The New Mexico Hunter’s Education Program is no different than the many other hunter education programs found throughout the country. This program is beneficial to everyone because it teaches hunters to be more responsible while enjoying their sport of hunting game animals. This responsibility leads to safer hunts, which is the ultimate goal of this program. Safe hunts saves lives and that is hat is important.
In New Mexico, anyone under the age of 18 must have a hunter’s education program certificate of completion to legally hunt. Hunter’s education certificates from other states are honored as well as the New Mexico Hunter’s Education Program. These young hunters must have their hunter education certificate in their possession the entire time they are hunting. Hunters who are under the age of 18 must also have a hunter’s education certificate before they apply for or purchase any firearm hunting license in the state of New Mexico.
Hunting students in New Mexico can expect to spend at least sixteen hours in class to complete the New Mexico Hunter’s Education Program. They may even need to spend extra time studying on their own. The classroom portion of this program introduces the hunting student to the many aspects of being a safe and responsible hunter. This class time also includes the hands-on portion of the field session where the students will be able to demonstrate their ability to safely handle their firearm. These classes are taught by individuals who volunteer their time and knowledge to better the sport of hunting by making it safer and by making the hunters of the future more responsible. Classes are generally limited to between 25 and 30 students and should be pre-registered for as they may fill up quickly.
There is no official minimum age for any hunter who wishes to attend the New Mexico Hunter’s Education Program, although hunters who are ten years old and younger must be accompanied to the classes by their parent or guardian. In fact, all parents are welcome regardless of the age of the child who is attending. The only thing with younger children attending is that the material is written on a 5th or 6th grade level, so hunters who are 10 or 11 will have a better chance of understanding it, plus younger children pay less attention so they may disrupt the class. At the end of the course, all students are required to take a final exam, and they are expected to pass this exam in order to be presented with their certificate of completion.
The New Mexico Game and Fish Commission is responsible for the many programs relating to hunting in this great state. One of the most important hunting programs is the New Mexico Hunter’s Education Program, simply because it saves lives and teaches hunters the proper ways to conduct their hunting career to where they will make the right decisions. With programs such as this in place, the sport of hunting will continue to grow and the rate of hunting accidents will continue to decline.
