Anti-Gun Group Enters Hunter Safety Education Space
Everytown for Gun Safety, the nation's largest anti-gun organization, now teaches hunter safety courses. The group traditionally opposes Second Amendment rights and pushes for restrictive legislation. Their entry into hunter education marks a strategic shift toward mainstream credibility.
Hunter safety courses have been standard offerings for decades. State fish and wildlife agencies, sportsmen's clubs, and volunteer instructors traditionally ran these programs. Everytown's involvement suggests they're rebranding to reach hunters—a demographic they've struggled to influence.
Why It Matters for Gun Owners
This move carries real implications for the shooting community. Everytown doesn't suddenly support hunting rights. They support restricting access to modern rifles, magazines, and ammunition. Their presence in hunter safety spaces creates an opening to shift messaging toward gun control.
Hunter safety courses teach four fundamental rules: treat every gun as loaded, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot, and be sure of your target. These are universal principles. Everytown could teach these basics while embedding anti-gun talking points throughout the curriculum.
Consider their track record. Everytown opposes permitless carry, fights constitutional carry laws in every state, and funds ballot initiatives to ban modern sporting rifles. They've supported magazine capacity restrictions that would affect hunting rifles. They've pushed universal background check requirements that burden private transfers between hunters.
Gun owners should verify instructor credentials and curriculum content before enrolling family members or friends. Ask direct questions: Does the course address self-defense rights? Does it respect constitutional carry? Will instructors push magazine restrictions or licensing requirements?
Established hunter education through state agencies remains the better choice. These programs focus on safe gun handling, wildlife conservation, and responsible hunting practices—not political agendas.
Background
Everytown formed in 2014 through a merger of two anti-gun groups: Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action. They operate with substantial funding from Michael Bloomberg. The organization claims millions of supporters and runs massive advertising campaigns against gun rights.
Hunter education itself dates back further. The first hunter safety course launched in 1949 in New York. State wildlife agencies adopted similar programs throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Today, most states require hunter certification before purchasing hunting licenses or tags.
These courses produce measurable results. States with mandatory hunter education report fewer accidental shootings. The curriculum teaches ethical hunting practices alongside safety fundamentals. Participants learn about wildlife management, conservation, and responsible land stewardship.
Everytown's expansion into this space reflects broader strategy shifts. Anti-gun groups have struggled with messaging. They've repackaged gun control as "gun safety." They've tried to separate "hunters' guns" from "assault weapons"—a false distinction used to divide the shooting community.
This tactic worked in some states. Colorado and Washington passed magazine restrictions that exempted hunting rifles. California imposed restrictions many believed wouldn't affect hunting. But manufacturers adapted, and shooters adapted. The goal posts moved again.
DownRange Bottom Line
Everytown entering hunter safety education signals their strategy to infiltrate trusted community institutions. They're not abandoning gun control—they're wrapping it in different language. Gun owners should stay alert to curriculum bias and support state-run hunter education programs instead.
Teach your kids and friends through established programs. Volunteer as instructors with state wildlife agencies. These organizations prioritize actual safety over political positioning. That makes all the difference.
