Hunting is a tradition that predates Montana’s statehood, and some of the first laws enacted after Montana became a state in 1889 were designed to protect big game animals for future generations and for hunting seasons. The regulations were designed to protect the population. Dillon Tabish, community information and education program manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), said the state has been educating new hunters since the 1950s about the ethics and regulations for venturing into the wilderness. They are required to take a hunter education course that teaches basic skills. Courses typically run for a few hours each night for one to two weeks. Almost everything is taught by volunteers.
“These guys aren’t doing it for the money,” Tabish said. “They do this because they have a passion for hunting and care about the future of the sport.”
Hunter education courses provide basic information and skills on safe handling of firearms, as well as the basics of wildlife management, game identification, landowner-hunter relations, hunter ethics, and Montana hunting laws and regulations. It also covers guidance.
The course includes a review of the four firearm safety topics that all students must master before becoming certified.
1. Always point the muzzle of your gun in a safe direction.
2. Always treat all guns as if they were loaded
3. Always check your goals and beyond
4. Always keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
To purchase or apply for a Montana hunting license, anyone born after January 1, 1985 must complete a hunter education course issued by the State of Montana, another state, or a Canadian province. The Apprentice Hunter Program allows anyone over the age of 10 to hunt for up to two years without completing a hunter education course. Certain restrictions apply and those certified as apprentices must be accompanied by a certified mentor.
For more information, call your local FWP office, (406) 444-9947, or visit https://fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter-education.