Morten,

The Montana hunter education course isn't advanced at all. It's basic firearm safety and hunter etiquette. I took it when I was 10 years old. You should contact the Montana FWP to see if your Norweigan hunter exam would qualify. This is the wording straight from the FWP website:

http://fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter/hunterEd.html

"You must have a hunting license to hunt any of Montana's game animals. To purchase a Montana hunting license, any person born after January 1, 1985 must show a certificate of completing a hunter education course issued by:

• Montana,
• any other state, or
• any Canadian province.

This law became effective October 1, 2003 (MCA 87-2-105). Hunter education is NOT required if you were born on or prior to January 1, 1985."

My gut feeling is they won't accept it, even though they really should, because my understanding is your hunter qualification program is rather rigorous. It doesn't hurt to ask them though because they might accept it. They can give you the class schedule and if you have to take it don't worry. If you have a very basic understanding of hunting and just a little common sense you'll do fine. The course is free and is only a couple of days (usually a few hours in the evenings).

Good luck with the black bears. I've seen plenty of them around Bridger Bowl and Flathead Pass just a short drive from Bozeman. A college buddy of mine shot one up Bear Canyon after school one day and he was back in town by dark.