Hunter education classes scheduled in northwest Montana

Hunter education courses are scheduled in Eureka, Kalispell and Columbia Falls.

Registration is free and available at https://fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter-education.

Dates, locations and specific instructions for each class, as well as contact information for the lead instructors, are available in the class descriptions online.

In-person, instructor-led hunter education courses are available free to anyone 10 and older. Instructor-led courses provide new hunters with a hands-on learning experience and can be particularly beneficial for people who have minimal experience in the field or handling firearms.

Students 10 and 11 can take the in-person course and hunt as an apprentice but will not be fully certified until the year they turn 12.

Montana also provides a self-paced online-only hunter education course that is available for anyone 12 and older. The third-party vendor that hosts the course charges $25 for the online certification.

Hunter education courses cover basic information and skills related to the safe handling of firearms as well as basic instruction in wildlife management, game identification, landowner/hunter relations, hunter ethics and Montana hunting laws and regulations.

To purchase or apply for a Montana hunting license, anyone born after Jan. 1, 1985, must complete a hunter education course issued by Montana, any other state, or any Canadian province.

The Apprentice Hunter program allows anyone 10 or older to hunt for up to two years without completing a hunter education course. Certain restrictions apply and anyone certified as an apprentice must be accompanied by a certified mentor.

For more information, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter-education.

Become a mentor for new hunters

If you're interested in mentoring new hunters, improving ethics and safety in the field, or teaching an appreciation for Montana's hunting resources and traditions, please consider signing up to serve as a volunteer hunter education instructor. In northwest Montana, contact Dillon Tabish at 406-751-4564 to learn more.