3. Class makes sure it's safety first for new
hunters
By Paul A. Smith of the Journal Sentinel
Nov. 14, 2012
Across Wisconsin, anticipation is building in hunters as the 2012 gun deer season approaches.
The Department of Natural Resources expects more than 600,000 hunters to take to the woods
and fields beginning Saturday morning.
Blaze orange will be donned by those with many decades of experience as well as first-time
hunters.
The newest of the new hunters graduated last weekend from hunter education classes in
Wisconsin, including one organized through the Big Dave Hollins Teen Hunting Club in
Milwaukee.
DNR conservation wardens conducted the class at the agency's Southeast Region headquarters
on King Drive.
The club was started by the late Dave Hollins, a Milwaukeean with a big laugh, a big heart and a
big love of the outdoors.
It was formed to provide a gateway to hunting for urban teenagers, said Ron Johnson of
Milwaukee, who now helps run the club.
The class was held for eight hours Saturday and two Sunday. Twenty-five students were
enrolled.
The students ranged from 11 to 56 years of age. The racial makeup was just as varied.
"This used to be the only all-black hunting club in the state," Johnson said with a laugh as he
looked at the diverse group. "It's great to involve everyone who's interested."
Tasha Jenkins of Milwaukee took the class with her 12-year-old son, Devan.
Though Devan had hunted in Arkansas with his grandfather, Tasha wanted him to be certified in
Wisconsin, too.
Conservation warden Gervis Myles of Milwaukee coordinated the class. Retired warden John
Plenke was the lead instructor.

4. Warden supervisor Rick Reed and wardens Kyle Drake, Mitch Groenier and Jason Roberts also
led sections of the class or tested students.
From the first minutes Saturday morning, the class provided an affirmation of the value of
education. The students were engaged and motivated.
And when the subject turned to firearms, they were mature beyond their years.
"You guys have to be sponges," Plenke said. "This will be an intense two days, and the material
is very important."
It wouldn't be enough to just know the information, Plenke said. The students would have to be
able to demonstrate their mastery of it.
The class moved at a brisk pace. Within the first 10 minutes Plenke introduced the four cardinal
rules of firearm safety. Within 20 minutes, the students were reciting them aloud.
After 45 minutes, the class broke into groups for firearm handling, fence crossing and animal
tracking.
The class used firearms specially made for hunter education. Though life-size and with working
actions, the pieces had sealed barrels and no firing pins.
Wisconsin graduates more than 20,000 students from hunter education classes each year. Since
the program began in 1967, slightly more than 1 million hunters have graduated.
The success of the program is told in reduction of injuries. In 1966, Wisconsin had an injury rate
of 44 for every 100,000 hunters.
In the 2011 gun deer season, there were nine firearm-related injuries, all nonfatal, for a rate of
about 1.5 per 100,000 hunters.
The state has had just three gun deer seasons without a fatal shooting incident - in 1972, 2010
and 2011.
To graduate, the students had to pass written and practical tests. The 40 question written test was
all material covered in the class.
So, too, was the practical or field portion. But the students were required to load and unload
firearms and show proper and safe gun handling in a variety of situations.
The students all passed.
"The ultimate measure of success is when their names never show up on our accident reports,"
Myles said.

5. At noon Sunday the students gathered for an optional trapshooting session at the Waukesha Gun
Club.
Clay pigeons shattered, with muzzles always pointed safely downrange, students and wardens
applauded each other and another group earned Wisconsin hunter education certificates.
"Big Dave would have loved this," Johnson said.
Heading north: I'll be hunting opening weekend in Bayfield County with Bob Willging of
Rhinelander. Willging, author of "On The Hunt, The History of Deer Hunting in Wisconsin," is
an advocate of traditional deer hunting and hunts out of a wood stove-heated cabin on the
Bayfield peninsula.
I'll have a story and photos of our opening day experience for the Sunday paper.
In the meantime, travel and hunt safely. The season is only a success if you are around to share
its stories.
Submit tales and photos from your 2012 Wisconsin hunt to psmith@jrn.com.