Smoky Mountain High School is bringing back its hunter safety course after an eight-year hiatus.
The course will be taught by the schools agriculture teacher Blake Fox. He has been teaching agriculture at Smoky Mountain since July of 2019. Fox received his agriculture education and extension education degree from N.C. State University. He has been teaching hunter safety courses since 2004.
After college, he volunteered for many years teaching hunter safety for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. He has also taught multiple courses throughout various school systems during his time as an agriculture teacher.
“I am excited to spread my knowledge about the outdoors and hunting to the students. I want to be able to teach them not only about hunter safety, but about firearm safety.” Being an avid hunter for a majority of his life, Fox has a strong passion for teaching hunter safety to hunters of all ages.
The course goal is to teach students proper hunting skills and firearm safety. “Besides the basic knowledge of hunting skills and firearm safety, I want students to learn that firearms are not as scary as they seem… When handled properly, treated properly, and given the respect that they deserve, they’re very safe. Even when unloaded, treated every firearm as if it were loaded.”
There is also an opportunity for students to compete in the Youth Hunter Education Skills Tournament. This tournament consists of four elements, shooting with a .22 rifle, skeet shooting, archery, and the orienteering element. This competition allows students to participate in a hands-on hunting experience. Fox plans on taking a group of students to compete in this tournament on March 21.
Fox is working on teaching more hunter safety classes for students and to the public. This course teaches essential skills about safety while hunting and handling firearms.
“I want to do everything I can to teach people how to be as safe as possible so they can return home to their families,” Fox said. He is also working on creating an all-female course.
This course is required to get your hunting license in North Carolina, and it will be beneficial to those interested in hunting. This course will be available to students starting the week of Feb. 24 during school hours. Courses will available to the public throughout the week during the evening hours, but a date has yet to be determined. To find the schedule of hunter safety courses offered near you, visit www.ncwildlife.org.
