Hunter and Bowhunter Certification process
Through the new Volunteer and Event Management System
The Volunteer and Event Management system makes it easy to complete the certification process.
In Oregon, a Hunter Education course is required for all new hunters aged 17 and younger, unless hunting on land owned by a parent of legal guardian or participating in the Mentored Youth Hunter Program. Oregon's Bowhunter Education certification is accepted in all United States and Canadian Provinces.
ODFW offers multiple ways to complete the course and earn your Hunter and Bowhunter Safety certifications. Learn more about our Hunter Safety Education Courses and Field Days.
***Note: All in-person classes and Field Days require student registration prior to the event. Registration is now managed in VEM and is no longer available in ELS. You will need to create a new VEM account as it's a different system from ELS.
Key Benefits of VEM
Automatically connects ODFW to the online education partner you complete your Hunter or Bowhunter Safety Educational course through, ensuring you get access to your certification as soon as possible.Adults who complete the online course can view and print their certification in VEM as soon as it has been completed.
We recommend you create your VEM account, if you haven't already, before enrolling for an online course. You will need to provide your VEM customer number in your course enrollment to be able to access your certification immediately in VEM.
Keeps all of your certifications in one place, allowing you quick access when needed.
View your Certifications in VEM
Login to your VEM account and click on your name
Select Certifications
A list of certifications that ODFW has a record of will display here. View or print your certifications from this screen.
If we don't have your certificate, you can:
Complete the online course through one of our partners
Request a duplicate Hunter Education Card
There is a $10 charge for the manual review of records, regardless of the outcome.
Duplicate Hunter Education card requests
When you register for a VEM account, the system will match your information to historical certification records going back to 1980. If it finds, the a certificate, it will be added to your account.
Related Article: Create a VEM system account
Find the latest Recreation Report
Current conditions and opportunities to fish, hunt and view wildlife. Updated weekly by fish and wildlife biologists throughout the state.