Hunting in Oregon: Are Safety Courses Required to Hunt in Oregon? How Do I Pass Classes?

Hunting in Oregon is a popular sport for people young and old. There are many regulations that must be followed to hunt legally. Among them, hunters younger than 18 must complete hunter safety education before getting a hunting license in the state.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife requires at least 12 hours of instruction, with most courses lasting about 20 hours. Once the coursework is completed, students must pass an exam to receive a hunter education certificate. Only minors must be certified before they can purchase a hunting license in Oregon.

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A certificate benefits hunters of all ages who want to hunt in other states. Oregon’s certificates are accepted in every state as well as Canada, Europe, Mexico, New Zealand, and South Africa, according to Hunter-Ed.com. Many jurisdictions require hunter education certification before issuing a hunting license.

During the course, students are instructed on the why, what, where, and how of hunting with firearms and archery. The state has set five subject areas for the hunter education coursework: firearm handling and safety, wildlife identification and management, hunter ethics, hunt preparation, and survival skills.

By the end of the course, students are expected to know hunting laws and regulations, how to identify big and small game, and safety measures that prevent accidents, the DFW said.

For instance, classes on preparation and survival skills cover topics such as first aid, how to use compasses and topographic maps, and planning for cold weather. Courses dealing with safety teach students how to properly load and unload firearms, establish a zone-of-fire when hunting in a group, and safely hunt from boats or high positions.

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The ethics and responsibilities of hunters are emphasized, such as respect for private landowners. Classes also pose ethical questions much like those raised about the recent legal hunt and kill of an endangered black rhino in Namibia.

In addition to coursework, juveniles must complete a day of hands-on training called a field day organized by the fish and wildlife department. The day includes field and live-fire exercises.

Finally, students must pass a final exam before receiving a certificate. The exam includes a written test of 60 multiple choice and true-or-false questions and a live firearms handling test.

The course and test can be taken online through several organizations approved by the state. Huntercouse.com, Hunter-ed.com, and OutdoorCentral.com are private companies that partner with Oregon and other states to provide online certificate courses.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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