Hunting simulator has reached nearly 170,000 in six years

Nearly 26,000 would-be hunters got some hands-on experience using the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks' Laser-Shot Hunting Simulator in 2006. KDWP’s Hunter Education staff began using the system in 2001. A total of about 170,000 people have used this educational tool in six years of use.

Four Laser-Shot systems are used throughout the state for hunter education classes and Hunter Recruitment & Retention Program events. The simulators provides challenging, realistic shooting experiences and lessons on ethical shot selections.

Ed Augustine, Junction City Hunter Education Section program specialist, has compiled data on use of the agency's four Laser-Shot systems for 2006:

• 52 Hunter Education events including 1,895 students;
• 103 Hunter Recruitment & Retention events including 23,981 shooters; and
• 155 total events reaching 25,876 people.

While these figures represent a decrease in the number of events from the previous year, they also reveal an increase of 3,010 participants over 2005. In addition, Laser-Shot operators, assisted by other hunter education instructors, distributed more than 20,000 child safety gun locks to students and the public.

Laser system team members include Ted Billingsley, Solomon; Dennis Vincent, Leavenworth; Kent Barrett, Winona; and Augustine.

Funding for the program is provided by KDWP's Hunter Education Section and the Pass It On Program.

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