Yup, mandatory in NY, and best safety course ever took. Also required to take a hunter safety course on top of a bowhunters safety. If you want to trap furbearer' s have to take a trappers safety course. All require full attendance, which usually covers 2 evening courses of 3-4hrs, and a full 8hr day. Also a test at the end you need to pass to recieve your safety certificate to purchase a license. Some have you shoot now also. There is also a Waterfowl safety course that is required to have in order to hunt some special management areas like Montezuma refuge. I took that one also for heck of it.