August 8, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
A Classroom Hunter Education Course will be held Saturday, August 19 at the DeKalb County Fire Department’s Main Station at 782 King Ridge Road, Dowelltown.
TWRA Officer Tony Cross said the class will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The course is offered free of charge. Participants must Pre-register on-line at www.tnwildlife.org and follow the prompts.
Participants must be at least 9 years old to take the class and must attend for the entire eight-hour course.
For more information call Cross at 931-287-8427.
Under state law, every person born on or after January 1, 1969, before hunting, shall possess, in addition to all other licenses and permits required, proof of satisfactory completion of an agency approved hunter education course.
Those under 10 years of age do not need a Hunter Education certificate, but must be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age, who must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device.
The basic Hunter Education Course provides firearms safety training and introduces students to their responsibilities in the fields of hunter ethics and wildlife management. The main objective of the Hunter Education Program is to reduce the potential for hunting accidents and ultimately reduce the number of hunting injuries. The course is taught according to standards established by the International Hunter Education Association. By meeting these standards the Tennessee Hunter Education program is recognized by all states, Canada, and Mexico.
The basic course is free of charge and consists of a minimum of ten (10) hours of classroom participation. Most classes generally last 12-16 hours. Students must successfully pass a written test consisting of 100 multiple choice questions. All students are required to participate in a live fire exercise. Students must attend all classes. Students need to bring their Social Security Number and a #2 pencil to the class.
Course content includes:
*Hunter ethics
•Hunter responsibility toward wildlife, the environment, landowners and the general public
•Archery and the history of modern day bowhunting
•Tree stand safety
•History of firearms
•Blackpowder and muzzleloading firearms
•Knowledge of modern firearms and ammunition
•Proper gun handling and storage
•Marksmanship fundamentals
•Hunt preparation: specific laws and various equipment
•Principles of wildlife management and wildlife identification
•Survival
•Hypothermia
•First aid