It might be hot outside, but hunting seasons will soon be here. If you need a hunter education class, sign up now to get into a class this summer or early fall.

You can register online at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm. Just browse the calendar for the best date and location, then click on the course of your choice and complete the online registration form to join the class. Walk-ins are accepted on a space-available basis, but there are no guarantees; pre-registration is highly recommended.

“Course availability is always very limited in September and October, so summer is your best bet to be sure of getting in a course,” says N.H. Fish and Game Hunter Education Coordinator Josh Mackay.

If you already have your hunting license and want to get your bowhunter certification, this is your last chance to take a Bowhunter-only Education class. After this year, all Hunter Education will include both Hunter and Bowhunter Education. You can still get your bowhunter certification, but there will be no stand-alone classes, only the combined class. Remaining Bowhunter Education-only classes for 2014 are filling fast, so act soon if you are interested.

If you have already completed the online course, sign up for the required field day now.

“As we get into fall, the number of field days will be limited,” Mackay said. “After October, no field days will be offered until the spring. And don’t forget, taking the online course does not guarantee you will find space in a field day.”

Hunter education is required in New Hampshire before a new hunter can purchase his or her first hunting license. If you are age 16 or older, you need a license to hunt. To meet this requirement, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department offers classes around the state. Participants must be at least 12 years old to achieve certification in basic Hunter Education.

Those hunters who purchased an Apprentice Hunting License last year must take Hunter Education before they can purchase a hunting license this year. The Apprentice Hunting License allows people to hunt under the guidance of an experienced hunter, without first taking a Hunter Education course. You can purchase the Apprentice license once in your lifetime. It is available only through the Fish and Game office in Concord. Learn more at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/apprentice.html.

For more information on Hunter Education in New Hampshire, visithttp://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm or call 603-271-3214.

Hunter Education in New Hampshire is funded by Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration, a user-pay, user-benefit program supported by an excise tax on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment. Learn more athttp://www.wildnh.com/SFWR_program/sfwr_program.htm.

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