For the second year in a row, Wyoming hunters have recorded an outstanding safety record with only two firearm related hunting accidents reported in 2007.

According to hunter education coordinator Jim Dawson, as with almost all firearm related accidents, both incidents could easily have been prevented by following safe firearm handling practices.

In Laramie County, two young men were riding down a county road on a coyote hunting trip. The truck hit a bump in the road and the passenger’s rifle discharged, hitting the driver in the left arm taking out the tricep. Dawson said this accident could easily have been prevented by not having a loaded gun in a vehicle.

The other accident occurred in Fremont County when a 13-year old boy was shot in the lower left leg by his 14 year old brother. The two were hunting deer and after shooting at a deer, the two went to recover the game. The older brother tripped on a rock, fell, and the rifle went off. According to the ambulance crew, the boy’s life was saved due to emergency first aid rendered by the supervising adult on the hunting trip.

Dawson said that while every incident is tragic, considering the tens of thousands of hunters that take to the Wyoming outdoors every year, the few accidents confirm that hunting is a very safe activity.

“The goals of the Hunter Education Program are to reduce hunting related accidents and violations, promote safe, responsible and knowledgeable hunting, and enhance hunting traditions and values,” Dawson said.

“We now have more than 400 instructors, who include game wardens, volunteers and professional educators. These volunteer instructors certify an average of 3,500 students each year.”

Discover Louisiana Hunting , the fall hunting promotion for new hunters, has been scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 23-25, announced Bryant Hammett, secretary for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries .
“We’re encouraging both Louisiana residents and non-residents, 16 years of age and older, to experience recreational hunting for the first time,” said Hammett. “Anyone who once hunted, and would like to try it again, can also participate.”
Program participants must obtain a DLH permit online through www.discoverlouisianahunting.com before Nov. 19. To ensure a safe experience for DLH participants and fellow outdoorsmen, hunter education certification is required and participants must also partner with a licensed Louisiana resident hunter who will serve as a host hunter. DLH permit applicants can begin using the on-line permit request system starting Sept. 1.
All interested participants who need to obtain hunter education certification are urged to sign up for a class in a location near their home town. A list of courses around the state is available on the DLH Web site — www.discoverlouisianahunting.com. An on-line version of the course is available through the DLH Web site or a CD-ROM version can be obtained by calling the LDWF office nearest the participant. Participants should have completed or be enrolled in a hunter education class by Nov. 7. Hunter education courses are free and certification obtained in another state will be accepted.
During the Discover Louisiana Hunting weekend, only quail, rabbit, squirrel and deer can be hunted by DLH-permitted hunters. For daily bag and possession limits, and deer zone restrictions, refer to the 2007-08 Louisiana Hunting Season and WMA Regulations Booklet or go to www.discoverlouisianahunting.com and click on “Regulations.” Any DLH-permitted deer hunter will also need to attach a possession tag to any harvested deer and complete a harvest card to be returned to LDWF following DLH weekend. Both documents are available on the DLH Web site.
The DLH permit offer is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Once a participant utilizes the no-cost weekend hunting option, appropriate licenses and permits must be obtained for all future hunting trips in Louisiana.
Any interested participant without Internet access can call any of the following LDWF offices Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for permit application assistance:
lexandria: 1995 Shreveport Hwy., Pineville, LA 71360; ph. 318-487-5885
Baton Rouge: 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808; ph. 225-765-2346
Ferriday: 261 Wildlife and Fishery Road, Ferriday, LA 71334; ph. 318-757-4571
Grand Chenier: 5476 Grand Chenier Hwy., Grand Chenier, LA 70643; ph. 337-538-2276
Lake Charles: 1213 North Lakeshore Dr., Lake Charles, LA 70601; ph. 337-491-2575
Minden: 1401 Talton Street, Minden, LA 71055; ph. 318-371-3050
Monroe: 368 Century Tel Drive, Monroe, LA 71203; ph. 318-343-4044
New Iberia: 2415 Darnall Road, New Iberia, LA 70560; ph. 337-373-0032
Opelousas: 5652 Highway 182, Opelousas, LA 70570; ph. 337-948-0255
DLH Weekend supporting sponsors and partners include: Academy Sports and Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops/Bossier City, Bayou State Bowhunters Association, Bowie Outfitters, Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited, Hunter’s Run Gun Club, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, the Louisiana Wildlife Federation and the National Wild Turkey Federation.
For more information, contact John Sturgis at 225-763-5448 or jsturgis@wlf.louisiana.gov

