Hunter Education

Providing educational opportunity that enables students to safely participate in hunting or shooting sports.
Hunter education and its corps of volunteer instructors strive to produce safe, ethical and responsible students
who will be tomorrow’s hunters and shooters.

Requirements

Hunter education opens up exciting opportunities, and sometimes, it may even be required. In New Mexico, hunter education is required for all hunters under the age of 18, except on White Sands Missile Range and Fort Bliss, where it is required for all hunters. Also remember that all hunters age 9 and under in New Mexico must pass an in-person hunter education class to be able to hunt beginning in the 2025-2026 license year.
Please note that Bowhunter Education does not certify a student to hunt with a firearm or to purchase a hunting license.
Bowhunter education is not mandatory for archery hunts, but is highly recommended.

Course Options

  • New Mexico offers three different ways to take hunter education:
    • Traditional, In-person Course – Approximately 14-16 hours long, this traditional style course is good for students of any age and incorporates lecture, video, hands-on and review methods to educate students.
    • Hybrid – Online and In-Person Field Day Course – Approximately six hours long, this accelerated course is for students 10 years of age and older only and incorporates fewer lectures and reviews and adds more hands-on components.
    • Online Course – Hunters 10 years of age and older can earn their New Mexico hunter education certification completely online.

Become an Instructor

The Department of Game and Fish always seeks individuals to become certified hunter and bowhunter education instructors to teach student classes and assist with hunter education camps and other Department outreach events.

Mentored Youth (MY)

The MY program is available to first-time hunters 8-17 years of age, allows youth to purchase a Game-Hunting License or Game-Hunting and Fishing License before taking a hunter education course and hunt under a mentor’s supervision.