Hunter education classes resume, June 8

SALEM, Ore.—Hunter education classes will resume in Oregon on June 13, with safety measures in place to protect both students and volunteer instructors. To see the latest classes and field days available, visit https://myodfw.com/articles/hunter-education-classes-field-days and register. Students can choose to take a conventional class, or finish most of the class independently by workbook or online and just take a field day. More classes and field days will be added so check back if you don’t see one in your area. ODFW is taking a number of steps to protect both students and teachers participating in classes/field days. Class size will be restricted to 25 students/parents, and instructors will be encouraged to break the class into even smaller groups where possible. Social distance will be maintained except during those brief moments when closer distance is needed to safely handle firearms. All students and volunteer instructors will be required to wear a mask during the class. Hand sanitizer will be available for everyone and firearms and any other shared materials will be wiped down before being handled by a new student. “The safety of our instructors and students is the number one priority for ODFW,” said Jered Goodwin, ODFW hunter education coordinator. “We thank all our students and instructors for helping protect themselves and others by following these classroom rules—and of course, not coming to the class at all if they are sick.” All ODFW outdoor education classes have been cancelled since March due to the pandemic—including hunter education, which is required to hunt in Oregon for anyone age 17 and under. ODFW understands that not all youth hunters may have a chance to complete the class before fall 2020 seasons start Aug. 1. Because of this, ODFW postponed the field day requirement for the 2020 season. That means kids who have completed the classroom portion online or by workbook before their hunt can hunt the fall 2020 season even if they haven’t completed the field day. They do need to be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age on their hunt.
This exception is only for the 2020 hunting season. Kids ages 17 and under will need to complete the field day portion to receive their hunter education certification so they can hunt next year and in the future. ODFW encourages youth to take the class as soon as they are able. Visit the following link to enroll in an online course, https://myodfw.com/articles/hunter-education-classes-and-field-days-schedule or request a workbook by emailing ODFW.Info@state.or.us Youth who don’t complete the field day need to carry proof of completion of the classroom portion of the class into the field when they go hunting this fall. Students who completed the course online can carry the online completion certification in the field as their needed proof. Students who did the class by workbook need to mail the completed workbook back to ODFW Hunter Education, 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr SE, Salem, 97302. ODFW will then mail these students a certificate to carry in the field indicating they completed the classroom part of the course.