Hunter Ed Sign-up Scheduled for Saturday January 22

IDAHO FALLS - To many young people the purchasing of a hunting license is a rite of passage. In Idaho, like all other states, mandatory hunter education is now required before a hunting license can be purchased for the first time. Saturday marks the next opportunity for Idaho Falls youths to sign-up for upcoming hunter education classes. Prior planning and completion of hunter education is especially important if new hunters plan on applying for any controlled hunt permits later this spring or summer. Sportsmen wishing to take part in the separate archery education certification will also be able to register at this time. On Saturday, January 22 from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. registration will take place at the IDFG Office at 1515 Lincoln Road in Idaho Falls. Up until just a few years ago a waiting list format was used to enroll students, but this often meant that once to the head of the list, students might not be able to attend the classes being offered at that specific time. The current registration system has taken care of that problem. When students come to register, they are actually able to pick the dates, times, and locations for their classes, as well as choosing a specific instructor. All of the individuals who teach hunter education do so on a strictly volunteer basis, so class times are often varied to conform to the free time of the instructors. Legislation was passed two years ago to change the class fee to $8.00 for all participants irregardless of their age. Minors under the age of 18 who wish to register will also need to have a parent or guardian on hand to sign a permission slip and provide the students social security number for registration purposes. Students failing to sign-up at this time will have to wait until the next registration session that will occur sometime later in the spring. Students at that time will register for classes to be held later in the summer. Students waiting until summer or fall sometimes do not get through the course in time to enjoy all the early hunting opportunities possible. Individuals residing in smaller communities should contact the regional office to learn the name of their local volunteer hunter education instructor. Questions or comments concerning hunter education can be directed to Steve Peterson at 525-7290.