Hunter education classes offered in northwest Montana
Hunter education classes and a trapper education field day are open to registration in northwest Montana this fall.
All in-person classes are free. Students must be at least 10 years old to take a Hunter Education class.
The following Hunter Education classroom classes are currently scheduled in northwest Montana:
- Eureka, starting Sept. 3
- Columbia Falls, starting Sept. 9
- Bigfork, starting Sept. 11
- Kalispell, starting Sept. 23
- Kila, starting Sept. 16
Additional classes in other regional communities could become available but no later than October. To sign up for a class or find other classes across the state, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter-education.
Students ages 12 through 17 who take hunter or bowhunter education online will also be required to pass an in-person field day. A field day for online students in the Flathead Valley will be scheduled later this fall.
TRAPPER EDUCATION
The following trapper education and wolf trapper certification courses are open to registration:
- Virtual wolf trapper certification course, Sept. 26
- Kalispell trapper education field day, Oct. 19
- Virtual wolf trapper certification course, Nov. 20
To sign up for a trapper education class or virtual wolf trapper certification course, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/education/trapping.
To purchase a Montana resident Class C trapping license, residents must complete a Montana trapper education course or have purchased a trapping license in at least three prior years (in Montana or another state).
Residents must be at least 12 years-old to purchase a Class C trapping license. Youth 6-11 years old must purchase a Class C-3 trapping license and are exempt from the requirement to take trapper education and are limited to what animals they can trap.
The trapper education course consists of an online component, an in-person field day, and written test. This general trapper education course also satisfies the Montana wolf trapper education requirement.
Wolf trapper certification is required for anyone who traps wolves in Montana. Residents who wish to purchase a trapping license to trap wolves are required to either complete the general trapper education course (which integrates wolf trapper education into the curriculum), or complete the stand-alone virtual wolf trapper education course if they have also purchased trapping licenses for three seasons prior to 2022 (and are therefore exempt from the general trapper education requirement).
Non-residents must complete a one-time Montana or Idaho wolf trapper education course. All Montana wolf trapper education courses are free, virtual-only courses and open to residents and non-residents.
Become an Instructor
The heart of Montana’s Hunter, Bowhunter and Trapper education programs is the corps of dedicated volunteer instructors. They stand as examples of how each hunter and trapper should demonstrate ethics, behavior and responsibility to themselves, landowners, other hunters and the resource.
These instructors choose to honor Montana’s hunting heritage and “Pass it On” by sharing their skills, experiences and their love of hunting and Montana’s vast resources with those new to hunting and the outdoor adventure.
If you are interested in becoming an instructor, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/education/volunteer-instructors.