Hunter education is a long-standing public education program of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. State law mandates that anyone born on or after July 1, 1957 must complete a hunter education course and possess a certificate of course completion before hunting in Kansas (excluding hunters hunting on their own land).

The course includes training in hunter responsibility, primitive hunting equipment, modern firearms, wildlife management principles, wildlife identification, first aid, survival and boating safety for hunters, in addition to firearms safety subjects. Instructors will demonstrate safe firearms handling. NO AMMUNITION ALLOWED!

All students will receive a program manual, which will be given at the time of registration. Participants are required to read the entire manual and answer all the review questions. You must attend all the classes for the entire time to be eligible for completion. Upon successful completion of the course, a certificate will be given.

The minimum age for certificate is 11 years (by the day of the written test).  Younger students may attend, but will not be certified. The instructor(s) request that students under the age of 12 years of age be accompanied by an adult for the entire class. The course will be taught by certified Hunter Education Instructors.

Class size is limited to 30 students. Pre-registration is required.  Please do not attend the class without being registered through Gardner Parks and Recreation. 

Additional Hunter Safety classes can be found through the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Click here to visit the Hunter Education website.