Hunting in North Carolina: Are Safety Courses Required?

North Carolina, like many states, requires hunter safety certification before issuing a hunting license. These courses often go beyond firearms and into ethics and conservation.

Here are some things to know about safety education for hunting in the Tar Heel State.

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1. Who needs it?
Any hunter age 16 or older must complete a hunter education course before getting a North Carolina hunting license. The age requirement exists only for the license; anyone of any age can take the safety course.

2. Who doesn't?
If you had a North Carolina hunting license before July 1, 2013, safety certification is not required. Likewise, you don't need safety certification to have a lifetime hunting or sporting license, or a Hunting Heritage Apprentice permit, if you are accompanied by a properly licensed and certified adult, the Wildlife Resources Commission says.

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3. What is it?
North Carolina's state-offered course, which is free, covers ethics and responsibility, conservation and wildlife management, wildlife identification, survival and first aid, specialty hunting, and tree stand safety. Although there is no minimum age to take the course, the minimum six-hour course is taught at a sixth-grade level and tests must be completed without assistance.

Wildlife officers, education specialists, and certified volunteers teach the course, and its certification is accepted in every state and province in North America, according to the Wildlife Resources Commission. Registration for these classes can be done online on the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The site also shows dates, times, and locations for upcoming hunter education classes, as well as how many seats are remaining for the class.

4. What else counts?
Any course from any state accredited by the International Hunter Education Association, is acceptable, according to the Wildlife Resources Commission.

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