GAME COMMISSION TO HOLD EXTRA HTE CLASSES BEFORE FALL SEASONS
HARRISBURG
– Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe said the
agency is scheduling more basic Hunter-Trapper Education (HTE) courses
for September and October so all new hunters can complete this mandatory
course to be eligible to participate in the upcoming fall hunting
seasons.
“With
the fall seasons fast approaching, time soon will run out for those who
have not yet passed a basic Hunter-Trapper Education course, which is
mandatory for all first-time license buyers, regardless of age,” Roe
said. “While we have been holding courses all summer, we have found that
some people wait until autumn is officially here to begin making plans
for the hunting seasons. To meet this need, we are scheduling additional
courses throughout the state, so now is the time to register for a
course.”
To register for a course in your area, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us),
click on the “Hunter Education Classes” icon in the center of the
homepage and then clicking on either “Hunter-Trapper Education” or
“Hunter-Trapper Education Independent Study.”
With
the support of thousands of volunteers, HTE courses are being held
throughout the state. There is no fee for the basic HTE course.
Pre-registration is required and online registration is available for
all courses offered by the agency.
Taught
by dedicated teams of trained volunteers, most HTE classes last at
least 10 hours over two or more days, and participants must attend all
instruction before taking the test at the end of the course. Youngsters
must be at least 11 years old to receive HTE certification.
Successful
completion of a basic Pennsylvania HTE class, or another state’s
equivalent course, is required by state law to obtain a first-time
hunting or furtaker license, regardless of age.
Registrations
also are being accepted for the independent-study version of the basic
HTE program, which is available for those 11 years of age or older. The
independent study course requires students to attend a two- to
three-hour class to be tested and certified. Prior to this classroom
test, however, students must study the entire course content on their
own, which takes about eight to 10 hours to complete. Study guides are
available online from the registration page or, to request a print
version of “Today’s Hunter & Trapper in Pennsylvania,” call the
Hunter-Trapper Education Division (717-787-7015) to request a study guide be mailed to you. There is a $1.59 postage fee (plus sales tax) for mailed study guides.
In
addition, registrations are being accepted for other educational
programs offered by the Game Commission, including Successful
Bowhunting, Successful Furtaking and Cable Restraint Certification.
The
Successful Bowhunting course is a one-day voluntary training program
for those seeking to expand their skills and knowledge of bowhunting.
While voluntary in Pennsylvania, certification for this course may be
required by other states. There is an $20 course fee, which covers the
cost of the online study course required before attending the class.
Successful
Furtaking is a one-day training program that provides extensive
hands-on training to new and experienced furtakers. The course promotes
Best Management Practices and is designed for any person seeking to
learn more about furtaking and to improve his or her skills and
success. The course includes the cable restraint certification that is
required to participate in the cable restraint season for foxes and
coyotes. This course also fulfills the requirement that all first-time
furtaker license buyers pass a basic trapper education course. A $15
course fee is charged.
The
Cable Restraint Certification course is required for those trappers
seeking to participate in the annual trapping season in which cable
restraints are used to capture coyotes and foxes. The course fee is
$15, and students will get to keep various education materials and one
legal cable restraint provided as part of the course.
The
Successful Turkey Hunting course, which is designed to provide the
knowledge and skills needed to be successful in both spring and fall
seasons, also is available to give first-time hunters a huge step toward
bagging a bird. Veterans will learn methods and techniques that will
make them a better hunter, too. Students will receive a 140-page
student guide and a diaphragm turkey call as part of the program.
Classes will start next spring and continue through the summer and early
fall. A $15 fee is being charged to offset costs.
“We
are planning to offer additional advanced courses in the future
focusing on specific sporting arms and certain species-specific seasons,
such as Successful Muzzleloading and Successful Deer Hunting,” Snyder
said. “We will be working with interested groups of sportsmen
specializing in each of the areas to develop curriculum and solid
hands-on training that will emphasize methods and techniques.”
In
1959, the Game Commission began offering a voluntary hunter safety
program, and about 25,000 students participated in that program
annually. Beginning in 1969, the General Assembly required all
first-time hunting license buyers under the age of 16 to successfully
complete a four-hour hunter education course. The course requirement
was expanded to six hours in 1977. The program became mandatory for all
first-time hunting license buyers regardless of age in 1982.
Finally,
in 1986, the safety program was increased to 10 hours of class time and
trapper training was included. The name of the program also was
changed to Hunter-Trapper Education, and was required for all first-time
furtaker license buyers, too.
Since 1959, more than 1.8 million students have been certified through this course.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
GAME COMMISSION TO HOLD EXTRA HTE CLASSES BEFORE FALL SEASONS
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