Local hunter education courses open to registration

Registration is open for hunter education courses in Kalispell, Eureka and Bigfork.

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

Students may be required to pick up materials and complete the course manual before the first class. Dates, locations and specific instructions for each class, as well as contact information for the instructors, are available in the class descriptions online. Additional courses may become available across the region before hunting season.

In-person, instructor-led hunter education courses are available to anyone 10 and older. Courses are led by volunteer instructors who are passionate about preserving Montana's hunting tradition, teaching firearm safety, ethics and other outdoor skills.

Montana also provides a self-paced, online-only hunter education course that is available to anyone 12 and older. Youth must turn 12 by Jan. 16 of the current license year. Once certified, graduates may purchase or apply for licenses and hunt after Aug. 15 of the current license year.

Instructor-led hunter education 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. The online course is convenient for those who are comfortable with online learning or who already have a solid firearms and hunting background.

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.