Ways to take a Hunter Education class

Hunter education for adults

Oregon doesn’t require hunter education for hunters 18 and older. However, several nearby states do. If you see an out-of-state hunt in your future, you’ll need your hunter education certificate.

• Adults ages 18 and over can take hunter education online.
• Field day is not required.
• Select an online course below. After completing the course you’ll receive a valid temporary certificate with a valid Hunter Education certificate number. You’ll get a permanent card in the mail within 60 days of completion.

Hunter education for youth

ODFW offers courses in a choice of two formats aimed at different learning styles.

• Conventional classroom setting includes 14-16 hours of classroom instruction by a certified ODFW Volunteer Instructor. This option will include a field day with a live fire exercise and hands on evaluation of safe firearms handling. The course cost (including the field day) is $10 per student.
• Online through one of four ODFW approved courses. Each course takes about six hours and the cost varies depending on the course provider. Choose the course that’s best for you. Upon completion, print the online completion voucher and get registered for a field day (see below). Register for a field day at any time during the course of your study -- seats fill up quickly. If at any time you lose your username and password, contact the online vendor directly – these are third party online companies approved by ODFW. See the list of online providers below.

SEE A LIST OF UPCOMING CLASSES / FIELD DAYS AND GET REGISTERED

HOW TO REGISTER FOR CLASSES / FIELD DAYS

There is no minimum age to take a course, but children under age 11 often have a difficult time with the material. Younger students may also lack the upper body strength necessary to handle a firearm safely during a field day and control the muzzle during loading and unloading drills.

Online hunter education courses

Course providers are third-party companies - please contact their help desk with login and password questions.

Hunter - Ed.com

• Mobile-friendly
• ODFW chose Today's Hunter in Oregon for its classroom hunting safety course
• Students can choose to listen to lessons in Spanish as well as English
• Students can take this course on any device, including smartphones and tablets
• Pick your online learning style: listen, read or both
• Exam questions are read aloud, with pictures to trigger your memory - a Hunter-Ed.com exclusive
• Hundreds of realistic illustrations - you'll feel like you're outdoors
• Learn exactly how firearms work with detailed animations
• Cost: $28.95 - paid to Hunter-Ed.com

HunterCourse.com

• Mobile-friendly
• Covers 100 percent of required material
• EXCLUSIVE - Virtual Field Day to get youth prepared for the instructor-led Field Day
• Includes hundreds of images and interactive animations - more than ANY other online course
• Every single exam question is accompanied by helpful visual aids
• Includes bow, shotgun, and rifle shooting ranges
• Pay only when you pass the course and want to print your Oregon Field Day Voucher
• Cost: $29.00 - paid to HUNTERcourse

NRAHE.org

• FREE – To everyone
• Most comprehensive online hunter education course available anywhere
• Interactive course design that enhances learning experience
• Visualy stimulating video
• Works on phones, tablets and computers
• Modern, fun, and user friendly
• Brought to you by the people who invented Hunter Education

Oregon HunterEdCourse.com

• Mobile-friendly
• Features Easy Learning System™ that uses photos, narration that matches the printed word, and interactive exercises- a proven method of learning.
• Detailed animations show you how to load firearms and how they work.
• If you don't pass, you get your money back.
• The only course to use photos throughout so what you learn is what you see in the field.
• Same high quality, ODFW-required hunter safety content as the other courses at almost half the cost.
• Cost: $19.95 - paid to HunterEdCourse.com

All course descriptions below have been provided by the course providers and do not represent ODFW’s views of the courses. These courses are provided by private vendors and any data that you provide to them is subject only to each company’s privacy commitments. The state’s privacy policy does not protect any information that you may provide to these private vendors.

Field Days

All youth taking an online hunter education course must also complete a field day.  Adults working on their certification are encouraged, but not required, to participate in a field day as well. The field day includes a review of course topics, Oregon hunting regulations, ethics, conservation, firearm safety field exercises, a live-fire exercise and a multiple-choice written exam.

ODFW defers required field days for 2021 season

Any youth (age 17 and under) who has completed an online hunter education class will be able to hunt on their own tag, even if they haven’t completed the required in-person field day.

With fewer hunter education classes/field days offered this year due to Covid 19, ODFW will defer the field day requirement for youth hunters for the 2021 hunting season. The field day will still be required to get a hunter education certificate, but can be delayed until after hunting season.

Any youth in this situation will need to carry a valid paper copy of the Hunter Education “Online Course” Completion as proof while hunting this year. This certificate is issued at the end of the online course and is valid for one year. Youth need to print one and carry it with them on their hunt.

The rule will be in effect from Sept. 30 until March 30, 2022, so through the end of all 2021 hunts. After that date, youth will need to complete the field day to be considered fully certified in hunter education and able to hunt on their own tag.

Youth are also reminded that they may purchase licenses and tags without completing hunter education but must complete the class (or the online version only for this year) before going hunting.

Click the list of upcoming field days

• There is a $10.00 fee for the field day session. You will need to login to the youth’s ODFW account.
• Field days are taught by volunteer instructors and sometimes may not be available. Click here for a list of upcoming field days. Register early as field days can fill up quickly.
• Be sure to bring the following forms signed by a guardian (forms will also be available at the event):
  • Student Release Application.
  • Liability Release.
• There are no refunds or transfers for Hunter Education classes.
• Parents/Guardians may stay with their student during field day. (Some COVID restrictions may still apply, but these will be listed in the reminder email that will be sent to you the week of the event.

Hunter education field day classes are taught by volunteer instructors. Class availability close to the hunting seasons may be limited. Consider the Mentored Youth Hunter Program if you can’t finish a hunter safety class before hunting season and are between the ages 9 - 15.

After completing your hunter education class, put your new skills to work at an ODFW hunting workshop. Check the Workshops and Events page for upcoming events.