Safety and Responsibility

Req 1g — Hunter Education and State Hunting Laws

1g.

Successfully complete a state hunter education course, or obtain a copy of the hunting laws for your state, then do the following:

This requirement has two parts: how you get the information and what you do with it. You have two paths for gathering the information, and then you must complete both sub-requirements 1g1 and 1g2 regardless of which path you take.

Two Ways to Meet the “Or” Condition

Option 1 — Complete a state hunter education course. Most states offer hunter education in person, online, or as a combination. The course covers firearms safety, hunting laws, ethics, wildlife management, and survival skills. Completing it earns you a hunter education certificate required to purchase a hunting license in most states. This is the recommended path if you have any interest in hunting—the certificate is usually valid for life.

Option 2 — Obtain a copy of your state’s hunting laws. Every state publishes a hunting regulations digest each year. You can download it from your state’s fish and wildlife agency website or pick up a printed copy where licenses are sold. This document contains all the information you need for 1g1 and 1g2.

Talk with your counselor before committing to a path. If you have already completed hunter education, you are all set. If not, the course is the richer learning experience, but the digest alone satisfies the requirement.

Requirement 1g1

1g1.

Explain the main points of hunting laws in your state, and any special laws on the use of guns and ammunition, AND

Your state’s hunting regulations will cover several main categories. Look for and be ready to explain each:

Seasons: Dates when specific species may be legally hunted. Seasons vary by species, weapon type (archery, muzzleloader, general), and sometimes by region within the state.

License and tag requirements: Who must purchase a license, what tags are required for specific game, and what age exemptions exist.

Legal shooting hours: Hunting is typically restricted to daylight hours or defined windows around sunrise and sunset. This varies by species.

Method of take restrictions: What types of firearms or ammunition are allowed for each species. For shotgun hunters, common restrictions include non-toxic shot requirements for waterfowl (steel, bismuth, or tungsten instead of lead) and minimum gauge or shot size for certain game.

Special firearms laws: Some states restrict magazine capacity for hunting, require plugged magazines (limiting a shotgun to three shells total), or prohibit certain ammunition types in specific areas.

Trespass and land access rules: Where you are and are not allowed to hunt, and how to obtain permission for private land.

Requirement 1g2

1g2.

List the kinds of wildlife that can be legally hunted in your state.

Your state regulations will have a complete list of game species. Typical categories include:

Upland birds: pheasant, quail, grouse, dove, chukar, woodcock (varies by state)
Waterfowl: ducks, geese, and other migratory birds—regulated federally through the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and by state regulations
Big game: deer, elk, turkey, bear, pronghorn, moose (varies widely by state)
Small game: rabbit, squirrel, hare
Furbearers: coyote, fox, raccoon, beaver (varies by state)

Your list should reflect your actual state. Don’t list animals that are not found or not legally hunted in your region. Your counselor will know if your list is accurate.

Preparing for Your Counselor Discussion

Bring your hunter education certificate or a printed/downloaded copy of your state’s regulations. Be prepared to explain—not just recite—what the main laws mean and why they exist. Connect these rules back to the wildlife conservation concepts from Req 1f.