DEC announces availability of in-person hunter education course opportunities

New hunters planning for spring turkey season must complete mandatory hunter education

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos recently announced in-person hunter education classes are being offered throughout New York this spring in advance of the May 1 opener of spring turkey season.

“Turkey hunting remains one of DEC’s most popular hunting seasons, and these courses, taught by our very knowledgeable volunteer instructors, are key to another successful year,” Seggos said. “As we continue to safely resume in-person courses, I am excited for new hunters to learn the necessary safety techniques and responsibilities to safely enjoy turkey hunting season.”

All new hunters planning to go turkey hunting this season in May are reminded that they must first complete a mandatory hunter education course before they can purchase a hunting license. DEC works closely with thousands of dedicated DEC-certified volunteer instructors statewide to provide these in-person training courses free of charge.

DEC stated, “All in-person hunter education courses require students to complete homework prior to attending the classroom and field session. Proof of the completed homework is required to attend the course. Students should register for the course well in advance of the course date to allow time to complete the homework requirement, which takes approximately three hours. All in-person courses require successful completion of a field day to earn certification for the course.

“DEC's online registration system makes it easy to view a list of all available in-person or online courses. Students can register from any device – smartphone, tablet or computer – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To locate a nearby hunter education course, visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/92267.html.