Southwest Idaho currently has 13 instructor-led courses slated to start between May and July with seats still available, with more courses to come. Among the upcoming offerings in the Southwest Region are Hunter Education Certification, Hunter & Bowhunter (Combo) Education Certification, and several different Hunting & Shooting Skills workshops.
Students should note there are various types of Hunter Education Certification courses in the list below, including pre-study options such as expedited one- or two-day courses and Hybrid Hunter Education (an interactive, virtual course with a hands-on field day), as well as the traditional Hunter Education format. Be sure to read the class description before signing up for a course.
Here is a list of upcoming courses and scheduled start-dates. Follow the links to see more information about each class and to register.
Note: If a particular course has filled up, check if there are other options that will work for you in the list below. If not, be sure to provide your information to join the waitlist. Seats may open up for the course in which you are interested, and/or it could help us schedule additional classes to meet demand!
Certification Courses
- May 20 - Hunter Certification Hybrid - McCall
- May 24- Hunter Certification - Nampa
- May 28 - Hunter & Bowhunter (Combo) Certification - Fruitland
- May 28 - Hunter Certification - Kuna
- June 17 - Hunter & Bowhunter (Combo) Certification - Middleton
- July 8 - Hunter & Bowhunter (Combo) Certification - Middleton
- June 23 - Hunter Certification (One-Day Course) - Council
- July 20 - Hunter Certification (One-Day Course) - Council
Hunting & Shooting Skills Courses
Hunting & Shooting Skills workshops build upon basic hunter education to provide hands-on experience to gain the skills and confidence to independently participate and enjoy hunting and shooting sports.
- May 11 - Beginning Firearm Safety Training & Shooting - Kuna - This course is designed for the Hunter Education graduate to refresh and enhance the skills they learned during their Hunter Education Course. It is a beginning-level firearms safety course with live-fire training.
- May 18 - Map and Compass - Nampa - This is a comprehensive course designed to take the student with no knowledge of maps or compasses to being to identify terrain features, read topographic maps, plan overland routes, find themselves when lost, and build their confidence when in the wilderness.
- May 26 - Introduction to Wing Shooting - Kuna - In this introductory class, instructors will provide basic instruction on wing shooting, addressing firearms safety, shotgun manipulation (e.g., loading and unloading), safe shotgun handling, gun fit, gun mount, stance, sight picture, and more. The course is designed for shooters who are new to wing shooting. Students will finish the class having hit a few clays and an understanding of wing shooting fundamentals.
- June 23 - Introduction to Wing Shooting - Kuna
- July 28 - Introduction to Wing Shooting - Kuna
Why sign up for an instructor-led course?
Learn from experienced hunters/instructors: Maybe you have a question about something that wasn’t directly covered in the coursework, or maybe you just want a little more explanation. With instructor-led courses, you have the opportunity to dive a little deeper than what you find in the Hunter Education book. Instructors provide person-to-person interaction that you won’t find through a strictly online course.
It’s hands-on: In-person instruction provides a hands-on component to hunter education that simply isn’t available in the online format. So, what exactly do we mean by “hands-on?” While both the online and in-person courses cover the same information, in-person students have the benefit of putting the concepts they learn into practice under the guidance of Hunter Education instructors who can explain and demonstrate.
For example, in every instructor-led course (including hybrid courses), students have the opportunity to practice safe firearm handling with inert firearms in the classroom, and receive specific training based on scenarios that most often lead to hunting-related accidents.
It’s affordable: The cost for enrolling in instructor-led certification courses is less than a box of shotgun shells: just $9.75.
To see a full list of instructor-led courses scheduled go to https://register-ed.com/programs/idaho.