What states out there require a person to have a bowhunter education card to hunt.


I just found out about the class that will be given locally.Ky doesn' t require it but I thought I might go get the card just in case I decide to go to another state to hunt and was just wondering if there are very many states that require it.

PA doesn' t require you to have it but I did the same thing as you are thinking of doing. I took the class just incase I decide to hunt a state that requires it. A great course, The majority of the topics covered I was very familiar with but I did learn a few things that made the course well worth the 18 bucks I paid.

I don' t know how old my list is but here is a list of states that required as of the list. This list could have changed, some added some deleted but here is the list I have. Perhaps other members can verify or correct it.

Alaska
Colorado
Connecticut
Idaho
Montana
Nebraska
New Jersey
New York
Rhode Island
South Dakota

I would like to take the course, but I haven' t been able to find any in my area.

IL doesn' t require it, but I sure wish they would...

Wyoming and I believe Montana also as well as Canada.

Alaska only requires the card for archery seasons. You can legally hunt with a bow during the regular rifle season without the card. There is ALOT of fine bowhunting available during the rifle seasons in AK.

Thanks for the responses.


I don' t forsee needing it anytime soon but you never know.I really hope I do need it.[8D]



Pahardwoods, 18 bucks,wow,the ones giving the course here are only charging 2 bucks.This a local club and they are great people,not in to it for a profit but just the love of the sport.

You can get information here:

http://www.nbef.org/

Last time i checked there was 12 states that required it in some way or another. Great idea to take the class no matter how long you have been doing it.

Take it if you get a chance. If it' s the IBEF or similar course it is honored everywhere. I' m not sure how many, if not all, of the Canadian provinces require it but I know some do. Some of the past students in class I was involved in were from PA and taking it for a hunt in Canada. You never know when an opportunity may come up and you' ll need it. About the time you need it you won' t beable to get in a class. A lot of it is old hat to many of the students but all learn something. I' d sure hate to win a hunt somewhere and not have the required certification. When you get your card laminate it and hang on to it like a drivers license. Many states record the completion of a course and it can be reissued if lost but not always.