The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety internet-completion courses in five counties in March (list follows). Hunter safety courses are designed to help students become safe, responsible and knowledgeable hunters and learn about conservation.
Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.
All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
The locations and times are:
Calhoun County
March 14 (8 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT)
Calhoun Correctional Institution
19562 SE Institution Drive #1 in Blountstown
Escambia County
March 4 (6 to 10 p.m. CT) & March 28 (7 to 10 a.m. CT)
Langley Bell 4-H Center
3730 Stefani Road in Cantonment
March 11 (6 to 10 p.m. CT) & March 28 (7 to 10 a.m. CT)
Molino Community Center
6450 Highway 95A in Molino
Leon County
March 27 (6 to 9 p.m. ET) & March 28 (8 a.m. to noon ET)
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission – Bryant Building
620 S. Meridian Street in Tallahassee
Santa Rosa County
March 18 (6 to 10 p.m. CT) & March 28 (7 to 10 a.m. CT)
Jay Community Center
5259 Booker Lane in Jay
March 25 (6 to 10 p.m. CT) & March 28 (7 to 10 a.m. CT)
Santa Rosa County Extension Services
6263 Dogwood Drive in Milton
Wakulla County
March 28 (8 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET)
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (Classroom building)
St. Marks, FL 32355
Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at 850-265-3676.
Youth between 12 and 17 years old who successfully complete a hunter safety course can learn more about conservation and experience hunting through the FWC’s Youth Hunting Program. Check out the calendar for safe, educational, mentored youth hunts. In addition, hunter safety course graduates can participate in the Youth Hunter Education Challenge program. YHEC events are designed to teach youth aged 18 and younger about leadership, safety and conservation while building skills and knowledge related to hunting, map and compass, wildlife identification and target shooting. Find and register for YHEC events.
