The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is encouraging new hunters to sign up now for a hunter education course through its new online registration system. The new system allows hunters to search for courses in their area and to enroll online.

All new hunters, trappers, and bow-hunters in Vermont must pass the required hunter education course before purchasing a license. Courses are offered in either a classroom environment or through a homestudy program. Both classroom and homestudy course options include a field component with an instructor.

“The homestudy program has proven very successful in allowing hunters to fit a course into their busy schedules,” said Chris Saunders, Vermont’s hunter education coordinator.

All courses are taught by certified volunteer instructors. They cover subjects such as orienteering, first aid and survival, hunter ethics, wildlife identification, and gun safety.

Students interested in a course can enroll at www.register-ed.com/programs/vermont. The new system includes maps and directions, instant confirmation and reminder emails, and a function that allows users to contact a course instructor directly. It also allows users to view the number of open spaces remaining in a course, and to receive email notifications when new courses become available in their area.

“We encourage hunters to sign up now because space is limited and classes fill up quickly,” said Saunders. “Once hunting season begins, our volunteer instructors will want to be out in the field.”

The Vermont Hunter Education Program consists of 350 instructors who certify almost 5,000 students annually. The course and all materials are provided free of charge through funding provided by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program. There is no minimum age.