MDWFP - Hunter Education

Mississippi Hunter Education

Hunter Education works. Since 1950, when formal hunter safety programs were introduced, the number of hunting and firearms-related accidents has declined dramatically nationwide. In Mississippi, we know that our hunter education efforts have reduced firearms accidents and saved lives. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks offers hunter education classes free of charge at locations across the state. The hunter education course includes 10 hours of instruction, including live shooting. To obtain hunter education certification, students must be at least 10 years of age and must pass a written exam and complete a firing exercise.

All persons born after January 1, 1972 are required to complete a hunter education course before purchasing a Mississippi hunting license. Also Effective July 1, 2000, anyone twelve (12) years of age and under sixteen (16) years of age must have a certificate of satisfactory completion of a hunter education course approved by the Department before hunting alone in this state. A child at least twelve (12) years of age and under (16) years of age may hunt without having the certificate of hunter education if the child is in the presence and under the direct supervision of a licensed or exempt hunter at least twenty-one (21) years of age when hunting.

Search All Classes | Search Classes By County | Online Hunter Ed Course

If a hunter education class is not available in your area and a class is needed as soon as possible, online hunter education courses are available. Please see the information below to learn more about online hunter education courses.

An alternative to taking the standard hunter education class is the official Mississippi Hunter Education Internet Course (see Online Hunter Ed Course). The course is not intended to replace the traditional classroom course but is designed to work within the established course curriculum and allow the Hunter Education certification to be obtained through out the year. The internet course allows the student to complete part of the course from any computer with internet access, and upon completing a pre-certification exam, the student then goes to a pre-determined classroom setting to complete the final three hours. This allows the student time for interaction with the instructor, final testing, and the range firing exercise.

The last three hours of the online hunter education course are available at any of our regional offices each week. Please call one of our regional offices to signup to finish the online hunter education class.

For more information, please contact our regional Hunter Education Coordinators.

If you would like to become a hunter education instructor, please fill out the Instructor Application and email to the Hunter Education Coordinator for your region.

Temporary Hunter Education Card

Additional Information

The Hunter Education program is designed to:

reduce hunting accidents
teach hunter ethics and responsibility
promote wildlife conservation
teach firearm safety

Specifically, the course contents include:

hunter ethics and responsibility
history of firearms
rifles
shotguns
ammunition
gun handling
marksmanship
blackpowder and muzzleloading
bowhunting
wildlife identification
principles of wildlife management
survival
water safety
hypothermia
first aid
tree stand safety

Duplicate Hunter Education Card:
To obtain a duplicate hunter education card, please print the application form, complete it, and mail it in with $3.00. Download Form

For more information about a hunter education class contact:

MDWFP, Hunter Education
P. O. Box 451
Jackson, MS 39205-0451

1-800-354-5033 or your Regional Office