Welcome to Washington’s Hunter Education Program

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and your hunter education instructors welcome you to the hunter education program.

Hunter education is designed to help you enjoy the great outdoors. In this course you will learn about outdoor safety, basic wildlife concepts, and responsible use of the outdoors. Your instructors will help you understand the material in this manual, but don’t be afraid to ask questions if there is something you don’t understand!

Please remember that hunter education instructors are volunteers—they are not paid for their time! Your instructors have taken time away from their family, their friends, and their work in order to help you become a responsible hunter. Be respectful during class and be sure to give them your complete attention.

Finally, take pride in your new role as a responsible hunter in Washington State. Enjoy the wonders of the outdoors, learn about the habits and habitats of our wildlife species, and always remember to practice the safety rules you learn here in hunter education.

All of us wish you the best of luck in your outdoor career.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Enforcement Program
Hunter Education Division
600 Capitol Way North
Olympia, Washington 98501-1091
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website

Minimum Hunter Education Requirements

All students enrolled in hunter education courses are evaluated in three areas:

1. Knowledge, which is evaluated with a written or online 75-question test
2. Skill, which includes handling of a variety of firearms
3. Attitude, which is evaluated throughout the course

A minimum of eight skill areas are evaluated for all students, including:

• Muzzle control
• Opening and closing actions
• Loading and unloading a firearm
• Selecting correct ammunition
• Checking and using a safety
• Field carries
• Setting up a zone-of-fire
• Crossing obstacles

Please note that your course instructors may conduct additional skill evaluations that exceed the minimum standards above. Your course instructor will inform you about live-firing requirements, field course training, etc. Be sure to follow your instructor’s directions for any required range day or field course activities. Do not bring any firearms to hunter education training sessions unless directed to do so by your instructors!

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and your course instructors want to encourage you to practice your shooting and firearm handling skills under supervised conditions in safe shooting areas. Apply the safety rules contained in this manual!

If you have any questions about student evaluations, range training, or field course activities, be sure to ask your course instructors for assistance.

Advanced Hunter Education

Ready for the next step in your hunter education career? The master hunter education program is designed for mature, responsible hunters who care deeply about the future of hunting in Washington. While it’s not appropriate for younger age groups, it is a very challenging and worthwhile home study course for all hunters to consider. If you’re willing to work hard, are open to new ideas, and are truly interested in expanding your understanding of hunting issues, you will enjoy the master hunter program. Please note that it’s much, much tougher than the basic hunter education course.

The goals for master hunter education are simple and straightforward:

• Improve landowner–sportsmen relations;
• Increase hunter knowledge; and
• Expand hunting opportunities and/or access to private lands.

Individuals who successfully complete the master hunter program receive a special patch and certificate as recognition of their accomplishments. In addition, there are special hunting opportunities available to hunters who complete the Master Hunter training, the highest certification in the AHE program. Naturally, special opportunities will vary from year to year.

Please note that recognition and special hunts are really only icing on the proverbial cake. The true motivation for participants interested in enrolling in the master hunter program should be a genuine and personal desire to demonstrate a level of knowledge and skill that goes beyond that of an “average” hunter. Washington is fortunate to have hundreds of thousands of conscientious, law-abiding hunters. The master hunter program provides an opportunity for all hunters who care enough about the future of hunting to step forward and assume a leadership role among their peers.

The master hunter program is not free, but costs are held to an absolute minimum. Your enrollment fee to sign up as a master hunter helps cover program costs (trust us ... you’ll get more than your money’s worth in master hunter material).

More information about the master hunter program is available online or at any Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife regional office. Thank you for your support of tomorrow’s hunters!

Pass It On

Hunter education instructors are needed throughout the State of Washington. The Department of Fish and Wildlife certifies qualified individuals to teach hunter education classes, and we invite all interested individuals over 21 years of age to consider the opportunity to teach hunter education. Instructors volunteer their time—they are not paid for their hunter education service.

Ask your course instructor for an application or contact hunter education staff directly by calling 360-902-8111 or e-mailing huntered@dfw.wa.gov.

All applicants for certification as a hunter education instructor must complete an initial test, undergo a background investigation, assist a currently certified instructor in teaching and complete a new instructor training and orientation program. Once applicants have completed all required certifications steps, they are certified to teach hunter education.

Hunting is a tradition as old as mankind itself. Do your part to pass it on.

This program receives federal financial assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is the policy of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to adhere to the following: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The U.S. Department of the Interior and its bureaus prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and sex (in educational programs). If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility, please contact the WDFW ADA Coordinator at 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, Washington 98501-1091, or write to:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Office of External Programs
4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 130
Arlington, Virginia 22203