Courtesy Photo The Michigan DNR will offer an influx of in-person and field day hunter safety education classes the week of Aug. 11-17. Online registration opens Monday, July 7.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announces Hunter Safety Education Week, Aug. 11-17, offering in-person opportunities for more than 2,000 students to obtain a hunter safety education certificate.

More than 40 additional class locations statewide will be posted and available for registration starting Monday.

To purchase a hunting license in Michigan, anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1960, is required to successfully complete an approved hunter education course.

Hunter safety education classes are commonly offered in the spring, ahead of spring turkey season, or in the fall, before the firearm deer season. These Hunter Safety Education Week classes – more than 50 in all – are offered in addition to the already planned fall classes.

“Just like preparing for school and fall extracurriculars, hunting season needs to be considered in advance,” said Lt. Tom Wanless, DNR recreational safety, education and enforcement supervisor.

“A lot of people aren’t thinking about hunting season right now because it’s the middle of summer. We don’t want to see everyone wait until the week before they want to hunt to try locating a class, at which point classes are often full,” he said. “We hope that by offering an influx of classes during a set week each year, more people will have enough notice to prepare for hunting season.”

There are four options for completing hunter safety education in Michigan, all of which require at least four hours of in-person instruction:

– Traditional classroom-based course.

– Online course followed by an in-person field day.

– Interactive online course followed by an in-person field day.

– Take-home study course followed by an in-person field day.

Hunter safety education helps the next generation of hunters learn how to safely and responsibly enjoy hunting and understand the importance of wildlife management. The DNR-managed program teaches lifelong skills, such as firearm safety, basic first aid and how to use a map and compass, to an average of 14,000 students per year.

Learn more or register for a class at Michigan.gov/HunterEducation.

Additionally, the DNR is always looking for volunteer recreational safety education instructors. If you’re interested in sharing your outdoor experience and safety smarts with those newer to the outdoors, get details on the DNR website.