MONTPELIER — Vermonters must pass the basic hunter education course before they can purchase their first hunting license. Vermont’s volunteer hunter education instructors are now holding a limited number of courses throughout the state.
“Most of these courses are held in August and September,” said Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s Hunter Education Coordinator Nicole Meier. “All of our instructors are volunteers. They teach because they are passionate about hunting and want to ensure that Vermont’s safe hunting legacy continues. We credit Vermont’s strong safety record with our volunteer instructors — in fact, in 2021, Vermont boasted zero hunting-related incidents.
“Volunteer instructors are the backbone of the Vermont Hunter Education Program. They are vital to Vermont’s strong record of safe hunting. Hands-on and in-person learning from an experienced instructor are the best ways to become familiar with the skills associated with safe hunting.”
Courses are now available in basic hunter education, bowhunter education, trapper education and combination hunter-bowhunter education. More classes are to be posted in August and September.
The courses will be listed as they become available on Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website vtfishandwildlife.com. On the Home page, click on Hunt and then Hunter Education and Find the Right Class for You. To register for a course, visit register-ed.com/programs/vermont.
A Vermont hunter education card entitles people to hunt in all 50 states, as well as some international locations.
Requests should be made as early as possible. Send an e-mail to Nicole.Meier@vermont.gov or call 802-828-1193.