The Alabama Hunter Education Program, implemented in 1993, is a very important part of every hunter’s life. This program stresses the importance of being a safe, responsible hunter by providing each participant with the skills, knowledge and attitude needed to accomplish each hunt with no accidents. Not only is this program important to accomplishing each hunt with no accidents, the State of Alabama has made it a law that states each hunter wishing to hunt unsupervised, born on or after August 1,1977, must have successfully completed the Alabama Hunter Education Course before they can buy their hunting license.
Hunters,10 years of age or older, attending an Alabama Hunter Education Program can expect to receive information pertaining to the Alabama wildlife laws, hunter ethics, wildlife identification, wildlife management techniques, archery safety, muzzle loading safety, first aid and survival as well as firearms and tree stand safety. The courses associated with this program can be attended either in a classroom setting, on CD-ROM or online and are a minimum of 10 hours. However, both of these formats require a three to five hour field day in which the hunter will have the opportunity to learn important skills such as properly loading and unloading guns, safely handling guns in different situations such as crossing fences and getting into their stands along with other skills deemed necessary and important for safe hunting practices. These courses are taught by the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries personnel or volunteers. Hunters taking these courses will be tested on their knowledge, both in the classroom, from the CD or Internet and in the field and must pass these exams to be awarded their hunter education card and patch.
In the State of Alabama, not all hunters born on or after August 1, 1977 are required to attend and pass a Hunter Education Program. The exceptions include state employed APOST certified law enforcement officers, active U.S. National Guardsmen who are residents of Alabama and any active duty U.S. Military personnel. The Wildlife Heritage Act of 2007, which was passed by the Alabama Legislature, added to this list of exceptions by including hunters who wish to hunt supervised. This hunting act states that the unsupervised hunter must always be under normal voice control, within 30 feet, of a properly licensed hunter. The licensed hunter must be 21 years older or older and must not be a “supervision required” license holder.
Goals of the Alabama Hunter Education Program are simple, they include reducing accidents, increasing knowledge of wildlife management techniques, increasing knowledge of Alabama’s wildlife laws, improving hunter behavior and also stressing the ever important relationship between landowners and hunters. These goals can and are being accomplished with hunters completing hunter education courses, not only in the state of Alabama, but in all other states. But, hunter education courses can only do so much, it is up to all hunters to see that these goals are implemented. For more information on the Alabama Hunter Education Program, go to www.outdooralabama.com