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources and the South Carolina 4-H program will be conducting an introduction to shooting sports field day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Palachucola Shooting Range adjacent to the Webb Wildlife Center near Garnett.
The event, conducted by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources with support from the SouthDNR Law Enforcement instructs a novice Carolina 4-H Shooting Sports Program, will consist of instruction and a variety of archery and firearm shooting stations designed for those interested in learning about shooting sports.
For more information on the Feb. 10 shooting sports even, call Jay Cantrell, DNR wildlife biologist at the Webb Center, at 625-3569; or call Karissa R. Ulmer, Hampton County 4-H agent, at 943-3621, extension 112.
The field day is ideal for the novice shooter, both youth and adult, interested in learning about hunting, shooting and how to get begin participating in these outdoor pursuits. Shooting experts will provide individual shooting instruction with shotguns, .22-caliber rifles, air rifles and bows.
Firearms, ammunition, targets and bows will be provided free of charge at all of the shooting stations. Participants may bring their own firearms and bows if available, but should not bring ammunition. No centerfire rifles will be allowed at the range on this day. All firearms and bows must be unloaded and cased at all times at the event except when on the ranges.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Hunter Education Program officially recognized the National Wild Turkey Foundation at the October Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting for donations valued at $25,200.
The donations by NWTF State Chapter President Mike Rainwater and Vice President Glenn Thomas were accepted by LDWF Hunter Education Coordinator John Sturgis.
“The Federation is pleased to fund these vital hunter safety teaching tools so those learning the basics of safe outdoor recreation can be properly trained,” said Rainwater.
One donation for $19,000 provides for the purchase of equipment for the National Archery in the School Program that LDWF is introducing around the state. Eight NASP kits have been purchased for LDWF use. The instructional equipment will be stationed at LDWF hunter education offices and used to train school teachers to become archery instructors within their schools.
An additional donation of $6,200 will provide for a mobile air rifle trailer to facilitate live fire training. The trailer can be transported as needed to allow hunter education students to complete their coursework when a shooting range is not available near the course classroom.
For more information, contact John Sturgis 225-763-5448 or jsturgis@wlf.louisiana.gov.

PIERRE, S.D. - One of the most important pieces of paperwork for young people ages 12 to 15 is their card certifying the completion of the South Dakota Hunter Safety and Firearms Education Course.
Also known as the HuntSAFE course, the card that allows youngsters to hunt is a prized possession, and sometimes a missing possession. Until recently, a missing card meant a call to the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks office in Pierre which would issue a new card.
Replacements can now be accessed online, according to HuntSAFE coordinator Curt Robertson. “Just go to the GFP Web site at www.sdgfp.info, click on “Outdoor Education,” then click on “HuntSAFE” and then click on “Replacement HuntSAFE card,” Robertson said. “The system also has the information for replacing bowhunter cards.”
HuntSAFE card information is retrieved for the individual and an option then allows for printing on regular paper on a home computer. The paper can be signed and carried as the new hunter safety certificate.
If the information entered on the Web site doesn’t exactly match the database, the user will be asked to call the Pierre office at 773-7154. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Replacement cards can also be obtained through GFP regional offices.
“People who don’t have easy access to the Internet can always call the Pierre office for a new card,” Robertson said. “The online feature is a complement to the old system and not a replacement.”
Internet users can also request a new card by e-mailing the hunter’s name, full mailing address and date of birth to Wildinfo@state.sd.us.

A set of unique home-study hunter education classes will be offered for aspiring hunters, Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, August 27, at the free Wildlife Expo at the Lazy E Arena just north of Oklahoma City.
“We had a great time last year at Expo hunter ed course. It’s really a fun way for the whole family to go through the course and you won’t find a more flexible, hands-on hunter ed class,” Meek said.
Classes will begin at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on both days. To sign up for this course call 521-4636 and be prepared to provide your name, address, and date of birth. Before you come to the Wildlife Expo, be sure to complete the online home study course at wildlifedepartment.com. You can also pick up home study booklets at Wildlife Department offices in Oklahoma City, Jenks, or Higgins. Booklets are also available at the Midwest City Library, Oklahoma City Bass Pro Shop, Sportsmen’s Warehouse and the H&H Gun Range in Oklahoma City.
Each day one lucky participant will win a lifetime hunting license. For complete details on this and other Expo giveaways, including rules and eligibility, log on to wildlifedepartment.com
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is partnering with a wide range of other state agencies, private individuals and outdoor-related companies to host this huge event. The Expo is designed to promote and perpetuate the appreciation of Oklahoma’s wildlife and natural resources and provide hands-on learning opportunities for all types of outdoor enthusiasts.
The Expo is designed as an entertaining and educational event for both avid outdoor enthusiasts and those new to hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. Every visitor will be sure to find something that interests them, from live butterflies, to mountain bike riding, to dog training, to sampling wild game.
The Wildlife Expo will take place Aug. 25-27 on the expansive grounds of the Lazy E Arena, just north of Oklahoma City. Expo hours will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.
To register for great Expo prizes or for more information regarding activities available at the Oklahoma Wildlife Expo log on to wildlifedepartment.com.

