TOPEKA (KSNT) – It’s hunting season in Kansas, and for many new to the sport the first step is earning a hunter education certificate.
Kansas offers free courses designed to teach hunters how to be safe, ethical and knowledgeable in the field. Staff with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) offer traditional, online and hybrid hunter education courses. A fully online option is only available for students 18 and older.
Hunters under 18 must complete either a traditional in-person course or a hybrid course that includes an in-person field day, according to the KDWP. The training takes a minimum of 10 hours to complete. Most courses are around 12 hours, split between two or more days of classes.
The primary focus of Kansas hunter education courses is to teach students to hunt responsibly.
“Oftentimes we hunt with our closest friends and family, the people you love the most,” said Dave Foster with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. “So, we want that to be a safe experience. And so, the whole focus on class is on safety, but also the knowledge of what it means to hunt. You know, how do we where do we hunt?”
Through its “hunter education in our schools” program, the KDWP also offers the course to Kansas schools at no cost. You can visit this link for all of the KDWP hunting certification information.
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