How do I get hunter education in Wisconsin?
In Wisconsin, anyone born on or after January 1, 1973 needs hunter education: a free internet course plus a $10 field day at any age, an online-only course for adults 18 and up ($28.95 or $49.95 plus a $10 state fee), or a $10 traditional class.
Data updated October 27, 2026. Every answer below is from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources's own pages, with the date each was checked.
Wisconsin hunter education at a glance
| Question | What the agency says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who has to take hunter education in Wisconsin? | Anyone born on or after January 1, 1973 must complete hunter education and have the certificate on file to buy any Wisconsin hunting license. People hunting under the mentored hunting program, or with proof of completing basic training in the U.S. Armed Forces, Reserves or National Guard, do not need it. | Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How old do you have to be to take hunter education in Wisconsin? | Students of any age may take the traditional course or the internet plus field day course; the online-only course is for ages 18 and up. Anyone under 12 hunts as a mentee, whether or not they have completed hunter education. | Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you take Wisconsin hunter education online? | Three approved formats exist: internet plus an in-person field day (any age), an online-only course with no field day for ages 18 and older, and a traditional multi-day in-person class. The online-only course is meant for people with prior hunting or firearm handling experience. | Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Is there a field day in Wisconsin? | Students under 18 who take the internet course must attend an in-person field day of 6 to 8 hours to be certified. Adults 18 and older can instead take the online-only course, which has no field day. | Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How much does Wisconsin hunter education cost? | Internet plus field day: free online course plus 10 dollars paid to the instructor at the field day. Online-only: 28.95 dollars (or 49.95 dollars for the interactive version) plus a 10 dollar state fee. Traditional class: 10 dollars paid to the instructor. | Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you hunt in Wisconsin before taking the course? | Anyone without hunter education can buy a mentored-only license and hunt within arm's reach of a mentor. The mentor must be 18 or older, hold a valid Wisconsin hunting approval, have hunter education or be exempt, be the parent or guardian or have their permission if the mentee is under 18, and mentor only one person at a time. | Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Does Wisconsin offer a hunter education deferral? | Wisconsin's mentored hunting program serves as the way to hunt before taking the course: a mentored-only license lets a person hunt within arm's reach of a qualified mentor without hunter education. | Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How do you replace a lost Wisconsin hunter education card? | A lost Wisconsin certificate can be printed free from your Go Wild account (Student Dashboard, Print Awarded Certificates), or obtained from a Go Wild license agent or a DNR Service Center. | Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Does Wisconsin accept hunter education cards from other states? | A person who completed a recognized hunter education course in another state, province or country and sent proof to the DNR is exempt from Wisconsin's requirement. | Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026 |
Who has to take hunter education in Wisconsin?
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1973 must complete hunter education and have the certificate on file to buy any Wisconsin hunting license. People hunting under the mentored hunting program, or with proof of completing basic training in the U.S. Armed Forces, Reserves or National Guard, do not need it.
Source: Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026.
How old do you have to be to take hunter education in Wisconsin?
Students of any age may take the traditional course or the internet plus field day course; the online-only course is for ages 18 and up. Anyone under 12 hunts as a mentee, whether or not they have completed hunter education.
Source: Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you take Wisconsin hunter education online?
Three approved formats exist: internet plus an in-person field day (any age), an online-only course with no field day for ages 18 and older, and a traditional multi-day in-person class. The online-only course is meant for people with prior hunting or firearm handling experience.
Source: Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026.
Is there a field day in Wisconsin?
Students under 18 who take the internet course must attend an in-person field day of 6 to 8 hours to be certified. Adults 18 and older can instead take the online-only course, which has no field day.
Source: Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026.
How much does Wisconsin hunter education cost?
Internet plus field day: free online course plus 10 dollars paid to the instructor at the field day. Online-only: 28.95 dollars (or 49.95 dollars for the interactive version) plus a 10 dollar state fee. Traditional class: 10 dollars paid to the instructor.
Source: Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you hunt in Wisconsin before taking the course?
