The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and its Prevention Resource Officers are going above and beyond to ensure students are prepared for outdoor activities by offering hunter education courses at schools throughout the county.
Recently, the officers completed courses at Harman School, where 14 students received their Hunter Education Cards after successfully passing the examination at the end of the course. The classes, taught over a span of three days, are designed to make the courses more accessible to students by offering them during school hours.
Randolph County’s Prevention Resource Officers Rocky Hebb, Daniel Pennington, and Ethan Carr, who are all certified hunter education instructors, have been leading the courses at various schools in the county. Sheriff Rob Elbon expressed his satisfaction with the program, stating, “Our PROs have been doing the courses at different schools all over the county.”
In addition to gun safety and wildlife management, students are also taught survival techniques such as building a campfire and other skills that will be useful in outdoor settings. Elbon emphasized the importance of offering these courses in schools, as many students may not have exposure to outdoor activities in today’s digital age.
West Virginia law mandates that anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1975, must complete a certified Hunter Education Course before purchasing a base hunting license. The courses cover a range of topics including ethics, game identification, and safe hunting practices.
Overall, the initiative by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and its Prevention Resource Officers is not only providing valuable skills to students but also introducing them to the joys and responsibilities of outdoor activities.