The NJ Hunter Education Program conducts nearly 100 classes each year and graduates approximately 5000 students in shotgun, archery and muzzleloader.

If you never had a hunting license you must complete a NJ home study Hunter Education Course in order to purchase a license. (The Trapper Education Course is not home study.) If you have no previous year's hunting or trapping license and had never taken a hunter education course, you must also take one of these courses. THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR THE COURSE. Field sessions and exams are offered at several locations throughout New Jersey every weekend March through November (excluding July when only weekday classes are held, and holiday weekends) at at least one location. Sessions are also held on several weekdays for added convenience.

To complete a hunter education course a person must do the following:

1. Obtain the home study materials: - video (on videotape or DVD), study manual and workbook.

2. Watch the video, read and study the manual, and complete the workbook for the course(s) you are interested in. Completing the practice exam(s) for the course(s) is recommended, as is practicing safe handling of your firearm and/or bow. There is a proficiency requirement for bow.

3. Check the exam/field session schedule and register online.

4. Attend the session well prepared with completed workbook. Field sessions and testing are conducted at centralized teaching locations throughout the state.

Three Basic Courses

SHOTGUN - This course is required before purchasing your first firearm hunting license. You must be at least 10 years of age.

BOW AND ARROW - This course is required before purchasing your first bow and arrow hunting license. You must be at least 10 years of age. You must be able to shoot 3 out of 5 arrows into the vital zone of a 3-D deer target (approximately 10-inch diameter) between 10 and 20 yards with your own bow to pass this course. Having adequate equipment and practice is important before coming to the field session.

RIFLE/MUZZLELOADER - You must first pass the shotgun course or have a firearm hunting license before you can take this course. This course is required to obtain a NJ Rifle Permit. You must be at least 10 years of age.

There is also TRAPPER EDUCATION - This course is required before you purchase your first trapping license. You must be at least 12 years of age. See the Trapping Information page or call 877-2-HUNT-NJ for course information when scheduled (September - October).

Completing New Jersey's Home Study Hunter Education Program

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife's Hunter Education program is presented in a home-study format. The program provides scheduling flexibility while producing hunters ready to meet the serious responsibilities required of, and accepted by, all hunters. Home study allows students to learn the "classroom" material at their own pace, at home.

The Hunter Education home study video/manual/workbook series is designed to cover shotgun, muzzleloading/modern rifle and archery courses. The video covers information previously provided in the traditional courses. It also adds new hunting scenarios designed to test the students' split-second decision making ability all responsible hunters must have.

Videotapes or DVDs, manuals and workbooks are available at specified vendors and Division field offices (link below).

The one-day field session consists of students working with instructors to complete an extensive field walk and mandatory live-fire session. Students learn new information in addition to being tested on information covered in the video and manual. A review of the home study material concludes with a mandatory written exam.

Materials, Field Sessions and Exams

Where to Get Hunter Education Materials
Home Study Workbook (pdf, 120kb) (Required)
NJ Hunter Study Guide
Practice Exams
Consent Form - Required for those under 18 (pdf, 9kb)

Field Session and Exam Information
Field Session and Exam Registration Information
Directions to Field Session and Exam Locations

After the Course

Upon completion of a hunter education field session and passing the written exam (and bow proficiency test if applicable) registered students are issued their course completion card. When the card is presented to a license agent those 10 to 15 years of age are issued a free Youth License. (NOTE: Youths ages 10 to 13 must be accompanied by a properly licensed adult 21 years of age or older while hunting.) Those age 16 and older are eligible to purchase the license(s) for which they have proof of their course completion.

The NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife’s popular Take a Kid Hunting Program is designed to provide a quality hunting experience for properly licensed youth hunters. See the Take a Kid Hunting Program page for details.

Duplicate Hunter Education Cards

If you completed a hunter education course and need a duplicate card see the Duplicate Hunter Education Certificate page.

Walk Through 3-D Archery Courses

Test your skills the fourth Sunday of every month on the Division of Fish and Wildlife's 15-target walk through 3-D archery ranges. The ranges are located at the Pequest Trout Hatchery (access from Pequest Rd.) in Oxford (Warren Co.) and at the Southern Region Office on Blue Anchor Rd. in Winslow Twp. (Gloucester Co.). The ranges are designed to simulate real shooting scenarios through lush fields and woods. Along the way you will shoot at deer, turkey, coyote, fox and bear targets. Bring some extra arrows to test your skills at our steel deer. Most shots are between 15 and 35 yards.

The Pequest and Oak Pond ranges will be open from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm on the following Sundays in 2008: April 27, May 25, June 22, July 27, August 24, September 28 and October 26.

To use any state range at least one person in a group is required to have a valid hunting license. Anyone under 13 must be under direct adult supervision.

These ranges are provided by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife's Hunter Education Program through federal funding from the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program (http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov). The federal funds are derived from an excise tax collected on guns, ammunition and archery equipment.

Becoming a Hunter Education Instructor

New Jersey's Hunter Education Program relies on the dedication of trained volunteer instructors. If interested complete and fax (908-735-5689) or mail (NJ DFW - Hunter Education, 26 Rt. 173W, Hampton, NJ 08827) the application form (pdf, 18kb).

General Information

Hunter education courses are offered FREE by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. The training, classroom and range rental fees, books, equipment and ammunition are funded through the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Act, commonly called the Pittman-Robertson Act. This law imposes an excise tax, paid by the manufacturer, on all sporting arms, ammunition, archery equipment and hand-guns. The funds are distributed to the states by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Anyone seeking accommodations for a physical or learning disability, or a foreign language interpreter, should contact the Hunter Education Office at 856-629-0552 or toll-free at 877-2-HUNT-NJ, or via e-mail at njhuntered@dep.state.nj.us.

Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from hunter education training programs is available to all individuals without regard to their race, color, national origin, sex, age, or handicap. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to the Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Interior, Office of the Secretary, Washington, DC 20240.

The Division is extremely proud that its Hunter Education program is continually recognized as one of the top programs in the country. The future of hunting in New Jersey remains rooted in hunter education.