With Washington’s spring turkey hunting season quickly approaching, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) urges new hunters to complete hunter education so they can participate in upcoming seasons.
“Due to high demand, registration for hunter education courses becomes more difficult the closer we get to spring turkey hunting season,” said David Whipple, WDFW hunter education manager. “Even if you don’t intend to hunt until the fall, now is a great time to complete your hunter education requirement so you’re ready for your preferred hunting season.”
Washington’s youth spring turkey season runs April 1 through April 7, and the general spring turkey season is April 15 through May 31.
“Spring turkey hunting is a great way to introduce new hunters to our hunting heritage and get into the field after a long winter,” Whipple said.
Per Washington state law, anyone born after Jan. 1, 1972, must complete a hunter education course before buying a hunting license. To complete the hunter education requirement, students can choose to take either a traditional classroom or hybrid course. The traditional classroom course is a multi-session, instructor-led training with an average of 15 hours of instruction. WDFW recommends the traditional course for students under age 12 and any student seeking a valuable classroom experience.
WDFW’s hybrid course consists of a self-paced, online class followed by an in-person field skills evaluation. The online portion of the course is provided by hunter-ed.com and costs $24.95. During the field skills evaluation, students review material, take a quiz on the online class content, and receive hands-on training and evaluation by certified instructors, according to a news release from the WDFW. The hybrid course is appropriate for any student who prefers online course content.
If prospective hunters want to try hunting with an eligible licensed hunter before completing a hunter education course themselves, they can apply for a hunter education deferral. The deferral option is available one time to hunters age 10 and older.
To learn about hunter education requirements and find an upcoming course, visit the WDFW hunter education webpage at https://tinyurl.com/4nc9f9s9.
