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If you want to hunt this fall but don’t have your hunter education certification yet, now is the time to get it! (And if you’re reading this and don’t intend to hunt, but know someone who might want to, please pass this reminder along.) So it would be a good time to check on local classes now while there are choices to fit with your schedule.

The truth is that every fall we have a sudden rush of desperate callers who need a a hunter education class but are too late. We’re all busy and time seems to melt away. But if you want to save yourself frustration and disappointment, find a class now!

When you do get that certification, you’ll be joining the more than 1 million Missourians who have done so since the program began 50 years ago. Last year alone, more than 26,000 people were hunter certified. Thanks to more than 1,800 dedicated volunteer hunter education instructors, Missourians can find courses throughout the state.

And there’s no doubt that hunter education makes a big difference in safety. Since the certification became required in 1988, the number of hunting accidents has dropped significantly. Hunter safety is the key goal of the course, but anyone taking it also learns about the role hunting plays in conserving wildlife. So sign up now. Or remind a family member or friend.