A Three Generation Ohio Hunt

How the Crossbow Recruits and Retains Hunters

Thanks to the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Apprentice Hunter Program and the state’s liberal crossbow regulations,TenPoint CEO, Rick Bednar and his 82-year-old father, 2007 Archery Hall of Fame inductee, Bill Bednar, were able to hunt deer for the first time this October with Rick’s two sons, Phil and Steve.

Phil is a senior business major and starting shortstop on The University of Akron’s Division I, Mid-American Conference baseball team. Steve is a senior at Stow High School in Northeast Ohio where he competes as one of the top golfers in the state and is regularly the top scorer on the basketball team.

While the two boys have talked many times over the years about going hunting, their school and sports schedules left them little time to take Ohio’s required Hunter’s Education course or to schedule a practical time to hunt with their dad. Ohio’s Apprentice Program and its liberal crossbow regulations came to the rescue.

The Apprentice License is available to residents and nonresidents who have never taken a hunter education course. Apprentice hunters must be accompanied by a licensed hunter over age 21 and they may purchase the Apprentice License up to three times. The theory behind the program, of course, is to overcome the objection of having to invest the time in a hunter’s education course in order to find out if you like the sport.

The second factor that set the stage for the Bednar family hunt was the crossbow and Ohio’s crossbow regulations. At 82, Bill Bednar is no longer able to hunt with a recurve or compound bow. Phil and Steve have never had the time to become proficient with a compound bow. And, Ohio’s regulations allow unrestricted use of crossbows during archery season.

Was the hunt a success? Yes and no. Granddad Bill and Dad Rick passed on some shots, but Phil tagged-out with a “first-time” 8-point and a doe, and Steve took a doe and has been hunting weekends ever since determined to harvest a bigger buck than his older brother.

When Phil occasionally makes it home on weekends for a good home-cooked meal, the friendly sibling “trash talking” now centers on deer hunting.

We think we can count on two new enrollees in Ohio’s Hunter Education classes next year.