Beginning Thursday, September 19, hunters who need to complete the state’s required hunter education will have expanded contemporary options designed to be more convenient, flexible and accessible.

Anyone born after Sept. 1, 1971, must successfully complete a hunter education training course or purchase a one-time deferral good for one license year in order to hunt legally in Texas. The certification is valid for life and is honored in all other states and provinces.

The new options for hunter education certification include a streamlined, one-day basic course and an option for anyone 17 years of age or older to take the hunting safety training completely online. The combination online home study and 4 to 5 hour skills field day course will still be offered, as well as advanced hunter education and in high school and college courses across the state.

The basic course will introduce and demonstrate skills focused on essential core competencies of safe, legal and ethical hunting.

Since mandatory hunter education first started in 1988, the number of hunting accidents and hunting fatalities has steadily declined to less than 3 per 100,000 hunters. Few accidents involved those who had completed hunter education.

CLICK HERE for details about the hunter education course and requirements.