Wynn · « **Reply #10 on:** September 09, 2005, 10:22:53 AM »

Castaway,
I wouldn't worry about it to much. That kid and mother are bound to realize soon that Dade City, Fl is in the heart of some of the best hog and deer hunting in the state with a huge hunting tradition in the region. Just another soccer mom who moved there from the city.

Castaway · « **Reply #11 on:** September 09, 2005, 10:43:27 AM »

That was the case a few years ago. Most of the kids were "crackerfied" but with Tampa moving north at an alarming rate, we are getting those soccer moms you referred to. Four miles from my house in DC, they are putting in another 6700 houses and that doesn't count what's in the area now. I'm ready to move to Levy or further north. Ranches are a scarce thing now, in there place are houses, more houses and whne you get tired of that, there are some more houses.

tscott · « **Reply #12 on:** September 09, 2005, 10:47:07 AM »

I'm with you williek.... Some 40 years ago the principal called us boys together. "Please don't put your deer rifles in your lockers, for after school hunting, the school district doesn't want to be responsible for valuable property". This was in rural NY, before the 7-11's, and outsider senators...

ogo · « **Reply #13 on:** September 09, 2005, 01:48:04 PM »

Some 40 yr's ago when we took our gun to school it ment we were going huntin after school. Them day's are long gone. Yes here in Pa they close most of the schools for the first day of buck season. Year's ago that was not the case. Funny how I allways came down with a serious afflicion on the first day of buck season lol*******************-ogo PS guess I could spell If I didn't miss them day's

myronman3 · « **Reply #14 on:** September 09, 2005, 02:53:35 PM »

here in birchwood, wisconsin they still shut school down for deer rifle season.

everybody.

i hate it for the person who moves here and complains. they will be run right out of town.

sorry to hear of your situation.

THE#1hunter · « **Reply #15 on:** September 09, 2005, 03:04:40 PM »

In kingsley Pa they always have shut down the first day of school for rifle. I dont think too many kids would show up anyways..regardless

myronman3 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 09, 2005, 04:38:50 PM »

i guess i should specify; they shut school down for the entire deer season here, not just opening day. THE ENTIRE SEASON.

Crudders32 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 11, 2005, 04:47:44 PM »

I am from the western PA / Pittsburgh area and from elementary to high school my school district and all the districts around me would get the first day of deer season off. It is always the monday after thanksgiving. PA used to have a seperate doe season which lasted three days. We didn't get school off for any of these but alot of the guys were out "sick" during that time.

wvbowman04 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 11, 2005, 06:03:17 PM »

Back home in Morgan couny, WV they shut school down the whole first week of deer season. It coincides with Thanksgiving week but they tried for a couple of years back before I graduated to only let school out Wed., Thurs. and Fri. But nobody went Mon. or Tues. so they just agve up and now they have the whole week off again.

JPSaxMan · « **Reply #19 on:** September 12, 2005, 02:34:59 PM »

Quote from: THE#1hunter

In kingsley Pa they always have shut down the first day of school for rifle. I dont think too many kids would show up anyways..regardless

And I do believe this year they (the Mountain View School District) are closing for the second day as well...my kids are excited :grin:

longwalker · « **Reply #20 on:** September 12, 2005, 04:32:50 PM »

A way back when, in the early 70's while I was in High School we had a school sactioned interscholastic sport, of rifle shooting. The school owned about 25 22 rimfire rifles and we would shoot them in the school cellar. These were heavy barrel target rifles Winchesters Remingtons and Anshutz single shot rifles. At the end of the season it was not uncommon for us to meet with the Coach and Vice Principal and shoot our handguns. Most every boy had some kind of folding knife in his pocket.

Today in the unpopulated but civilized Northern Plains, we come close. During the hunting season you can still find students ready to hunt birds after school, but even here all the gear including the pen knive must stay in the cars.

