To purchase your first hunting license in New Hampshire, you must first complete a hunter education course.

Individuals 16 and older need a hunting license to hunt in New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department offers hunter and bowhunter education classes around the state, as well as trapper education.

To find a class, visit www. wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/ hunter_ed_schedule.htm or call 271-3214.

The basic hunter education course averages about 16 hours of classroom instruction and field experiences, including live fire on a shooting range. Courses are taught by trained, certified volunteer instructors according to national guidelines and state standards.

Safe firearms handling; wildlife ID; game trailing, recovery and care; hunter ethics; outdoor safety and survival skills; hunting laws; and map and compass skills are covered.

Each class concludes with a written test and practical field exam. If successful, students receive their hunter certification card. Hunter education instruction and course materials are provided free of charge; instructors may charge up to $5 per student to cover the use of facilities.

To receive a certificate of completion in basic hunter education or bowhunter education, participants must be at least 12 years old by the end of the course.

In addition to traditional classes, Fish and Game offers a home-study option for completing the hunter education requirement. This option takes about the same amount of time as a classroom course, but preparation is done at home, and participants attend a required field day involving a written exam and field skills testing. There are specific deadlines for signing up for the home study option, and space is limited.

For successful completion of the home-study course, participants must be at least 15 years old.

For a list of home study sessions, call 271-3214 or visit www.wildlife.state. nh.us/Hunting/hunter_ed_ homestudy.htm.