| Press Releases | Search DNR | DNR Home |
NRP Encourages Citizens To Sign Up For Hunting And Boating Education Classes
ANNAPOLIS - With Maryland’s hunting season winding down and boating season just around the corner, the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) want to remind citizens that it is never too soon to think about signing up for a hunting and/or boating education class.
For those already thinking about taking to the water this spring, the Maryland Basic Boating Course is a good place to start. A minimum of eight hours in length, students must attend all classroom sessions with some requiring that youngsters under a certain age attend with a participating adult. State law specifies that anyone born on or after July 1, 1972, must have a Certificate of Boating Safety Education in order to operate a mechanically-propelled vessel on Maryland waters.
The Maryland Hunter Education Course is a minimum of 10 hours in length but classes typically run 12 to 14 hours. Students must attend all sessions and most courses require that youngsters under the age of 14 attend with a participating adult. The course includes instruction in hunter responsibility, firearms and ammunition, firearm handling and safety, marksmanship and shooting fundamentals, principles of wildlife management, bowhunting, muzzleloader hunting, safety and first aid, water safety, and Maryland legal requirements.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police Hunter Education Program has also developed a program for young hunters who are going afield for their first waterfowl hunting experience. The FIRST SHOT program is designed for youngsters between the ages of 12 and 17 who have completed a basic hunter education course. The program provides classroom instruction, live firing and other hands-on activities to improve shooting skills and develop responsible wing shooters.
To purchase a hunting license or to hunt in Maryland, state law requires:
Presentation of a Certificate of Competency in Firearms and Hunter Safety (required for junior licensees), or
Certification that the applicant held a hunting license issued prior to July 1, 1977, or
Certification that the applicant hunted on private property prior to July 1, 1977, and was legally exempt from purchasing a hunting license, or
Certification that the applicant is purchasing a nonresident license and will only hunt waterfowl.
To find a complete list of hunting and boating education classes available near you go to www.dnr.state.md.us/nrp/ and click on to boating safety or hunting safety.
February 21, 2007The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov