A hunter education student practices safe zones of fire with an inert shotgun while a hunter education instructor coache

Hunter Education Frequently Asked Questions

Hunter Education FAQs

If you have questions that can't be answered online, please get in touch with us through our customer service form.

 

Wyoming hunter education classes are NOT recommended for individuals applying for a CCW permit. Hunter Education classes do not cover any CCW issues such as state and national concealed carry laws, pistol safety, handling, proficiency, concealed carry responsibility, and sheepdog mentality.  Please seek information for CCW classes through your local shooting or sportsman club.

 

To learn Wyoming hunter education exemptions click here.

The Game and Fish receives many requests for special accommodations each year; here are some of the most common requests. If you need these or other accommodations, you can contact our office at 307-777-4542. Please allow time before your class starts.

  • Test reading - all of our hunter education classes will provide the opportunity to have the test read aloud for you. Please let your instructor know at the beginning of class.
  • Language Interpreter - Spanish manuals are available for your use. Please let the HE office or your instructor know if you need one. We will make sure that one gets to you. These are mailed out of the Cheyenne office, so please give us time to mail the manual to you. We can also offer interpreters for each class where it is needed. Please contact the HE office at least two weeks before the class so we can make the arrangements. 

For individuals looking to get a head start on hunter education, we recommend taking the online hunter education course. If you work through this program using the videos, interactive lessons, and each chapter will help your child get a head start. The program can be accomplished without extra fees if you do not take the final online test.

Anyone born after January 1, 1966, must carry proof of hunter education in the field unless accompanied by a mentor. However, Hunter Education certifications from other states are valid in Wyoming.

You can find an overview of a volunteer hunter education instructor's duties in this position description document. 

  1. Hunter education is a program that involves training and instructor certification.
  2. Information about incorporating hunter education in your school can be found on the "Hunter Education in Schools" webpage.
  3. You can also download information about hunter education in schools.

Information on becoming a hunter education instructor in Wyoming can be found on the "Become a Hunter Education Instructor" webpage. Future instructors must fill out the application and follow the instructions for submitting an application.

No. Hunter education courses are offered as a public service primarily by volunteers.

  • A hunter education instructor gets to set up a hunter education class on their schedule and may work with a private group to offer registration to them first.
  • Hunter education may be offered in schools because teachers have become hunter education instructors and are teaching during school time.

Having a range day or live fire during your course depends on the instructor and the availability of a range within the course schedule.

  • "Live fire" or going to a shooting range is not required for every hunter education graduate. Having a live fire session depends on resource logistics for each volunteer instructor.
  • Safe firearm handling is required with the supervision of a hunter education instructor and is included in every hunter education class.

Students have 12 months from the time they complete the part 1 online course to complete the in-person portion of the Internet Completion Course. 

