To purchase or apply for a Montana hunting license, anyone born after January 1, 1985, must complete a hunter education course issued by Montana, any other state, or any Canadian province.
Please note: we strongly encourage students to register for a class or field day as soon as possible as most classes and field days are complete by the end of September.
In-person, Instructor-led Course (10 and up)
Free
These free courses are offered throughout the year across the state for anyone 10 and older. Instructor-led hunter education courses provide new hunters with a hands-on learning experience and can be particularly beneficial for people who have minimal experience in the field or handling firearms.
Students age 10 to 11 can take the in-person course and hunt as an Apprentice but will not be fully certified until the year they turn 12. Students who choose to take the in-person course must attend all classroom sessions, a field day, and pass a final exam.
In-person courses are led by volunteer instructors who are passionate about preserving Montana’s hunting tradition, teaching firearm safety, ethics, and other outdoor skills.
Online-only Course (age 18 and up)
This self-paced course is available for students 18 and older. Once certified, graduates may purchase or apply for licenses. No in-person field course is required. However, we strongly encourage participation at a voluntary in-person field day. The self-paced online course provides a convenience for those who are comfortable with eLearning or who already have a solid firearms and hunting background.
This course is administered through a third-party vendor, Kalkomey. Please direct any program (online) specific questions to Kalkomey's customer service department (toll-free).
Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight MDT and Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. MDT.
Phone: 1-800-830-2268
Online and Field Day Combination Course (age 12 to 17)
Students age 12 to 17 and students who will turn 12 by Jan. 16 of the current license year (March - Feb.) can take Hunter Education online, but must also pass a required four-hour, in-person field day to be certified. Students who take the course online and pass the written exam will receive a field day qualifier certificate that they must bring to the in-person field day. The online course is a pre-requisite for the field day and students cannot complete the two course elements in reverse.
The field day provides hands-on instruction and presents realistic scenarios in firearm handling and safety as well as hunting ethics.
We strongly encourage students to register for a field day as soon as possible as opportunities are limited after Oct. 1 each year. Please note, if students take the online class in the fall, there may not be another field day scheduled until spring the following year.
Field day participants will be required to demonstrate proficiency in the following areas:
Four main rules of firearm safety
P.R.O.V.E.
Key points about landowner relations and hunting ethics
Selecting a firearm/ammo
Safe firearm handling, including trail caries, obstacle crossings, loading/unloading firearms from vehicles, handing of firearms
Basic animal identification
Shoot/don’t shoot scenarios
Zones of fire
Shooting positions
Instructors will closely evaluate students. Those who cannot demonstrate proficiency in the above topics will not pass and will not be certified. They will not be able to hunt until passing a field day.
Duplicate certificates of completion for the Montana hunter education and bowhunter education courses may be obtained online at MyFWP using the Hunter/Bowhunter Education Certificate Form.
If you are interested in the future of hunting, in improving sportsmanship and safety in the field, or teaching an appreciation for the vast hunting resources in Montana, then we need you to join us and “Pass it On!”
Hunters Connect
A set of how-to hunting related videos on a variety of topics.
HE Tools
A free downloadable toolset that covers many aspects of firearms and archery equipment.