PROVIDENCE -The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) today announced it is hosting a free field training workshop for hunters this month. The program is designed to augment classroom and internet training and is open to anyone who has completed a hunter or bowhunter education course.
WHEN: Saturday, October 20| 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: DEM Division of Fish & Wildlife Education Center, 1-B Camp E-Hun-Tee Place, Exeter
'Practical Field Training for Hunters' offers a fun, informative, hands-on opportunity for persons looking for an educational experience outside the classroom, unplugged from the laptop, and in nature where hunting is conducted. Participants will be led on a trail walk with simulated "shoot/don't shoot" scenarios and will be asked to demonstrate proper safety procedures as various hunting-related situations are encountered. Participants will learn about basic land navigation; firearms familiarization; safe methods of carry; basic shooting skills (no firearms live fire); safety in the field; range estimation; ethical choices; animal recovery; and tree stand safety. The field training will take approximately three hours to complete.
The session will be led by hunter education instructors from DEM's Division of Fish & Wildlife. The program will be held rain or shine. Appropriate dress for weather conditions is suggested as participants will be in the woods for the duration of the event. Participants are encouraged to bring their own lunch, snacks, and beverages. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Scott Travers in the DEM Division of Fish & Wildlife at scott.travers@dem.ri.gov.
Hunter education is offered as part of the DEM Division of Fish & Wildlife's Hunter Education Program. Safety training is required by law in Rhode Island for beginning hunters. To date, more than 40,000 people have completed a hunter safety course in Rhode Island, helping to dramatically reduce related accidents in the state and elsewhere. A complete schedule of hunter educational offerings is available at www.dem.ri.gov
Hunting has a long tradition in Rhode Island, supporting family customs, connecting people with nature, and attracting tourism to the state. Hunters and anglers purchase around 70,000 licenses, permits, stamps, and tags each year and contribute more than $235 million to Rhode Island's economy. Revenue generated from license and permit sales support Rhode Island fish and wildlife conservation programs. A critical source of funding, these monies are leveraged to match federal Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program dollars that support outdoor recreational opportunities for fishing, hunting, and boating in Rhode Island.
More information about Rhode Island's hunting and fishing licensing system is available at www.dem.ri.gov/huntfish. The site also acts as a portal to help plan adventures that make the most of Rhode Island's great outdoors. The site links to information on hunting and fishing opportunities, trails and natural areas through a variety of maps, as well as certification information for hunter safety and boating safety.
For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM or on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for timely updates.