Anyone without hunter education can buy a mentored-only license and hunt within arm's reach of a mentor. The mentor must be 18 or older, hold a valid Wisconsin hunting approval, have hunter education or be exempt, be the parent or guardian or have their permission if the mentee is under 18, and mentor only one person at a time.
Source: Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026.
Does Wisconsin offer a hunter education deferral?
Wisconsin's mentored hunting program serves as the way to hunt before taking the course: a mentored-only license lets a person hunt within arm's reach of a qualified mentor without hunter education.
Source: Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026.
How do you replace a lost Wisconsin hunter education card?
A lost Wisconsin certificate can be printed free from your Go Wild account (Student Dashboard, Print Awarded Certificates), or obtained from a Go Wild license agent or a DNR Service Center.
Source: Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026.
Does Wisconsin accept hunter education cards from other states?
A person who completed a recognized hunter education course in another state, province or country and sent proof to the DNR is exempt from Wisconsin's requirement.
Source: Wisconsin DNR, checked October 27, 2026.
What this page leaves out
These could not be confirmed on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources's pages when this page was checked, so they are left out rather than guessed:
- the specific list of deer parts that may be brought into Wisconsin from CWD states without the 72-hour processor rule (the current agency page says only 'certain parts'). Check Wisconsin hunting regulations pamphlet for the current season, or https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/carcass.
Hunting in Wisconsin by the numbers
In 2024, 652,399 people held a paid Wisconsin hunting license, down 1.9% from 664,738 in 2022, the 5th most of the 50 states. They bought 4,554,729 licenses, tags, permits and stamps (4,265,404 resident, 289,325 nonresident) for a gross cost of $37,357,652, 26.5% of it paid by nonresidents. Against Wisconsin's 5,960,975 residents in 2024 that is 10.9 license holders per 100 people, though license holders include nonresidents.
| Licenses sold in | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid hunting license holders | 664,738 | 655,095 | 652,399 |
| Resident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 4,209,295 | 4,188,626 | 4,265,404 |
| Nonresident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 282,662 | 281,619 | 289,325 |
| All licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 4,491,957 | 4,470,245 | 4,554,729 |
| Gross cost paid by residents | $27,670,102 | $27,489,259 | $27,474,677 |
| Gross cost paid by nonresidents | $8,808,008 | $8,815,175 | $9,882,975 |
| Gross cost, all buyers | $36,478,110 | $36,304,434 | $37,357,652 |
| Rank among the 50 states by license holders | 5th | 5th | 5th |
Source: USFWS license data, checked October 27, 2026. USFWS counts each license year in the apportionment year two years later (licenses sold in 2024 are apportionment year 2026). License holders are not a count of hunters: hunters exempt from buying a license are left out, and some hunters buy licenses in more than one state. Population: Census Bureau 2024 estimate.
How much Wisconsin land has public access?
PAD-US 4.0 lists 6,153,686 acres of Wisconsin with public access, 14.7% of the state's 41,917,901 acres: 5,483,421 acres open access and 670,265 acres restricted access (a permit, draw, season or other limit).
| Public access land, PAD-US 4.0 | Acres | Share of the state |
|---|---|---|
| Open access | 5,483,421 acres | 13.1% |
| Restricted access | 670,265 acres | 1.6% |
| Managed by federal agencies | 1,801,380 acres | 4.3% |
| Managed by state agencies | 1,703,176 acres | 4.1% |
| Managed by local, private, tribal and other managers | 2,649,129 acres | 6.3% |
| All public access land | 6,153,686 acres | 14.7% |
Source: PAD-US 4.0 (USGS), 2024 release, checked October 27, 2026. PAD-US does not record whether hunting is allowed: some of this land is closed to hunting, so check each property's rules with its manager.
What to do next
- Start the course on the agency's page: dnr.wisconsin.gov. Rules change each season, so read the current page before you buy a license.
- Getting ready for deer season? Hunt Ready's 8-week whitetail track puts the course in week 1, with fitness, shooting practice and field skills after it.
- Hunting data for the state: Wisconsin hunting.
- Hunter education in other states