Youth Education, Skill Development & Opportunities

Getting Started & Getting Out There!

Hunters Education Certification

Required to Purchase Most Licenses

Learn hunting and shooting skills, firearms safety and wildlife conservation. Hunter education develops the knowledge, skills and attitude necessary to become a safe, responsible hunter. Courses are available online as well as in the classroom. Go to www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting/education for details and registration. If you were born on or after January 1, 1961, you need to complete a hunter education course prior to purchasing a hunting license. (See General Hunting Information for more information) You can take a hunter education course at any age.

Advanced Hunter Education Series

Take it to the next level at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center! Young hunters (17 and under) and their parents/mentors can take a whole weekend to focus on improving hunting skills and conservation knowledge. Participants will hunt and fish on the property and take part in a variety of skills-based and conservation-focused programs. Classes will cover the basics of hunting, how to care for harvested game and more. Hunter Education is included if a participant is not certified. The cost includes lodging and meals.

Upcoming Classes:

• Hunt & Learn – Squirrel:
  Oct. 12–14, 2012; $60 per person
• Hunt & Learn – Upland Game Bird:
  Nov. 16–18, 2012; $60 per person
• Hunt & Learn – Rabbit:
  Jan. 4–6, 2013; $60 per person
• Hunt & Learn – Falconry:
  Jan. 4–6, 2013; $60 per person
• Hunt & Learn – Turkey:
  May 10–12, 2013; $60 per person

For more information, visit www.CharlieElliott.org or call 770-784-3059.

National Archery in Schools Program (NASP)

Does your school have an archery program? NASP is an in-school archery curriculum taught in Grades 4-12 that meets all education department standards. Schools in nearly 100 Georgia counties are NASP certified. The program promotes instruction in international-style target archery to improve educational performance and participation in shooting sports. Georgia schools have consistently placed high in the international tournament, held at Disney World each year. For more information, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/
NASP or call 770-388-0045.

Hunter Education Skills Challenge

These events offer the chance to advance your outdoor education skills through competition. The program includes events that simulate realistic conditions and reinforce and test a young hunter’s skills. See upcoming dates at www.gohuntgeorgia.com/HSECevents

Specialty Quota Hunts

Wildlife Management Areas around the state offer special opportunities for youth hunts, which limit either the age (Specialty) or the age and number of hunters (Quota). See all Adult-Child Hunts where just the child hunts on WMA Specialty Hunts. Visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com and click on Quota Hunt to apply online. (Note: The child is the person who applies. Also, you do not need to apply for a Specialty Hunt.)

More Info Online

Online Resources at www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting

• Sign up for email and text updates on hunting in Georgia. Go to www.gohuntgeorgia.com and click on the red envelope.
• Find a Shooting Range or Archery Range near you.
• Learn more about Gun Safety
• Learn about the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation — the world’s most successful. No other continent has conserved as many species of native wildlife as North America. While other countries struggle to conserve the wildlife they have left, we enjoy great abundance and diversity of wildlife.

Events and Places to Visit

JAKES Days are free outdoor events for the whole family —

• Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, Jasper County, May 11, 2013
• Paradise Public Fishing Area, Berrien County, September 22, 2012

Hosted by the National Turkey Federation, these are free outdoor fun for the whole family—fishing, archery, birding, live animals, shooting range and much more! Visit www.georgiawildlife.com and click on Calendar of Events.

Outdoor Adventure Day

Locations around the state, September 22, 2012

Free outdoor fun for the whole family. Activities vary by location. Visit www.georgiawildlife.com and click on Calendar of Events.

Summer Camps

Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center hosts numerous camps from Girls of the Great Outdoors to Shooting Sports Camps. Visit www.CharlieElliott.org for details.

The Shooting Sports Program hosts several archery camps in the summer. Visit www.georgiawildlife.com/shooting/camps for details.

Go Fish Education Center’s Shooting Sports Room

Open to the public Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. in Perry, just off I-75.

In addition to exhibits and activities related to fishing, the center has a shooting sports room with simulators. Take your best shot and learn about waterfowl and other aquatic wildlife while you’re there. Visit www.gofisheducationcenter.com for details.

Consider a Career as a Conservation Ranger

Protecting our natural resources is a challenging and rewarding career. A conservation ranger enforces wildlife, environmental, boating and other state and federal laws. If you have an interest in forestry, wildlife, criminal justice or natural science, plus have experience with hunting or fishing, this may be a great career for you. Visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com/LawEnforcement to learn the academic, physical and training requirements.