PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is making it easier to complete the requirements necessary to become certified by the department’s Hunter Education program.
To better serve the needs of its resident students, AZGFD is offering two new online options — Hunter-Ed Course and ilearntohunt. These options will allow resident students to fully complete their certification online should they decide not to choose a classroom course, or the online curriculum paired with an in-person field day.
For more information about these options, visit www.azgfd.gov/HunterEd.
If a resident student has taken the online course from Oct. 1, 2019 to Aug. 28, 2024, they will have until Dec. 31, 2024, to complete an in-person or virtual field day before their certificate expires. Those resident students will be able to virtually complete their Hunter Education certification for no additional cost (a voucher will be emailed to the resident student within the next two weeks).
Any individual 9 or older may complete a Hunter Education course offered through AZGFD. To hunt big game in Arizona, youth under 14 must complete Hunter Education. Hunter Education is not required for anyone 14 and older to hunt in Arizona.
Students may continue to take Hunter Education through a traditional classroom setting or hybrid format. Both formats require a hands-on field day and exam. The classroom courses are typically offered during weekends and weeknights throughout the state. The classroom courses average 16 hours of in-person instruction, and the field days average four hours.
All classroom courses and field days are administered by volunteer instructors. The volunteers typically schedule classroom classes and field days based on their availability, and the classroom courses are posted two to four weeks prior to the event start date. Field days are conducted at a local shooting range. At this time, a limited number of field days and bonus-point field tests are available.
All classroom courses and field days are posted at www.azgfd.gov/HunterEd, and registration must be completed online. The website is updated on Tuesdays with new classroom courses and field day opportunities.
The purpose of Hunter Education is about more than safety. It’s also about developing responsible, knowledgeable, and involved hunters who understand the importance of complying with hunting laws and behaving ethically.
