F&G says avoid the rush— take Hunter Education now

July 20, 2015

If your sights are set on hunting this fall and you still need to complete Idaho’s hunter education requirement, Idaho Fish and Game advises that now is the perfect time to sign up for a course. Summer is a great time to get into a course as more courses are generally offered and space is often available. “Courses are taught by volunteer instructors who, just like their students, want to put down the books and pick up a firearm in the fall,” says Brenda Beckley, Hunter Education and Recruitment Manager. “Hunter Education classes fill up quickly so hunters who need to be certified should take the course early to avoid the typical fall rush for classes.” Three course options are available. An instructor-led course is considered the best option for youth ages 9 to 14, and for individuals having minimal hunting experience. Other options for hunter education include an online and a workbook course. Both of these courses are designed for older students with excellent reading comprehension. While convenient and allowing much of the course to be taken at home, both courses require students to register for and attend a field day, where a field exercise and written exam are given. For more information or to register for a course or field day, visit the Fish and Game website at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov and click on Education. Idaho Fish and Game also offers a Hunting Passport, a special authorization that allows any first-time hunter, resident or nonresident, age 8 and older to try hunting for one year with a licensed adult mentor without first having to complete an Idaho hunter education course. This allows the beginning hunter to experience hunting before committing to the coursework and effort required to complete hunter education. Hunter education is required in Idaho for all hunters born on or after January 1, 1975, unless they have held a valid hunting license from Idaho or another state. The overall goal is the prevention of hunting and firearm related accidents, but emphasis is also placed on improving knowledge about the heritage of hunting and developing a sense of ethics and responsibility.