These new classes will be posted and available for registration on Friday, July 12, by 8 a.m.

To purchase a hunting license in Michigan, anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1960, is required to successfully complete an approved hunter education course.

Hunter safety education classes are commonly offered in the spring, ahead of spring turkey season, or in the fall before the firearm deer season. Hunter Safety Education Week is offered in addition to the already planned fall classes.

“Just like preparing for school and fall extracurriculars, hunting season needs to be considered in advance,” said Lt. Tom Wanless, DNR recreational safety, education and enforcement supervisor.

“A lot of people aren’t considering hunting season right now because it’s the middle of summer. We don’t want to see people wait until the week before they want to hunt to try locating a class, at which point classes are often full,” he said. “We hope that by offering an influx of in-person classes during a particular week each year, it will give people enough notice to prepare for hunting season.”

There are four options for completing hunter safety education in Michigan, all of which require at least four hours of in-person instruction:

• Traditional classroom-based course.
• Online course followed by an in-person field day.
• Interactive online course followed by an in-person field day.
• Take-home study course followed by an in-person field day.

Hunter safety education helps the next generation of hunters learn how to safely and responsibly enjoy hunting and understand the importance of wildlife management. The DNR-managed program teaches lifelong skills, such as firearm safety, basic first aid and how to use a map and compass, to an average of 15,000 students per year.

Learn more or register for a class at Michigan.gov/HunterEducation.

Additionally, the DNR is always looking for new volunteer recreational safety education instructors. Get more details about this opportunity on the DNR website.