The Apprentice Hunter program allows anyone 10 or older to hunt for up to two years without completing a hunter education course. Certain restrictions apply, and anyone certified as an Apprentice must be accompanied by a certified Mentor.
Hunter education courses cover basic information and skills related to the safe handling of firearms as well as basic instruction in wildlife management, game identification, landowner/hunter relations, hunter ethics, and Montana hunting laws and regulations.
To purchase or apply for a Montana hunting license, anyone born after January 1, 1985, must complete a hunter education course issued by Montana, any other state, or any Canadian province.
These free courses are offered throughout the year across the state for anyone 10 and older. Instructor-led hunter education courses provide new hunters with a hands-on learning experience and can be particularly beneficial for people who have minimal experience in the field or handling firearms.
Students ages 10-11 can take the in-person course and hunt as an Apprentice but will not be fully certified until the year they turn 12. Students who choose to take the in-person course must attend all classroom sessions, the field course, and pass a final exam.
In-person courses are led by volunteer instructors who are passionate about preserving Montana’s hunting tradition, teaching firearm safety, ethics, and other outdoor skills.
This self-paced course is available for anyone 12 and older. Youth must turn 12 by January 16 of the current license year. Once certified, graduates may purchase or apply for licenses and hunt after August 15 of the current license year. No in-person field course is required. However, we strongly encourage participation at a voluntary in-person field day. The self-paced online course provides a convenience for those who are comfortable with eLearning or who already have a solid firearms and hunting background.
This course is administered through a third-party vendor, Kalkomey. Please direct any program (online) specific questions to Kalkomey's customer service department (toll-free).
Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight MDT and Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. MDT.
Phone: 1-800-830-2268
Take the Online Course as a Montana Resident
Take the Online Course as a Nonresident
Duplicate certificates of completion for the Montana hunter education and bowhunter education courses may be obtained online at MyFWP using the Hunter/Bowhunter Education Certificate Form.
If you are interested in the future of hunting, in improving sportsmanship and safety in the field, or teaching an appreciation for the vast hunting resources in Montana, then we need you to join us and “Pass it On!”
Hunters Connect
A set of how-to hunting related videos on a variety of topics.
HE Tools
A free downloadable toolset that covers many aspects of firearms and archery equipment.
Bowhunter education courses cover basic information on archery equipment, the proper uses of a bow and arrow, proper shot placement, hunter ethics, and the skills needed for blood trailing.
To purchase a Montana bow-and-arrow license, a hunter must complete a certified bowhunter education course, or show any prior year's bowhunting license from any state or province.
These free courses are offered throughout the year across the state for anyone 11 or older.
In-person courses are led by volunteer instructors who are passionate about preserving Montana’s hunting tradition, teaching firearm safety, ethics, and other outdoor skills.
This self-paced course is available for Montana residents only who are 12 and older. Youth must turn 12 by January 16 of the current license year. Once certified, graduates may purchase or apply for licenses and hunt after August 15 of the current license year. No in-person field course is required.
Use the promo code MTehfEngEbehwK20 at the end of the online course to cover the cost of the class.
This course is administered through a third-party vendor, Kalkomey. Please direct any program (online) specific questions to Kalkomey's customer service department (toll-free).
Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight MDT and Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. MDT.
Phone: 1-800-830-2268
Take the Online Course as a Montana Resident
Duplicate certificates of completion for the Montana hunter education and bowhunter education courses may be obtained online at MyFWP using the Hunter/Bowhunter Education Certificate Form.
If you are interested in the future of hunting, in improving sportsmanship and safety in the field, or teaching an appreciation for the vast hunting resources in Montana, then we need you to join us and “Pass it On!”
Now that you’re fully certified, are you looking for an in-person, hands-on, learning experience to complement the online course? Then come join us for a voluntary field day to get that essential in-person, hands-on experience on such topics as firearm handling, live-fire (in many locations), survival techniques, blood trailing, bear aware/ bear spray, and much more.
This field day is an optional followup to the online certficiation course.
Find a Hunter Education Field Day Near You
Duplicate certificates of completion for the Montana hunter education and bowhunter education courses may be obtained online at MyFWP using the Hunter/Bowhunter Education Certificate Form.
It's important to know the difference between grizzly bears and black bears.
Montana's Bear Identification Program is intended to prevent the killing of grizzly bears as a result of mistaken identity by hunters. Black bear hunters in Montana are required to pass the Bear Identification test to obtain a black bear license.
The Montana Hunter-Landowner Stewardship Project is an information program for anyone interested in promoting responsible hunter behavior and good hunter-landowner relations in Montana.
The Mountain Lion Identification Program is a voluntary training program available to anyone who is interested in mountain lion ecology and/or who wants to hunt mountain lions
Before setting a wolf trap in Montana, a person must successfully complete a Montana or Idaho education course.
Trappers who successfully completed a wolf trapping education course in Montana or Idaho do not need to retake the course. Idaho trappers must present a certificate of completion/certification for the Idaho course issued by Idaho Fish and Game.
Some FWP regional offices will offer wolf trapper education and certification courses throughout the year. Contact the regional office near you for more information.
The Montana wolf trapper education courses are free and open to individuals age 11 and older.
Certification course topics include:
Trapping ethics, regulations, equipment, and proper techniques to avoid trapping non-target species
History of wolves in Montana
The current status of wolves in the state
Wolf management and the role of trapping in conservation
Reporting and registering one’s harvest
If you can't find what you're looking for, please contact FWP regional offices directly.
