Welcome to Hunter-Trapper Education in Pennsylvania!

This official training program will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be a safe and responsible hunter or trapper. The course is designed to meet the standards for hunter training established by the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA). Additional subjects are included to meet the needs of first-time hunters and trappers in Pennsylvania.

Be Smart! Be Safe! Be Responsible!

How to use this guide:

1. Read each chapter! The chapters are organized to form building blocks of information. Each chapter will help you understand the information in the next chapters.

"Hear the Lesson" Option! If you would like to hear the lessons read aloud, the chapters are also available in a special-formatted PDF. Adobe Acrobat Reader has a tool that will read PDFs aloud. To use this feature: Save the PDF to your hard drive. Then open it in Adobe Reader. Go to View, Read Out Loud, and select either "Read This Page Only" or "Read to End of Document." The PDF for that chapter will then be read out loud.

2. Do the exercises! In several of the chapters, you will find “On Target” exercises designed to help you learn important ideas and information.
3. Answer the review questions! After studying a chapter, answer the review questions for that chapter. The review questions are located at the end of each chapter. To see how well you remembered the chapter's information, compare your answers to the correct answers that will appear after you submit your answers.

Independent Study Option

This option has an age requirement. Please contact your regional office or go online to the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s website for more information.

Step One: Register for one of the “Independent Study Option” classes held throughout the state. This one-day class will be approximately three (3) hours long and include a short lesson on Pennsylvania's hunting and trapping laws and regulations followed by a written exam.

Step Two: Thoroughly read each chapter in this guide. Complete all chapter review questions and “On Target” exercises prior to attending the examination session. The material in this guide takes an average of 8 to 10 hours to read and understand. To complete your training, you must attend an Independent Study class and pass a written exam. You will then be certified, allowing you to buy your first hunting or furtaking license.

This program received Federal financial assistance in Wildlife Restoration. Under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information please write to:

The Office for Human Resources
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4040 N. Fairfax Drive
Room 300
Arlington, Virginia 22203