Chapter 4

Basic Hunting Skills(pages 32-39 in "Today's Hunter" guide book)

1. Guiding Questions

   • Why is game identification and shot placement so critical to an ethical hunter?

   • How does planning and proper equipment increase the likelihood of success and meat retention?

2. Learning Targets(Objectives)

   • I can explain all 4 basic animal characteristics.

   • I can determine a hunting strategy that safely matches the game and environment in which I am hunting.

   • I can assess a situation for an ethical shot, properly care for, and transport meat.

3. Key Vocabulary

   • Still Hunting

   • Stalking

   • Posting

   • Blinds

   • Stands

   • Driving

   • Flushing

   • Dispatch

   • Vitals

4. Optional Ideas for Instructional Practices

   • Auditory Exploration lesson

     1. Using various game calls have students try to identify the species based solely upon the call. This could be done with hand/mouth calls(contact IA DNR for resources) or with videos. Rotate students in small groups from station to station to listen to calls, list all the possible answers on the board. Rotate groups every few minutes.

        • Animals of North America Sounds(do not show students the screen, as it lists the animal name)

        • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77Gzbbk0cvw

   • Outdoor Activity

     1. Using nearby park or woods, have small groups of students construct a ground blind using nearby foliage and rope

        • The goal of this exercise is to construct a blind that conceals the hunter and is placed in an area that would be best for seeing game.

   • Teacher led discussion

   • Flipped Classroom

     1. students are assigned reading prior to classroom and teacher facilitates discussion

   • Problem Based Group Discussion

     1. Small groups debrief and describe their ideas to answer the following question: A popular quote among veteran hunters is "I learned more during hunts in which I did not harvest game, than hunts in which I did." Why do you think this statement may be true and what knowledge could be gained during hunts in which the hunter is unsuccessful at his/her harvest?

5. Supplemental Questions or Activities

   • Science Connection - Anatomy : Some Iowa schools utilize the shotgun seasons to help teach animal anatomy. In those districts, students are encouraged and possibly given extra credit to bring in deer hearts from recently harvested game. The hearts are then dissected by students in order to learn about valves, ventricles...etc

6. Supplemental Videos

   • How to hunt with ground blinds

     1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Goomc0jvFZg&list=PL4r2Ml7ccVx8IoTnTms26rNQ0cT1zKB4-&index=12

   • Turkey Calling Basics

     1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqII8UPwR-E

   • Deer Calling 101

     1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPDuC7uxUgk

7. Additional Resources

   • Article from North Dakota State University: Preservation of Game Meats and Fish

     1. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/food-nutrition/wild-side-of-the-menu-no-3-preservation-of-game-meats-and-fish

Big Game Vitals and Shot Placement