Hunters Should Make Plans to Attend One Now
SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. - Last fall, 500 permitted hunters harvested 154 alligators during the 2-week alligator hunting season. This year, hunters again will have a chance at one of 500 permits. While the deadline has passed for applying for an alligator permit , hunters who are interested in alligator season or those that have been notified of their selection should try to attend one of four voluntary training sessions.
“These training sessions will assist hunters, especially those that are not familiar with alligators and alligator behavior, to learn proper catch and dispatch methods, safety precautions and what to do with the alligator once harvested,” says WRD State Alligator Program Coordinator and Sr. Wildlife Biologist Greg Waters.
Training sessions will be held as follows:
August 19 - 1 p.m./Riverbend WMA-Dublin/229-426-5267
August 26 - 1 p.m./Arrowhead Environmental Education Center-Armuchee/706-295-6041
August 26 - 1 p.m./Georgia DNR, Wildlife Resources Division Albany Region Office-Albany/229-430-4254
September 2 - 8 a.m./Bass Pro Shops-Savannah/912-262-3173
In Georgia, alligators typically are found south of the fall line . They occupy a variety of wetland habitats in the wild, including marshes, swamps, rivers, farm ponds and lakes, but also have been found in ditches, drainage canals, roadways, golf course ponds and sometimes in swimming pools. Male alligators can grow up to 16 feet in length and female alligators can grow up to 10 feet with large alligators reaching weights of over 800 pounds.
Alligators are carnivores and will eat almost anything they can catch including, crayfish, frogs, fish, turtles, waterfowl, otters and more. WRD Biologists conduct annual alligator surveys that enable the agency to assess population levels and make management decisions. Since the inception of the hunting program, the population has remained stable and shown that it can even allow for further flexibility related to the numbers of alligators taken and in what areas they can be hunted.
For more information on the 2006 alligator hunting season, visit the WRD website at www.gohuntgeorgia.com , contact a WRD Game Management Office or call 426-5267.

HOLDERNESS, N.H. - A free workshop covering the basics of hunting wild turkeys is being offered by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department on Saturday, April 8, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Owl Brook Hunter Education Center on Perch Pond Road in Holderness. Pre-registration is required. To sign up for the workshop, or for more information, call Sean Williamson at 536-1290.
The clinic will be conducted by Fish and Game hunter education instructor Dave Priebe, who is also on the professional staff of Quaker Boy, a turkey call manufacturer. The seminar will cover turkey hunting and calling, as well as turkey hunting safety. Participants are encouraged to bring their own turkey hunting guns and have a chance to pattern them, so they can see results for at least two different types of ammunition. Fish and Game wildlife programs supervisor Mark Ellingwood will be on hand to talk about turkey natural history and behavior. There will also be door prizes.
For more about N.H. Fish and Game’s Owl Brook Hunter Education Center in Holderness, including directions to the center, visit http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/hunter_ed_center.htm.
New Hampshire’s spring gobbler season runs from May 3 through May 31. The youth turkey hunting weekend will take place April 29-30. Hunting licenses and turkey permits can be purchased online at http://www.nhfishandgame.com.

