Safety Education

GENERAL INFORMATION

Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1973, must complete a hunter education course and have a hunter education safety certificate on file to purchase any hunting license in Wisconsin. However, if they will be hunting under the hunting mentorship program or they have successfully completed and have proof of completing basic training in the U.S. Armed Forces, Reserves or National Guard, they do not need a hunter education safety certificate to purchase a hunting license.  As a license agent for the Department, you are required to verify the completion of the course at the time of license sale if the Go Wild system requests.  Acceptable forms of verification include:

1.  The customer's original, state issued, Hunter Safety Education Certificate.
2.  A temporary, state issued, certificate showing completion of a Hunter Safety Education course.
3.  Military ID or Proof of Basic Training (DD Form 214 or National Guard NGB22). 
1. Please enter the word BASIC in the certificate number space, and enter the state code where they took their basic training.  
4. A hunting license that was issued to the customer within the last 365 days that has the hunter safety number printed on the license.
5. Adults may present a completion certificate from a certified online course.​

What must a customer present to confirm hunter safety requirements?​

 Hunter safety acceptable requirements will include:

• Wisconsin Classroom courses - Persons who attend a live classroom course in Wisconsin receive a temporary hunter safety certificate upon completion of the course.  This is valid to present at the time of purchase.  Their account will be updated to reflect the completed course and will no longer ask for proof after that.
• Online courses - Hunters under age 18 who complete the online version of the hunter safety course receive a field day voucher after completing the online portion.  This voucher informs them that they must still complete a field day test or the adult test out option before they can purchase a hunting license.  SELECT HERE for more information on field vouchers.
• Out of State Courses - All out of state certificates will be required to be presented at the time of every purchase, unless the customer verifies their certificate at a DNR Service Center.  You can accept State Certified certificates for every state, Canadian province and Mexico.

Can a customer purchase a duplicate safety certificate?

Yes. You can also print a license copy for the customer which does print safety education certification number on it.  HERE'S HOW​.  They may also print an official certificate online at gowild.wi.gov.

What if a customer has never taken a hunter safety course?

Anyone who has not completed a certified hunter safety course can still purchase a mentored hunting license which allo​ws the person to hunt under special restrictions.  SELECT HERE for more information on mentored licenses.

Are there any exemptions for hunter safety requirements?

Military personnel that have taken basic training in the US Armed Forces are exempt from hunter safety requirements.  They must display a valid military ID card to qualify.  You may then enter the word BASIC in as their hunter safety number, and enter the state they completed their basic training.

Are there any benefits for new hunter safety graduates?

A Wisconsin resident who graduates from a Wisconsin Hunter Education Course may use their hunter education certificate in place of a small game hunting license during the year in which they completed the course. Certificates issued after Jan 1 will serve as the small game license and are valid for hunting small game until the following March 31.  Pheasant and state waterfowl stamps are included; however, this does not exempt a person from the requirement to purchase goose permits, a federal waterfowl stamp if age 16 and over, or from becoming HIP registered.​