Safety courses are important for hunters in any state. They educate hunters about best practices for keeping themselves and other hunters safe. Furthermore, they inform about the best practices for maintaining healthy populations of wildlife. They also give Indianans specific information about the laws, rules, and regulations they need to observe.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), which has been in existence since 1919, enforces these hunting regulations.
As a result of their efforts, hunting in Indiana has seen a renaissance lately, especially when it comes to deer hunting.
Game and Fish Magazine wrote, “Now, out of the blue, Indiana deer hunting is being featured in countless articles and discussions about quality whitetail hunting.”
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However, in order to start participating in the many great hunts taking place in the Hoosier State, hunters must first procure a valid license. One of the requirements to obtaining a license is to pass hunter education courses and earn a hunter education certificate. Only upon proof of achieving a hunter education certificate can a hunter get a license in Indiana. You can enroll in hunter safety education classes at hunter-ed.com/Indiana.
The IDNR provides free course material both online and in paper before taking the exam. This study guide covers basic topics of hunter safety, as well as teaching basic shooting skills, hunting ethics, and survival skills. The hunter education course takes roughly 4 to 6 hours, and is available online. It does not have to be completed in one sitting, and can be revisited multiple times over the course of several days. At the end of the course there will be a final exam, which must be passed in order to satisfy the safety requirements. However, if you fail, you can retake the test as many times as you’d like since there is no limit.
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If you choose to take a class in person, those are available as well. They’re taught by a rotating cast of volunteers and can last a minimum of 10 hours. Most classes can be attended in one to three sessions. A parent or guardian must accompany children younger than 11 who attend classes. Anyone younger than 18 must present a signed liability release form with a parent or guardian’s signature.
At the completion of the exam, a fee of $20 is required before receiving your certificate. The certificate can be printed out at home but is only valid for 60 days. Permanent certificates are distributed by mail.
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