Individuals interested in taking a hunter education class should register soon as classes are filling up quickly, according to Jim Carter, hunter education coordinator for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.
“Space is becoming limited, and some classes are already full,” Carter said.
Access the Game and Fish Department home page at gf.nd.gov, click on the online services tab, and then click on “online course enrollment” under the hunter education heading. Classes are listed by city, and can also be sorted by start date. To register for a class, click on “enroll” next to the specific class, and follow the simple instructions. Personal information is required. Enrollment for some classes requires calling the instructor’s phone number.
It is important to not procrastinate, Carter said, because 70 percent of all classes take place by the end of May. “We are running out of room even in some of the larger communities,” Carter said. “For example in Bismarck the next available class is in August. All classes prior to that are already filled.”
If a class is already full and nothing else is available in the local area, hunter ed applicants might have to look in other communities in the county, Carter said.
Those who do not have access to the internet and want to sign up for a class can call the hunter education program in Bismarck at 328-6615.
State law requires persons born after Dec. 31, 1961 to pass a certified hunter education course to hunt in the state. Hunter education is mandatory for youth who are turning 12 years old, and children can take the class at age 11.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will offer spring hunter education classes in Belgrade on March 20-25 and in Bozeman on April 24-29.
Pre-registration for the Belgrade class is on Wednesday, March 8 from 6-8 p.m. at the Belgrade Intermediate School Cafeteria . Pre-registration is required and the student must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The Belgrade class will be held March 20-24 from 7-9 p.m. at the Belgrade Intermediate School . The field and test day will take place on Saturday, March 25 at the Logan Range beginning at 8 a.m.
Pre-registration for the Bozeman class is on Tuesday, April 11 from 7-9 p.m. at the FWP Headquarters in Bozeman . Pre-registration is required and the student must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The Bozeman class will be held April 24-28 from 7-9 p.m. at the Chief Joseph Middle School . The field and test day will take place on Saturday, April 29 beginning at 8 a.m. at the Logan Range.
Any person born after January 1, 1985, must present a FWP Hunter Education Certificate in order to purchase a hunting license in Montana. A student must be 11 years old to attend or become 11 years old before the end of the class session.
The classes will be conducted by FWP certified instructors and also sponsored by the Breakfast Optimist Club of Bozeman. For more information contact George Clement, Gallatin County Chief Instructor, at 406-388-0655 or FWP Region 3 Headquarters at 406-994-4042.

CONCORD, N.H. - The next few months are a great time to get in a hunter education class, which is required for all first-time New Hampshire hunters age 16 and older. Sign up now for one of many Hunter Education, Bowhunter Education or trapper education classes currently listed at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department website at http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/hunter_ed_schedule.htm, or call 271-3214.
New Hampshire law requires all hunters who purchase a hunting license to show either a previous hunting license , or a Hunter Education certification card.
“Don’t put it off. Most hunter education classes are offered now through the spring and summer months. By getting your hunter education class out of the way early, you’ll have more time to spend preparing for this fall’s hunting season by scouting, practicing your marksmanship skills, and booking accommodations for that dream hunt!” said Tom Flynn, Hunter Education Coordinator for N.H. Fish and Game.
March and April classes are especially helpful for new hunters interested in taking part in the spring gobbler season, which runs from May 3 through May 31 in New Hampshire. The 2006 Youth Turkey Hunting Weekend is set for April 29 and 30. Only youth age 15 and younger may hunt on the youth weekend; they must hold a turkey permit and be accompanied by an adult with a valid New Hampshire hunting license.
Hunter Education and Bowhunter Education classes are open to all ages; participants must be at least 12 years of age by the end of the course to be eligible for certification. “It’s a good idea to get kids into a class at a young age, before they get caught up in other activities of youth. A hunter education course, like hunting itself, is a great family activity,” adds Sean Williamson, who manages Fish and Game’s Owl Brook Hunter Education Center in Holderness.
Another option for meeting the hunter education requirement, available for those 16 and older, is studying at home. Participants in the home study option do the coursework on their own, then attend a required field day involving a written exam and field skills testing. Note that there are specific registration dates for home study, and space is limited. Signup deadlines and locations of field testing for available sessions are listed at http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/hunter_ed_homestudy.htm.
Each year, Fish and Game holds about 130 classes for basic hunter, bowhunter and trapper education at fish and game clubs, camps and other facilities around the state, taught by more than 550 trained volunteer instructors. More than 3,000 people participate in these courses in New Hampshire each year.
The basic Hunter Education course includes about 16 hours of instruction, consisting of classroom work and field experiences, often including firing on a shooting range. Courses are taught by trained, certified volunteer instructors according to national guidelines and state standards. Participants learn about safe firearms handling; wildlife identification; game trailing, recovery and care; hunter ethics and responsibility; outdoor safety and survival skills; and map and compass skills.
Hunter Education instruction and course materials are provided free of charge. Some classes may charge a nominal facilities fee, up to a $2 maximum. Fish and Game’s Hunter Education courses are funded by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program.
For more information on hunter education in New Hampshire, visit http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm or call 271-3214.