  1. We offer a 2-part Hybrid hunter education certification option. We do not and have never offered an online-only hunter education class.
    1. Part 1 of the 2-part Hybrid certification option is an at-home, online course. Depending on the student, the course takes about 7-13 hours at home to complete.
    2. Part 2 of the 2-part Hybrid certification option is the 4-6 hour internet completion course (field day). 
  2. Students must complete both parts to earn their hunter education certificate.
  3. It is recommended that students find and sign up for an internet completion course in advance before they take the online course.
  4. Internet completion courses are not currently offered as often as traditional hunter education courses.
  5. Students who took the online course can not just go to the last day of the traditional hunter education course to finish their certification. They must sign up for an Internet Completion Course (ICC).
  1. You can complete our hunter education class request form and we will notify you when we post a new class in your area.
  2. You can sign up for the Hunter Mentor Program so that you can still hunt. 
  1. Check the hunter education class schedule website weekly for updates on classes.
  2. The best time of the year for classes is January to September. August and September classes are typically full with many last-minute hunters.
  3. If you don't see a class on the class schedule website, we don't have an instructor that has posted the class yet. Instructors are volunteers and teach on their availability and usually post classes about one month in advance.
  4. Complete the class request form, and we will notify you via email when we post a new class in your region.
  1. No, every person must be registered for a hunter education class before coming, unless they have been instructed otherwise by the instructor or Game and Fish staff.
  2. Amish, Mennonite and tribal members are exempted and may walk into courses. Hunter education instructors are trained in how to collect information and register these individuals.
  1. Confirm that you have created a Sportsperson ID for the person trying to register for a class.
    1. Log into your Game and Fish User Account. Follow the instructions in this sign-in video tutorial for new users, if you need additional help.
    2. Note: Creating a Sportsperson ID does not register your for a hunter education class.
  2. Create an account on Kalkomey, our hunter education class management software, by entering your email address and date of birth. This is separate from the Game and Fish user account.
    1. Once you have created an account, find the class you are looking to register for on the events page by clicking "view upcoming events" under the appropriate program (Hunter Education, Hunter Education Internet Completion Course, Bowhunter Education, Bowhunter Education Internet Completion Course). 
    2. Once on the page for program, scroll to find the class you want to register for and click "view," then click, "register now."
    3. Fill out your information, then click on the checkbox to acknowledge you have read the information
    4. Select, "Continue" at the bottom of the screen.
  3. If you receive a SPID validation error on Kalkomey when trying to create a registration profile:
    1. Delete and retype the Sportspersion ID (SPID). You will have to retype in the new password creation in the process
    2. Delete the hyphen or apostrophe in your name. 
      1. Example: If your name is Smith-Johnson, it should be typed Smith Johnson. Or Odell instead of O'dell. 
    3. Call the Communications and Education Administrator (307-777-5070) or Hunter Education Specialist (307-777-4538) if trouble shooting didn't work. 

There is no minimum age for taking a traditional hunter education course. However, most material is written at a 4th grade reading level (age 10). It is recommended that students 12 and under take the traditional in-person hunter education class. There is a minimum age requirement of 10-years-old for the hybrid online and internet completion course. 

We accept all other 49 states, as well as Canadian provinces and hunter education certificates from Mexico.

 

Hunter education certificate acceptance varies with other countries. Most European countries, New Zealand and Australia have some form of hunter education certification. Email wgfhuntered@wyo.gov for verification. 

Yes, we accept hunter education certificates from all other 49 states, as well as Canadian provinces and Mexico. You must carry a copy of your certification with you while hunting. It varies with other countries, but we accept hunter education certificates from most European countries, New Zealand and Australia. Email wgfhuntered@wyo.gov for verification.

No, we only require hunters to bring proof of their hunter education certificate in the field while hunting. 

Not at this time. Only hunter education certificates earned in Wyoming appear on the Game and Fish account dashboard or displayed on hunting licenses.

 

If a different state issues the hunter education card, that hunter must carry a copy of that certification in the field while hunting either by providing a hard copy or a downloaded image on a mobile device. 

Filling out this form is the first step to changing the name on your Wyoming hunter education card. A Game and Fish employee will follow up with you after receiving the form response. 

Filling out this form will allow you to get your Wyoming hunter education certificate to show up on your Wyoming hunting license and in your Game and Fish account dashboard.

  1. Permanent hunter education cards are emailed once the instructor has submitted all class reports. Check your spam folder; the email will be from WYinfo@kalkomey.com
  2. An instructor may not have submitted the report if not all students have registered yet.
  3. Please wait two weeks after the completion of your hunter education class before reaching out about the status of your hunter education card.

Please fill out your information on this troubleshooting form. A Game and Fish employee will follow up with you shortly after you complete the form. 

To fix your name or date of birth on your hunter education card, you must call 1-800-830-2268.

  1. Yes, but it will cost $10. It takes 3-5 weeks to ship, but a PDF is available after payment for immediate proof.
  2. Go to www.ilostmycard.com
    1.  Select “Wyoming” in the state or province drop down.
    2. Select “hunting” in the certification drop down.
    3. Fill in your personal details then hit search.
    4. Click on the “Hunter Ed-Certified safety certification” link.
    5. View your details and then check the box that says you agree with the information that will be placed on your certificate.
    6. After checking the box, hit “order replacement card.”
    7. Enter your payment information and appropriate email address.
    8. Select “place your order.”
    9. On the receipt page, after purchasing a plastic card, there is an option for you to download a PDF replacement.