If your sights are set on hunting this fall and you still need to complete Idaho’s hunter education requirement, now is the perfect time to sign up for a course, either in a classroom or online course.
Hunter education is required for anyone born on or after January 1, 1975 who wants to purchase an Idaho hunting license.
Summer is a great time to get into a course, as there are a number of courses to choose from and space is usually available. Courses are offered year-round, but the numbers offered decrease in early fall as most volunteer instructors prepare for their own hunting adventures. Early fall courses also fill up rapidly and there may not be available spaces for those who delay.
To learn about Idaho’s hunter education requirement or to register for a course, visit Fish and Game’s hunter education webpage.
Fish and Game offers both instructor-led and online options to complete the hunter education requirement, but both require a "field day," where students must be there in person.
The most popular course option for budding young hunters is the instructor-led course. Direct person-to-person instruction from certified volunteer instructors and hands-on learning experiences makes this the best option for youth ages 9 to 14 or for individuals having minimal hunting experience.
The online course offers the same content, but is taken on the student’s schedule. While convenient and allowing much of the course to be taken at home, the course is designed for older students with excellent reading comprehension. The online option requires students to register for and attend a field day where a field exercise and written exam are given.
Fish and Game also offers an instructor-led combination (hunter and bowhunter) course that satisfies Idaho’s requirements for both rifle and archery hunting. This course avoids the duplication of shared content and streamlines the process for those wanting both hunter and bowhunter certification.
In addition, the Hunting Passport offers a way for those wanting to try the sport prior to committing time and energy to a hunter education course. Those who are 8 and older and have never held a hunting license in Idaho or any other state can obtain the special authorization for $1.75. This document, similar to a license, allows people to hunt with a license-holding adult mentor.
Once the special certification is up, those who want to continue hunting must fulfill the education requirement before purchasing a license. Here are more details on Idaho’s Hunting Passport.