The California Department of Fish and Game now allows hunter education students to complete most of their mandatory training through an online course. Students who finish the online portion must also attend a regular four-hour course with certified instructors to complete the training.
“The Hunter Education online course will be more convenient for many students and save the state money as well,” said California State Hunter Education Coordinator Capt. Roy Griffith. “We anticipate that the course will be very popular, and we have a group of dedicated instructors already in place to handle the expected demand.”
The online course covers everything seen in traditional Hunter Education courses, including handling firearms safely, hunter ethics, conservation and first aid. Subjects of the course’s chapters and practice tests are consistent with the current student manual. The course also uses interactive video segments to illustrate the movement of a rifle action while cycling a cartridge, a firing pin striking a primer, how to sight in a rifle, and other hunting demonstrations.
A California-specific online course is offered by Kalkomey Enterprises, publisher of California’s hunter education manual, Today’s Hunter. This course has a $15 fee. After a student successfully passes the test at the end of the exam he or she prints out a California Pre-Certification Exam Voucher. The voucher includes an explanation of how the student should contact a certified California Hunter Education Instructor to register for the final four-hour course.
An alternative online program is the course run by the International Hunter Education Association . IHEA has maintained a course used by many states that is also acceptable in California. Completion of their course also allows the student to continue on to the mandatory four-hour course taught by a certified California Hunter Education Instructor.
All individuals interested in obtaining a hunting license in California are required by law to complete hunter education training. Information on online courses can be accessed through DFG’s Hunter Education website at www.dfg.ca.gov/huntered.

The Department of Fish and Game’s Advanced Hunter Education Program is offering California’s hunters and outdoor enthusiasts 13 clinics and workshops throughout 2006. Hunting clinics will be available on subjects such as big game, wild pig, turkey, upland game birds, and waterfowl. Skills workshops will be held for individuals interested in navigation and wilderness survival, gun-dog training, and a dog handling clinic for pointers.
“The Advanced Hunter Education clinics focus instruction on the ‘how-to’ aspect of hunting,” said program coordinator Susan Herrgesell. “The goal of this series is to educate hunters to be ethical, conservation-minded, and successful. Our clinics and instructors will take the participants a step beyond the basic DFG Hunter Education course that is required for all hunters.”
The list, location and cost of courses include:
Feb. 25-26, Land Navigation and Wilderness Survival Clinic offered at Fort Hunter Liggett in Monterey County. The cost is $50.
March 11, Turkey Hunting Clinic offered at the Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church in Sacramento County. The clinic is free and no registration is necessary.
April 29, Pig Hunting Clinic offered at Fort Hunter Liggett in Monterey County. The cost is $40.
May 20-21, Big Game Hunting Clinic offered in Williams, Colusa County. The cost is $60.
June 3, Gun Dog Handling Clinic offered at Tehachapi in southern Kern County. The cost is $40.
June 3, Pig Hunting Clinic offered in Sonoma. The cost is $40.
June 10-11, Land Navigation and Wilderness Survival Clinic offered at Stonyford in northern Colusa County. The cost is $50.
Aug. 5, Pig Hunting Clinic offered at Tejon Ranch in southern Kern County. The cost is $40.
Aug. 26, Waterfowl Hunting Clinic offered at Rancho Jamul in southeast San Diego County. The cost is $40.
Sept. 23, Upland Game Hunting Clinic offered in Williams, Colusa County. The cost is $40.
Sept. 23, Upland Game Hunting Clinic offered in Gorman, Kern County. The cost is $40.
Sept. 30, Waterfowl Hunting Clinic offered in Williams, Colusa County. The cost is $40.
Nov. 4, Dog Handling Clinic for Pointers in Rosamond, Kern County. The cost is $40.
Instructors at the hunting clinics will explain the ideal firearms and ammunition for a particular hunt, the importance of proper sighting for firearms, and how to gauge distance. They will also instruct on how to scout an area and track an animal, and describe the best techniques for field dressing. Participants will stage shoot/don’t shoot scenarios, as well as discuss issues on hunter ethics, landowner/hunter relationships, conservation, and safety.
Individuals interested in attending clinics can print registration forms from DFG’s Hunter Education Program Web page at www.dfg.ca.gov/huntclinics. The deadline for registration and fees is two weeks prior to the clinic’s date. Completed forms must be sent with a check for the course’s cost to the Department of Fish and Game, Advanced Hunter Education Program, 601 Locust St., Redding, CA 96001.

