Hunter education classes offered in Harlem, Rocky Boy

From Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Hunter Education course dates have been set for Harlem and Box Elder. All hunter education classes are free of charge.

• Harlem, starting Aug. 23, 5 p.m. at the ECNA Church

• Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, starting Sept. 7, 6 p.m. at Stone Child College Kennewash Building.

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

A release from the Chippewa Cree Tribe Fish and Wildlife Department says the last day of the Sept. 7-10 class at Stone Child College will be a field day and says a parent or guardian must accompany the the child on the first day to sign a signature card and that masks are required.

It adds that the participant must attend all four sessions for tribal and state certification and is open to people 11 and older.

People can call the Chippewa Cree Tribe Natural Resource Office at 409-395-4207 to sign up.

For youth to be eligible to hunt and be fully certified during the 2021 season, hunters must be 12 years old by January 16, 2022.  Students aged 10 and 11 can take a 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 turning age 12 by January 16, 2022, and older.

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 self-paced online course provides a convenience for those who are comfortable with eLearning, already have a solid firearms and hunting background, or for those that cannot attend an in-person course. 

Students must register prior to attending a class.  To find a class and register, people should go to https://fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter-education and make sure to print, read and sign any necessary paperwork ahead of the class. 

Many classes require students to pick up a manual and complete chapter quizzes before class begins.

People who have any questions are asked to contact the instructors listed on the registration page or to call the Havre office at 406-265-6177.