A hunter safety course will be held Thursday, October 20 from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday, October 22 from 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at the DeKalb Fire Department Main Station at 782 King Ridge Road, Smithville. Participants must be at least 9 years old by Oct. 20.
The course is offered free of charge to anyone interested, regardless of age; however, you must be nine years of age or older in order to become a certified hunter education graduate.
According to Tennessee law, all hunters who were born on or after January 1, 1969, must complete hunter education certification in order to hunt in Tennessee. The Tennessee Hunter Ed Course is approved and accepted by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Since 1975, when a formal hunter education program was introduced, the number of hunting and firearm related accidents in Tennessee has declined dramatically. We know that Tennessee’s Hunter Education program has reduced hunting accidents and saved lives.
The course will cover subjects including:
•Hunter ethics
•Hunter responsibility toward wildlife, the environment, landowners and the general public
•Archery and the history of modern day bow hunting
•Tree stand safety
•History of firearms
•Black powder and muzzle loading firearms
•Knowledge of modern firearms and ammunition
•Proper gun handling and storage
•Marksmanship fundamentals
•Hunt preparation: specific laws and various equipment
•Principles of wildlife management and wildlife identification
•Survival
•Hypothermia
•First aid
For more information, call Tony Cross at 931-287-8427