Hunter ed registration opens

Hunter and bowhunter education courses are open to registration across northwest Montana.

Registration is available online at fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter. Classes are typically held in late winter/early spring and fall. Students are encouraged to take hunter education well in advance of the season they plan to hunt. Space is limited in individual communities.

Students are required to pick up materials and complete the course manual before the first night of class. Instructions for picking up materials and other info are available in the event description of each class. Students must complete the manuals before the class.

A student must be at least 10 years old to register for Montana hunter education courses. Students ages 10-11 can take the course and hunt as an apprentice but will not be fully certified until the year they turn 12. There is no maximum age limit. Anyone 18 or older can complete an online course but must still attend a field course to become certified. Students must attend all classroom sessions, the field course, and pass a final exam to become certified.

To purchase a Montana hunting license, any person born after Jan. 1, 1985, must show a certificate of completing a hunter/bowhunter education course issued by Montana, any other state, or any Canadian province.

Hunter and bowhunter education courses are led by volunteer instructors who are passionate about preserving Montana’s hunting tradition and teaching firearm safety, as well as other outdoor skills. Instructors are needed in communities across northwest Montana. If you are interested in mentoring new hunters, please contact Dillon Tabish at (406) 751-4564 or visit fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter for more info. The first day may include material pick-up day. Read event description online for specific class instructions and requirements

Hunter Education Courses in Northwest Montana, include in Whitefish on March 11, Kalispell on March 22 and Kalispell (online field day) on April 6.

Bowhunter Education Courses in Northwest Montana, include in Kalispell on April 2, Kalispell (youth only) on April 18, Kalispell on May 2, Columbia Falls on May 9, Kalispell (online field day) on May 18,

Whitefish on May 30, and Kalispell (online field day) on July 13.