You know long cold winters have a way of keeping the rif-raf out.

longwalker

ihuntbucks · « **Reply #21 on:** September 12, 2005, 09:58:01 PM »

Here in Bama,opening day for deer(gun) is always on a Sat.Back many years ago,when I was in school,we would skip school to go deer hunting on opening day.It was always on a Fri. then.Guess after all these years,they finnaly saw the light and moved it to Sat. :lol: But opening day for bow is always Oct.15th,no matter what day it falls on..........Rick

Varminter · « **Reply #22 on:** September 14, 2005, 11:33:44 AM »

I don't know how many sstudents are here on GBO but i'm one. My school system has never closed for the opening days of any season. I always lay out of the first day of deer season though. And for about 4 years now i've been taking a yearly hunting trip with my father to a WMA in Middle TN called Catoosa. When i get back they ask me where i have been and i tell them. Even though my note says i was "sick" they excuse me every time.

Longwalker,
I wish my school would do something like that. I would be one of the first in line to try out for that team. :grin: as for the pocket knife thing.....we're not supposed to carry them but i carry one everyday. I feel naked without one

lostsniper308 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 14, 2005, 01:42:12 PM »

Quote from: Castaway

Not exactly where to post this, but I' doing some informal research. Are there any school districts that you personally know of that close school for opening day of any species? I heard that some Pennsylvania counties did as little as 10 years ago. My dad told me last night that in some eastern Kentucky counties, school was closed the first day of squirrel season.

Why am I asking? I'm a teacher in a Florida middle school and was called into the office yesterday and told a parent had complained about me talking about hunting. Seems her daughter is so upset she now will not eat meat. Now, I can't talk about hunting any more. One kid/mom in thousands of kids ruined it for those that enjoy our sport.

about the daughter(now this may sound harsh) i would tell the mom to Shove It and put some sense in the daughter (properly of course)
Sorry but i have little tolerations for the stupidity of such people.

APlottNamedBoomer · « **Reply #24 on:** September 20, 2005, 03:12:03 PM »

Personally, I end up taking off a day or two to head out with my dad on a school day to go bear hunting...Last year I missed 4 or 5 days because he was on leave from Iraq at the time...

I must say, I'll be glad to graduate High School and be able to hunt freely while balancing college in with it.

Eddie in Delta · « **Reply #25 on:** September 25, 2005, 01:28:45 PM »

Here in good old Delta, Utah, kids still get the opening day off. In fact, a few years ago, some guys in my grade took a week or two off to go hunt in the Uintas.

Eddie

smoky · « **Reply #26 on:** September 26, 2005, 04:41:27 AM »

I live in Louisiana and hunt in South Arkansas. Up there, they close school on the first Monday and Tuesday after the season opens on Saturday. No big deal, as long as the school gets in the required number of classroom days, then it shouldn't matter what the "holidays" are for. Down here, the schools always close for two days for Mardi Gras.

Also, when I was in school, I missed classes for school related sports, livestock shows, and hunting. I was in honors classes for 12 years and graduated in the top 10 in my class. My parents did not have a problem with me missing, BUT, they always were on top of my schoolwork making sure I made it up and never got behind, or the extra curricular activities would have "gone out the window". I think that is the key, that the parents need to be involved and know the child well enough to know when it is o.k. to give that kind of reward.

Smoky

APlottNamedBoomer · « **Reply #27 on:** September 28, 2005, 05:38:20 AM »

Smoky, same case here...I have always been a High Honors student throughout my schooling, and it makes it easier for my parents to decide...And yes, they are hawks to get the make-up work done

wijim · « **Reply #28 on:** October 02, 2005, 03:16:13 AM »

hunting is a school. it aint the same one to learn r-r-r. but it is an educational experience kids absolutely need in my opinion.

i graduated in the 80's. all fall my 20 guage rode in my truck or car with me including to school.

i never had a problem. just last year a kid at our local high school was suspended and faced expulsion because he had his 12 guage properly cased behind the seat of his truck in the scool parking lot. how did he get caught? a fellow student saw shells on his seat and reported it to the office. they searched his truck and sent him home. it was obvious he was hunting before school that am. the school got so much pressure that the expulsion never happened but it did take a couple days so the suspension was unavoidable.