Turkey season will be here before the end of the month, so don’t wait until the last minute to take a hunter education course, reminds the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). The hunting season for wild turkeys begins on Saturday, March 26 and runs through Saturday, May 15.

“The Division wants to ensure that the hunter education course is available to everyone who needs it, regardless of time and location restraints – so we offer both a classroom course and a CD-Rom course,” says WRD Hunter Education Coordinator Capt. James Bell. “The availability of the CD-Rom course meets the needs of those whose schedules do not allow them to spend ten hours in a classroom but the classroom course is available for those who prefer the hands-on method of teaching.”

There are two easy ways to take a hunter education course. The traditional ten-hour classroom course or a CD-Rom hunter education course that you study at home. CD’s are available free of charge by calling or stopping by any WRD Law Enforcement Office. The CD-Rom course will satisfy eight hours of the required time needed to complete the course. Hunters then will need to attend a two-hour classroom course where they will review course contents and take the final exam.

All students must pre-register for the 10-hour classroom course or the 2-hour review and exam that accompanies the CD-Rom course. Pre-registration is required for all those interested in taking a hunter education course. Hunters can call the Central Reservations System (CRS) 1-800-864-7275 to register by phone. A service charge applies to registrations made through CRS. Alternately, hunters can go to the WRD web site at www.georgiawildlife.com to search and register for a hunter education course at no charge. Participants also should note that there is a cut-off date for registration three days prior to the start of a class.

Hunters also can replace hunter education cards through the same phone and online services. As with hunter education course registration, a service charge applies to the CRS phone line but there is no charge for using the WRD website.

For more information on Hunter Education, contact the local WRD Law Enforcement Office or call (770) 784-3068. To receive a copy of the CD-Rom Hunter Education course, call or stop by the local WRD Law Enforcement Office:



· Reg. I/Calhoun (770) 769-9680

· Reg. II/Gainesville (770) 535-5499

· Reg. III/Thomson (706) 595-4211

· Reg. IV/Macon (478) 751-6415

· Reg. V/Albany (229) 430-4252

· Reg. VI/Metter (912) 685-2145

· Reg. VII/Brunswick (912) 264-7237



###