A bow hunter education student demonstrates his shooting proficiency during a course held at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

Kenai National Wildlife Refuge has expanded their cooperative hunter education program to include an archery proficency range at the Refuge headquarters.  The Refuge has offered bow hunter education courses for several years, in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, but needed to have students travel to a different location to pass the mandatory shooting portion of the course.  Now the Refuge can set up the big game 3-D targets necessary for the course at their headquarters in an area that provides for a safe and realistic shooting environment.  It also allows the Refuge to increase the opportunity for students to complete the course and be certified.  Alaska requires completion of the International Bow Hunter Education Program, including demonstrated shooting proficiency, to be eligible to participate in any big game hunting season limited to archery tackle.  A popular early moose archery hunt opens on portions of the Refuge on August 10.