Hunter Education Courses - DNREC
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The
Hunter Education Program
offers a variety of classes, both basic and advanced.
For more information, please contact the Office of Hunter Education, at
HunterEducation@delaware.gov
or 302-735-3600 x1, or by mail at 3018 Bayside Drive, Dover, DE 19901.
Basic Hunter Education
Hunter Education
Course Calendar
Digital DNREC
Hunter Education Waiver
The Basic Education Course is
offered live
at one of the DNREC Hunter Education
classroom locations
throughout the state. New hunters learn safety, ethics, firearm types, safe gun handling, marksmanship techniques, specialty hunting techniques, wildlife management, wildlife ID, survival, and more.
Delaware state law requires all basic hunter education students to participate in a live firing experience with a trained firearms instructor in order to successfully complete the course. State insurance rules require all participants in any course which includes live firing to sign a
Release From Liability Waiver
before taking part in live firing.
All live courses are free.
Pre-registration is required
Items needed for class:
Eye and ear protection (safety glasses and hearing protection)
Dress for the weather (Shooting will take place outside)
Students must be at least 10 years old to be certified. Parent must accompany students under 12.
Note: Failure to send in the Liability Form could result in a student not being able to participate in the class.
Please call 302-735-3600 (Ext. 1) with any questions.
Online Options
Approved Online Courses
Recademics.com
HunterCourse.com
Hunter-Ed.com
BeaSafeHunter.org
ilearntohunt.com
Complete your hunter education coursework online with a private vendor. Online courses allow you to study and take the exam for free, with a fee due only when you are ready to have the vendor certify your successful completion. The State of Delaware has reviewed and approved these interactive courses but receives no portion of the vendor’s fee.
To complete the course, participants must complete an in-person field day.
New hunters learn safety, ethics, firearm types, Delaware laws and regulations, loading/unloading, safe handling and transportation of firearms, field skills involving blinds, boats and tree stands, zones of fire, obstacle crossing, operation of safeties, and shotgun live firing.
Upon successful completion of the course, the vendor will create a Certificate of Completion authorizing students to take part in the required two-hour hands-on field day training. There is no charge for field day training.
Field Day Training
Note: Do not bring ammunition or guns to any class. Both will be provided.
Delaware state law requires all basic hunter education students to participate in a live firing experience with a trained firearms instructor in order to successfully complete the course. In-person field days are listed on the
Hunter Education Course Calendar
State insurance rules require all participants in any course which includes live firing to sign a
Release From Liability Waiver
before taking part in live firing.
Students register for the field day training using the Digital DNREC Hunter Education system. They must print out their Field Day Entrance Voucher and bring it to the field training.
Items needed for field day training:
Safety glasses and hearing protection
Appropriate clothing for the weather
Students must be at least 10 years old to be certified. A parent must accompany students under 12.
Note:
Failure to upload, or bring to the field day, a copy of the
Release From Liability Waiver
and the Certificate of Completion, could result in a student not being able to participate in the field day.
Advanced Classes
The Hunter Education Program offers advanced and specialized classes, when possible and appropriate. Several are also available online.
Turkey Hunter Education
Trapper Course
Successful Hunting with a Muzzleloader
International Bowhunter Education Program
Handgun Hunting for Deer
Young Waterfowlers Program
Precision Firearms
Mandatory Turkey Hunter Education
In addition to complying with other hunter education requirements, Delaware hunters must successfully complete a mandatory turkey hunting course before they can apply for a public land turkey hunting permit or legally hunt turkeys in Delaware. Classes are generally held in February or March in all three counties.
Hunters who successfully complete the course will have it added to their profile in the
DNREC ePermitting system
. They will need to reprint their Delaware hunting license so that it shows they have completed the mandatory turkey hunting course.
Hunters that have already successfully completed the course will no longer need to carry a card as proof of completion as long as their hunting license indicates they have completed the course.
