MDC offers free hunter education classes in northwest region during August

Chillicothe, Mo. – Autumn hunting seasons are approaching quickly. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering free upcoming hunter education skills sessions for hunters to earn the safety certificate needed to obtain hunting permits. These sessions will teach and test participants for safe firearms handling and basic hunting skills.

The upcoming sessions include:

• From 4 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 11, at the Fountain Grove Conservation Area near Meadville. The class will be held in the draw room at area headquarters. To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zjb.
• From 5 to 9 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 16, at Winston. The class will be held in the Winston High School agriculture education room. To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zja.
• From 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19, in Gallatin. Participants will meet in the Gallatin High School Cafeteria, on the south side of the school complex. To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZjR.
• From 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26, in Princeton. The class will meet on the south side of the Princeton High School. To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZjD.

The skills sessions classes are for students age 11 and older. The certification course can be completed online by hunters age 16 and older for a paid fee to an online provider. But for hunters age 11 to 15, or those of any age seeking in-person instruction, they must take the free skills class in person. They will need to complete the knowledge portion of the class prior to the skills session. That can be done by filling out the chapter review questions in the student manual, or youths ages 11 to 15 can complete the knowledge portion online for a fee paid to the provider. Printed student manuals are available at MDC’s Chillicothe office, or they can be ordered online for free at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zox.

Besides teaching safety skills, the hunter education course also teaches basic hunting skills to help newcomers to the sport get started and be successful. COVID-19 safety precautions will be observed at these classes.

To find other hunter education skills sessions near you, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zof.