Courses for Hunter Education to Begin

Courses for hunter education are about to begin for the 2007 Nova Scotia hunting season. To receive a Wildlife Resource Card, which allows the purchase of a hunting licence, the Department of Natural Resources requires all new hunters take a course.

"The courses provide valuable safety information, contributing to the success of Nova Scotia's hunting seasons," said Natural Resources Minister David Morse. "High-calibre volunteer instructors help keep the quality of the courses strong and the hunting seasons safe."

Fees will increase for two courses, effective Sept 1. The Hunter Education Course fee will increase, for the first time in eight years, from $20 to $25. The Bowhunting Education Course fee is increasing for the first time since 1997, from $28 to $40.

The fees, which include a manual and the Wildlife Resources Card, will be raised to compensate for the increasing costs of supplies, equipment and facilities.

The hunter education course is offered online or in a classroom. Courses cover wildlife management, hunter ethics and responsibilities, laws and regulations, survival skills, and field techniques.

Fees are not increasing for the two other courses on hunter education, fur harvester and guide, offered by the Department of Natural Resources.

To find out more about the courses, go to the website, www.gov.ns.ca/natr/hunt/intro.htm .