Online Options
Approved Online Courses
TodaysHunter.com
Recademics.com
Delaware also accepts two online turkey courses. Fees apply for these courses. Students who use these options must contact the Office of Hunter Education at
huntereducation@delaware.gov
or 302-735-3600 x1 to update their account to reflect course completion. Students will be required to submit a copy of their course completion certificate. Please include a phone number where the Hunter Education Office may call, in case there are any questions.
Mandatory Trapper Course
Trapper education is a mandatory prerequisite for purchasing a Delaware trapping license for all persons born on or after January 1, 1978. Class and Field work sessions include trapping history, heritage and ethics, furbearing animals of Delaware, trapping equipment, boating safety, hypothermia, practical water sets, hands-on instruction, how tides affect sets, proper skinning techniques, fur handling and how to market furs. Classes are generally held at the end of November.
To sign up, use the
Digital DNREC Hunter Education
system or call 302-735-3600 x1.
Other Options
Delaware also accepts the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies’ free
North American Trapper Education Program Course
. Students who use this option must contact the Office of Hunter Education at
huntereducation@delaware.gov
or 302-735-3600 (x)1 to update their account to reflect course completion. Students will be required to submit a copy of their course completion certificate. Please include a phone number where the Hunter Education Office may call, in case there are any questions.
Successful Hunting with a Muzzleloader
Hunting with a single-shot muzzleloader is challenging. Well-honed hunting and superior marksmanship skills are needed in order to effectively harvest game with a single shot. Moving quickly beyond the basics, this course provides information on precision sighting, range and marksmanship technique, trajectory and ballistics.
Stress will be on the latest trends in muzzleoader technology, updated safety information and explanation of new projectiles.
Live firing and a signed
liability release
and advance online registration are required for participation. To sign up, use the
Digital DNREC Hunter Education
system.
International Bowhunter Education Program
Though not a Delaware requirement, this special course is required in many other states and provinces for bowhunters. Participants in this course learn bowhunting methods, game trailing and recovery, field experience, bowhunting safety, reading game signs, safe use of tree stands, calling, field dressing, and more.
Youths under the age of 14 must attend with a responsible adult.
Live firing and a signed
liability release
and advance online registration are required for participation. To sign up, use the
Digital DNREC Hunter Education
system.
Handgun Hunting for Deer
Delaware’s newest method of sport hunting specific for deer season now allows hunting of whitetail deer with certain handguns. This course offers hunting-oriented re-visitation of all essential fundamentals of handgun shooting and sighting in, information and techniques, equipment and safety.
Live firing and a signed
liability release
and advance online registration are required for participation. To sign up, use the
Digital DNREC Hunter Education
system.
Young Waterfowlers Program
Always a favorite, these courses (approximately 20-30 hours) provide youths between the ages of 12– 16 with exposure to the complete waterfowl experience.
Covered in the class is everything from waterfowl ID, biology, blind construction and safety, decoy use, duck calling, camouflage technique, boating safety, bird recovery, laws and regulations, language and tradition, firearms, ammo and equipment . The course includes basic hunter education and finishes with an actual mentored waterfowl hunt. Participants must be hunter education qualified prior to hunting.
Live firing and a signed
liability release
and advance online registration are required for participation. To sign up, use the
Digital DNREC Hunter Education
system.
Precision Firearms
Delaware hunters often hunt large game not only within but also outside of our state boundaries. This course concentrates on the hunting use of precision, deer-legal, scoped long guns and includes rifles, even though their use for hunting is permitted only outside of Delaware. Subjects covered include: shooting fundamentals, equipment, optics, ammunition, transportation of firearms internal, external and terminal ballistics, shot placement, missed shot analysis and safety considerations.
Live firing and a signed
liability release
and advance online registration are required for participation. To sign up, use the
Digital DNREC Hunter Education
system.
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Basic Hunter Education Courses from Recademics.com
Recademics.com offers Delaware’s Basic Hunter Education Course
online for $39.99
The course is available to
military, fire and police
at a 50% discount ($20).
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