Gary Lindgren, Lance Batchelor, Mark Nosko, Danny Bakke, Aaron Ruggles, Heidi Bower, Mike Kessling, and Noel Barteck, all Wisconsin DNR Certified Hunter Safety Instructors, invite all young people interested in hunting and recreational shooting to enroll in a Wisconsin Hunter Education course.
The course will be held in the Owen-Withee High School library starting on May 23, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. to complete paper work and get books. The remainder of the classes will be meeting from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on June 19 through June 21, and also June 24 and 25, when testing will be completed. Range firing will take place on Saturday, June 22, weather permitting, starting at 8:00 a.m., and parents are encouraged to attend. Sponsors of the class include the Owen-Withee Public Schools, the Lublin American Legion Post, and the Owen-Withee Police Department. There will be no other Hunter Ed class scheduled in the Owen-Withee district this year.
There is no minimum age, although students are encouraged to be 12 years old within the calendar year to take full advantage of all the benefits the DNR provides to a first-time graduate of the class (a free small game license). There is no maximum age, and parents are also encouraged to enroll and participate. The DNR is also now requiring every Hunter Safety Student to have a WI DNR Customer ID Number. You can get this number by calling 1-888-936-7463 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., or by visiting a WI DNR Service Center during regular hours. Any local license vendor should also be able to obtain a Customer ID Number for you.
Class size is limited to 35 students, and advance registrations are required. You must sign up with the DNR on their Go Wild website in order to be officially enrolled in the class. The DNR has an established course fee of $10. All necessary materials are provided.
Persons successfully completing the course will receive a distinctive embroidered emblem and a hunter safety graduate certificate. The certificate is valid in lieu of a small game-hunting license for one season, and is a lifetime certificate required for hunting in many states and provinces. Young students certified will also be able to hunt and use firearms without a parent or guardian present beginning at age 14.
Classes will cover responsibilities of hunters, firearms safety in the home and afield, knowledge of firearms and hunting equipment, wildlife identification and management, and marksmanship and outdoor skills.
