Whether you realize it or not, we are going through a transition right now with our hunter education certification program, which began last year.
Any Missouri resident 16 years of age or older can go through the entire certification course online at the Missouri Department of Conservation website, mdc.mo.gov ($15). With this new option, it is not totally necessary to ever take any courses in person.
Any youth who is 15 or younger does not need hunter education certification as long as they hunt in the immediate presence of a hunter education certified (or exempt) and permitted adult hunter. The only exception would be for a youth 15 years of age or younger who still needs hunter education certification to apply for any managed hunt, just like an adult. However, there are still youth and parents of youth hunters who want to have this information and certification well before they are 16 years old.
With this all new online option at 16 years of age, there has been a significant drop in demand for the actual classroom skills courses where students finish up the certification process. So, as you can imagine, there are a lot less skills courses being held due to lack of interest.
If you are one of those youth or parents of a youth who would like to be hunter education certified before the age of 16, I strongly suggest you register for a fall class now and encourage as many of your friends to do the same. If there are not enough students to justify a skills course within a couple days of having the course, it will be canceled.
With that being said, do not forget that students need to complete the knowledge portion before attending a skills course. They can either go online to the MDC website to do this or pick up a student manual in their county, review the material and complete all of the review questions in the back of the booklet.
Either the printed certificate from the online knowledge portion or the completed student manual will get them in the door for a skills course if they have previously registered for that course. If they fail to provide proof of completing the knowledge portion, even though they have registered for that skills course, they will not be able to attend a skills course. This is all explained on our website when they go to the home page and click into "Become Hunter Ed Certified," if the student or their parent takes the time to read through all the information presented.
If a student goes online to do their knowledge portion (which is highly recommended - it is an excellent course), once they have completed it (it takes four to six hours in length if the material is covered well) that certificate is good for a year to get them into any skills course anywhere in Missouri to complete their certification.
In the online knowledge portion the user will establish a user name and password to allow them to get in and out of it and complete it at their own pace ,in the comfort of their own home.
If you do not have a computer at home, your public library is a good option. Do not forget to print off and keep your certificate of completion to get into a skills course.
We will be having a skills course in Butler County at the Poplar Bluff Junior High School gymnasium from 5-9 p.m. on Sept. 24. Do not forget to register for it if you want to become certified before this fall's hunting seasons. Register as soon as possible as there is the possibility of it filling up quickly, with a maximum of 45 students allowed.
There may also be a lot of interest from other counties, since there will be very few skills classes held this fall.
This is the only skills course that will be offered in Butler County this fall.
Students must be at least 11 years old to attend. Make sure to include all of your personal information asked for in the registration online, including your social security number. You will need to bring pens or pencils to the course, and, there will be no break for supper. Please pass the word around about this course to your friends and family.