WDFW increases min age for in person hunter education to 18

[bmc02]

saw in fish/hunt report in spokesman review today that WDFW has increased the MINIMUM age for in person hunters education from 9 years old to 18... so apparently they learned nothing with how bad remote/online learning went and they think kids aged 9-17 will do better learning hunters ed online instead of in person. are they freaking serious!? I can't even begin to comprehend what reasons they would have for making this change.

My 12 year old did online ed when she turned 10 (no choice due to covid closures) and I was going to sign up my 10 year old this year and make the 12 year old re-do it in person, hunters ed class is a rite of passage... I am beyond frustrated with this decision.

Anyone hear about this? I don't see anything about it on WDFW website but I'm sure the spokesman author has their sources...

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/feb/08/alan-lieres-fishing-hunting-report-for-feb-9/

[Bob33]

That's not correct information. Students under 18 can still take the online course. However, they must attend an in-person evaluation to complete the program. Students over 18 do not need to attend an in-person evaluation. Students 18 and older can can complete the course with a "virtual field day".

This change occurred quite a while ago.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/requirements/education/basic

"The online class is a student-driven interactive web tool teaching the same content as the traditional course and is appropriate for students who can comprehend and retain online course content. Students 17 years of age or younger at time of registration must complete a four-hour field skills evaluation class with certified instructors after completing the online class."

[pianoman9701]

It's got to be coming from the Wildlife Commission and it seems backward. Shouldn't the younger ones be in the class and over 18 be online? Lots of changes to HE the last five years and few of them are positive.

[bmc02]

That's not correct information. Students under 18 can still take the online course. However, they must attend an in-person evaluation to complete the program. Students over 18 do not need to attend an in-person evaluation. Students 18 and older can can complete the course with a "virtual field day".

This change occurred quite a while ago.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/requirements/education/basic

"The online class is a student-driven interactive web tool teaching the same content as the traditional course and is appropriate for students who can comprehend and retain online course content. Students 17 years of age or younger at time of registration must complete a four-hour field skills evaluation class with certified instructors after completing the online class."

I know the current rules with the field skills evaluation. If I am to believe the reputable spokesman fishing/hunting report article that I posted it sounds like they may be changing the rules in the future... I'll reach out to fish and game for clarification - but curious if anyone else on here had some knowledge.

[Rainier10]

That's not correct information. Students under 18 can still take the online course. However, they must attend an in-person evaluation to complete the program. Students over 18 do not need to attend an in-person evaluation. Students 18 and older can can complete the course with a "virtual field day".

This change occurred quite a while ago.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/requirements/education/basic

"The online class is a student-driven interactive web tool teaching the same content as the traditional course and is appropriate for students who can comprehend and retain online course content. Students 17 years of age or younger at time of registration must complete a four-hour field skills evaluation class with certified instructors after completing the online class."

I know the current rules with the field skills evaluation. If I am to believe the reputable spokesman fishing/hunting report article that I posted it sounds like they may be changing the rules in the future... I'll reach out to fish and game for clarification - but curious if anyone else on here had some knowledge.

@bmc02 i clicked on your link and can’t find anything saying that. Is there an article from that link that I need to click on to see something else?

[bmc02]

I just spoke to the E Wa WDFW education coordinator - he assured me that there is no minimum age for in person class (by law) and thinks that the article was a typo. I also have an email out to the Author asking for clarification.

So hopefully this was just a typo and I should have asked the questions before posting about it (something most of us could be better at). WDFW is so screwed up though I'd believe just about anything I heard if it went against common sense and eroded our traditions of hunting, fishing and shooting!

[bmc02]

That's not correct information. Students under 18 can still take the online course. However, they must attend an in-person evaluation to complete the program. Students over 18 do not need to attend an in-person evaluation. Students 18 and older can can complete the course with a "virtual field day".

This change occurred quite a while ago.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/requirements/education/basic

"The online class is a student-driven interactive web tool teaching the same content as the traditional course and is appropriate for students who can comprehend and retain online course content. Students 17 years of age or younger at time of registration must complete a four-hour field skills evaluation class with certified instructors after completing the online class."

I know the current rules with the field skills evaluation. If I am to believe the reputable spokesman fishing/hunting report article that I posted it sounds like they may be changing the rules in the future... I'll reach out to fish and game for clarification - but curious if anyone else on here had some knowledge.

@bmc02 i clicked on your link and can’t find anything saying that. Is there an article from that link that I need to click on to see something else?

pasted direct from article - (its in the overheard section kind of in the side notes.

"Overheard
The Big Horn Outdoor Adventure Show will run March 16-19 at the Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds.

WDFW has increased the minimum age to take the in-person hunter education course from nine to 18. Students under 18 can complete the online course, but they must attend a field skills evaluation before they can become certified. "

[Rainier10]

Just found it in the “overheard” section

WDFW has increased the minimum age to take the in-person hunter education course from nine to 18. Students under 18 can complete the online course, but they must attend a field skills evaluation before they can become certified. For more information, visit WDFW’s Hunter Education webpage.

That is misleading they increased the age to 18 to do all online. Off you are under 18 you have to do an in person field test.

[Rainier10]

  Yes I found it to.

That should say increased the minimum age to do all online certification.

[bmc02]

Yes I found it to.

That should say increased the minimum age to do all online certification.

yeah that makes more sense - forgive me for assuming the worst in WDFW. I wonder why that is... haha

[Rainier10]

I will say during Covid the all online was a great tool. Removed from the restrictions having students from 9-17 have to come in for in person field evaluation is great. It’s not just field evaluation, there is a 20 question test also just to make sure the student actually did the online learning. It helps ensure that somebody else didn’t do the online test for the student to get an extra tag.

[Antlershed]

That's not correct information. Students under 18 can still take the online course. However, they must attend an in-person evaluation to complete the program. Students over 18 do not need to attend an in-person evaluation. Students 18 and older can can complete the course with a "virtual field day".

This change occurred quite a while ago.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/requirements/education/basic

"The online class is a student-driven interactive web tool teaching the same content as the traditional course and is appropriate for students who can comprehend and retain online course content. Students 17 years of age or younger at time of registration must complete a four-hour field skills evaluation class with certified instructors after completing the online class."

I know the current rules with the field skills evaluation. If I am to believe the reputable spokesman fishing/hunting report article that I posted it sounds like they may be changing the rules in the future... I'll reach out to fish and game for clarification - but curious if anyone else on here had some knowledge.

@bmc02 i clicked on your link and can’t find anything saying that. Is there an article from that link that I need to click on to see something else?

It’s at the very end and poorly written.

What it means is they raised the minimum age to 18 where the field course is no longer required. During COVID, that age was like 9 or 10 years old.