West virginia code requires all persons born on or after january 1, 1975, to successfully complete an approvedhunter ED course before purchasing a hunting license

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 5 awarded the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources $1,029,403.00 under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611) for the performance period of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. This formula grant supports the administration of approved hunter education courses and related public engagement activities across West Virginia. The award funds the recruitment and training of basic hunter education instructors, delivery of hunter education curriculum and courses, and participation in public outreach events designed to introduce hunting to the general public. These activities directly support West Virginia's statutory requirement that all persons born on or after January 1, 1975 complete an approved hunter education course before purchasing a hunting license.

The grant's primary objectives include increasing the availability of hunter education classes to influence youth participation in hunting, graduating safer and more ethical hunters, and reducing the incidence of hunting-related accidents across the state. By maintaining a robust statewide hunter education program, the award enables the Division of Natural Resources to fulfill its mandate as the lead state agency responsible for fish and wildlife resource management while meeting federal requirements under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act.

In addition, studies have indicated that the availabilityof hunter education classes influences the decisions of the youth whether or not to participate in hunting. Thisgrant will continue to administer the approved hunter education courses, and graduate a safer and ethical hunter. In addition this grant grant seeks to reduce the number of hunting incidents.objectives of this grant include recruiting and training basic hunter education instructors, providing basichunter education curriculum and courses, and participating in events that seek to introduce the public tohunting. This grant s activities occur across the state with a performance period of july 1, 2025-june 30, 2026.