Local Youth Graduate Hunter Education Course

Fifteen students and one adult successfully completed this year's class by passing both a written test and a practical field exam. Students participated in 12 hours of classroom learning over two Fridays and a Saturday, where they learned the safe and proper handling of firearms, including loading and unloading, crossing a fence while carrying a firearm, and the safe loading of a firearm into a vehicle. Students also learned various hunting skills and techniques, ethics, survival skills, and wildlife management.

In the field trial, students went on a realistic mock hunt just outside of town, where they had the opportunity to demonstrate the skills they learned in class. Upon successful completion of both the written test and field trial, students concluded the course with the chance to fire a .22 rifle at the Wedsworth Hall target range under the supervision of certified instructors. In Montana, children as young as 10 can participate in the Montana Mentor hunting program, where they are allowed to hunt deer under the supervision of a licensed parent or guardian. Students can participate in the mentor program twice before they are required to complete an in-person course and field trial. Upon completion of this course, they can participate in all Montana hunting activities.

The 10- and 11-year-olds who completed this course will be much more prepared to safely participate in the mentor program. Those who are 12 and older now have full Montana hunting privileges. This course, sponsored by Montana FWP, is free of charge and would not be possible without the generous time donated by several volunteers. Special thanks to Daren Blaylock, Justin Blaylock, Wes Seabolt, Bruce Creveling, Lonnie Dickens, Tina Jefferson Dickens, and Boo LeVeque. The next course offered in Cascade is tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2025.