Free Online Hunter Education Courses and Manuals Offered by New Mexico DGF
OutdoorHub 05.07.12
Young hunters and others who need to complete a hunter education course to be eligible to hunt in New Mexico and many other states now have another free option to help them.
The Department of Game and Fish and Huntercourse.com are offering a free online manual and interactive hunter education course that qualifies as the homework requirement for the New Mexico course. The department spent $20,000 to provide the online course and manual to students at no charge through April 30, 2013. It is one of two online courses offered on the Department website, www.wildlife.state.nm.us. The second course, through Hunter-Ed.com, costs $24.50.
New Mexico law requires anyone younger than age 18 to have successfully completed an approved hunter education course before hunting with a firearm or bow or applying for a firearm or bow hunting license.
The department offers two types of hunter education courses: an accelerated eight-hour course for students ages 11 or older, and a standard course that includes 16 hours of class time. Both courses require students to have read the manual and have completed the online or paper homework assignment before the class begins.
Registration for all classes is online through the department website by clicking on the “Hunter Education” button on the home page. Students will be assigned a free customer identification number, which is required to register for all classes. The same number is required to buy hunting, fishing or trapping licenses online or to apply for any of the Department’s special drawing hunts.
Students can acquire free hard copies of the manual at department offices or other specified locations following registration.
Students without Internet access can get customer identification numbers and register for hunter education classes at Department offices in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Raton, Roswell and Las Cruces during regular business hours.
For information about the Hunter Education Program please call (505) 222-4731.
