Wyoming’s Hunter Mentor Program allows new hunters the opportunity to hunt without a Hunter’s Education certification. If you were born on or after January 1, 1966, and want to hunt big game animals in the state of Wyoming, a Hunter’s Education Certification is required. However, if you are new to the sport or have a young hunter in your household (12 years or older) and you or they have not yet taken a Hunter’s Ed course, you now have this option available. Albeit, a one shot one kill deal, new hunters can hunt without certification as long as they hunt with a person 18 years or older who possesses a valid Hunter’s Safety Card.
To Qualify
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Possess a valid hunter education certificate while in the field with the mentee.
- Possess a current and valid Wyoming hunting license while in the field with the mentee.
- Sign the mentee’s special authorization certificate.
- Document hunting license type/number on the mentee’s special authorization certificate.
- Supervise only one (1) hunter mentee at a time in the field. (A family member may mentor multiple immediate family members).
- Maintain direct supervision (within sight and direct voice contact) of the hunter mentee at all times while in the field.
Hunter Mentor Program Rules and Details
The HMP program is free. You may enroll for a special authorization on the Game and Fish website. To register for the HMP online, the hunter mentee, mentor, or parent/guardian must generate a sportsman identification number which includes the mentee’s information. This must include name, address, date of birth, and the last four numbers of their Social Security number.
Once the information is entered and the mentee is registered, the special authorization certificate must be printed and signed by the hunter mentor, mentee, and the mentee’s legal guardian if the mentee is under 18 years of age. The signed special authorization certificate must be carried by the mentee while hunting. Duplicate HMP certificates can be reprinted through the same system at no charge. This special authorization is not valid to hunt in Elk Hunt Areas 75 and 79.
“[If] you want to go pheasant hunting and your friend is willing to take you this weekend but you haven’t had hunter education, you have that flexibility to buy your license, sign up through the program, and then your friend can take you right away. Currently we are having problems getting those classes scheduled. It’s due to some restrictions for venues and also people’s comfort level in taking a class in person. So, right now, we anticipate that this program will get a lot of use because it can help alleviate that problem of not being able to get into a hunter education class.”
– WGFD Hunter and Angler Participation Coordinator Kathryn Boswell
More Information on the Program
This is an excellent opportunity for folks not sure if hunting is for them but want to give it a try before enrolling in a class. It’s also an option for parents of young hunters that were unsuccessful in finding a class prior to hunting season. For more information on the Wyoming Hunter Mentor Program visit the Game and Fish website.