Alabama’s Hunter Education Program is receiving a boost from sporting goods retailers across the state. Several retailers have agreed to host hunter education field days, where students who have completed a CD-ROM or Internet course of study attend a required hands-on session.
Alabama is one of 49 states with a mandatory hunter education program. All hunting license buyers born on or after August 1, 1977, must show proof of completion of an approved hunter education course prior to purchasing a hunting license. In additional to traditional classroom instruction, an alternative CD-ROM or Internet course is available. To obtain a hunter education course certificate through this avenue, students must complete the interactive CD or Internet program, which includes a 50-question test, and attend a one-day hands on field day. At the field day, students must complete a standard written examination and are expected to demonstrate many skills such as loading and unloading different types of firearms, safely crossing fences, and other activities that all safe, responsible hunters should be able to complete. The Department of Conservation’s Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries administers the Hunter Education Program with a host of volunteer instructors. The classes retailers are holding are in addition to classes already being conducted by the Hunter Education Program.
The partnership with retailers is the brainchild of Mark Whitlock, owner of Mark’s Outdoor Sports in Birmingham. Whitlock became aware that additional venues for obtaining hunter education certification were needed in the Birmingham area, so he offered the use of his store. Whitlock says that his first class maxed out at 100 people, with many parents planning to attend with their children. “We will be dividing the class into groups of 20 and rotating them through different stations,” he said.
Other retailers are following Whitlock’s lead and scheduling field days throughout the fall. Some manufacturers who heard about the program are providing the equipment needed to conduct the classes. Rossi is donating rifles and shotguns to be used as classroom examples. Radians Protective Gear is donating hearing protection to everyone who goes through the class, and Summit Treestands is donating climbing harnesses to be used for training.
Another component of the partnership with retailers is that all who successfully complete an Alabama hunter education class in 2005 are eligible to win a gift certificate to spend at a sporting goods retailer. Summit Treestands is donating $5,000 to be divided between 10 winners randomly chosen in early 2006.
Conservation Commissioner Barnett Lawley is pleased that Whitlock and others are eager to join the Department in preparing future hunters. “It’s encouraging to see people like Mark Whitlock offer their services to help us certify more hunters. As a state agency we have limited resources, so these types of partnerships are very important to us,” he said. “We will still be conducting hunter education classes as usual, but now students will have additional opportunities as far as location is concerned,” Lawley added.
Retailers currently offering hunter education field days include the following: Mark’s Outdoors, Birmingham; Sportsman’s Paradise, Oxford; Walter Craig, Montgomery; Wilborn Outdoors, Cullman; and Woods and Waters, Tuscaloosa. Other stores will be added as soon as dates for field days are set. For a listing of all hunter education classes and field days, visit www.outdooralabama.com/hunting/education or call 800-245-2740.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Parks, State Lands, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR visit www.outdooralabama.com.

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. - Taking a hunter education class in Georgia is
now easier than ever according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources,
Wildlife Resources Division . Beginning immediately, hunters can access an
approved hunter education course on the Internet at www.beasafehunter.org. This
Internet course satisfies eight of the ten required hours to complete the course.
Hunters then must attend a two-hour review / test course and if all
requirements are met successfully, students receive their hunter education
certificate before leaving the classroom.
“We expect that this new course option will be very popular, especially with young
hunters and/or those whose schedules do not allow time to fit in the traditional
classroom course,” says WRD Hunter Education Coordinator Capt. James Bell. “While
we will continue to offer the traditional 10 - hour classroom course and will mail
the CD Rom course to those who request it, the Division hopes this new Internet
option will increase the number of students who complete the course and save time
and money for the Division.”
Completion of a hunter education course is required for any person born on or after
January 1, 1961, who:
purchases a season hunting license in Georgia.
is at least 12 years old and hunts with a weapon without adult supervision .
hunts big game on a wildlife management area .
The only exceptions include:
a person purchasing a short-term hunting license is no longer required to show proof of having taken an approved hunter education course regardless of the person’s state of residence.
any person hunting on his or her own land, or that of his or her parents or legal guardians.
Those interested in the new Internet course should go to www.beasafehunter.org .
After completing all lessons and the review test, students should print out and sign
the “Hunter Education Final Report and Affidavit”. If under age 18, a parent or
guardian must sign the affidavit. Students should then go to the WRD website at
www.georgiawildlife.com, click on hunting, then hunter education to find a review
course. Students also can call 1-800-864-7275 to register for a review course,
however there is a small fee for this service. Hunters must bring the signed,
completed “Final Report and Affidavit” to the review course or they will not be
allowed to take the final test.
For more information on the new Internet hunter education course, go to
www.gohuntgeorgia.com or call 770-784-3068.