Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-12.34

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 6, September 18, 2024

Rule 571-12.34 - Hunter education program

(1) The hunter education program is designed to teach students basic survival and first-aid skills, water safety, wildlife identification, and the basics of wildlife management, hunting laws, and firearm/archery safety. The education course also stresses the importance of individual responsibility and outdoor ethics.

(2) The education course is taught by certified instructors and shall have both classroom and hands-on components unless otherwise exempted by law. Where permitted, live fire exercises may be taught.

(3) The hunter education program also offers an online course/field day. The online course, offered by an approved third-party vendor, covers the same subject taught in the lecture portion of the department's course and meets the standards set forth by the International Hunter Education Association-United States of America (IHEA-USA). A field day voucher must be obtained from the approved vendor upon the student's successful completion of the online course. The field day voucher is valid for one year from the date of issuance and authorizes entrance into a field day course. The field day is designed to meet the additional required elements of the hunter education program as set forth in Iowa Code section 483A.27.

(4) Reciprocity. The department recognizes hunter education courses sanctioned by a governmental authority of another state, province or country that meets the current IHEA-USA content and delivery standards. Students who successfully complete such a course are not required to take any additional training and are eligible to purchase an Iowa hunting license as long as they meet all other licensing requirements.

(5) The following criteria apply to the hunter education program:

a. Any student who is 11 years of age or older may enroll in a course and receive a certificate if the student successfully completes the course; however, if the student is 11 years old, the certificate shall not become valid until the student's twelfth birthday. If the certificate is lost, a replacement certificate may be obtained during regular business hours or online.

b. A student successfully completes the course by passing both the classroom-based instruction and a hands-on firearm component. A student successfully passes the classroom-based instruction by achieving a score of 75 percent or higher on the end of course exam. A student passes the hands-on component by demonstrating the safe handling of a firearm. Upon successful completion of the course, a student shall be issued a certification of completion.

c. Students shall register as described on the program's website.

(6) An online-only course is available through the department's website. The online-only course is available for students 18 years of age or older. The online course meets the standards set by IHEA-USA. The online-only course has the same general content as the traditional classroom-based course and online/field day combination courses but requires state-specific information to be covered. To pass the course, a student must score at least 75 percent on the final exam. Upon successful completion of the course and payment of any applicable online course fees directly to the approved vendor, a student will be issued a permanent certificate that the student can download and print immediately.

(7) The department offers a dual online-only handgun safety/hunter education course for Iowa residents 21 years of age or older. This course has the same general content as the traditional classroom-based course and online/field day combination course, but requires state-specific information to be covered, plus additional handgun safety curriculum. To pass the course, a student must score at least 75 percent on the final exam. Upon successful completion of the course and payment of any applicable online course fees directly to the approved vendor, a student will be issued a permanent certificate that the student can download and print immediately. This course meets the educational requirements necessary to qualify for the Iowa permit to carry.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-12.34

ARC 8816B, lAB 6/2/10, effective 7/7/10

Adopted by IAB May 1, 2024/Volume XLVI, Number 22, effective 6/5/2024