How do I get hunter education in Wyoming?
In Wyoming, anyone born on or after January 1, 1966 needs hunter education to hunt with a firearm: take a 12 to 18 hour in-person class, or from age 10 the $24.95 online course plus a required 4 to 6 hour Internet Completion Course, or hunt for one year with a mentor under the free Hunter Education Temporary Exception.
Data updated October 27, 2026. Every answer below is from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's own pages, with the date each was checked.
Wyoming hunter education at a glance
| Question | What the agency says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who has to take hunter education in Wyoming? | Anyone born on or after January 1, 1966 must complete hunter education to hunt with a firearm and carry proof in the field. Those born earlier are exempt except when hunting in Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge. Proof is not needed to apply for or buy a license or preference point; there are also exemptions for some peace officers and military members. | Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How old do you have to be to take hunter education in Wyoming? | There is no minimum age for the traditional class, though material is written at about a 4th grade (age 10) level and the class is recommended for students 12 and under. The online plus Internet Completion Course route requires students to be at least 10. | Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you take Wyoming hunter education online? | Wyoming offers a traditional in-person class of 12 to 18 hours over 2 to 5 days, or a two-part blended option: the agency's approved online course (adults average 9 to 10 hours, youth about 14) followed by a required in-person Internet Completion Course. There is no online-only certification, and online courses from other states do not qualify for a Wyoming completion class. | Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Is there a field day in Wyoming? | Blended students must take the Internet Completion Course, a 4 to 6 hour instructor-led class, within 12 months of finishing the online part. Both routes end with a 50-question test passed at 80 percent and a firearm handling practical; live fire is not required, though some classes offer range time. | Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How much does Wyoming hunter education cost? | The online portion of the blended course costs $24.95 per person. The agency says the online lessons can be used without extra fees if the final online test is not taken. | Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you hunt in Wyoming before taking the course? | The free Hunter Education Temporary Exception (HETE) lets anyone not yet certified hunt for one year with a mentor, registered online; mentees must be 12 or older to hunt big game, and those under 18 need parental permission. Mentors must be 18 or older, hold a hunter education certificate and a current Wyoming hunting license, sign the mentee's authorization, supervise one mentee at a time (family members may mentor several relatives) and stay within sight and direct voice contact. The authorization is not valid in Elk Hunt Areas 75 and 79. | Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How do you replace a lost Wyoming hunter education card? | Since September 2021 certificates are emailed, and the certificate number prints on Wyoming hunting licenses as proof in the field. A replacement card is ordered through the agency's card replacement vendor linked from its page; the cards page lists $12 and the FAQ lists $10, with a PDF available right after payment. | Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Does Wyoming accept hunter education cards from other states? | Wyoming accepts hunter education cards from every other US state, Guam, Puerto Rico, Canadian provinces and Mexican states, and from many other countries (email wgfhuntered@wyo.gov to check). Hunters with out-of-state cards must carry proof in the field. | Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026 |
Who has to take hunter education in Wyoming?
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1966 must complete hunter education to hunt with a firearm and carry proof in the field. Those born earlier are exempt except when hunting in Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge. Proof is not needed to apply for or buy a license or preference point; there are also exemptions for some peace officers and military members.
Source: Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026.
How old do you have to be to take hunter education in Wyoming?
There is no minimum age for the traditional class, though material is written at about a 4th grade (age 10) level and the class is recommended for students 12 and under. The online plus Internet Completion Course route requires students to be at least 10.
Source: Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you take Wyoming hunter education online?
Wyoming offers a traditional in-person class of 12 to 18 hours over 2 to 5 days, or a two-part blended option: the agency's approved online course (adults average 9 to 10 hours, youth about 14) followed by a required in-person Internet Completion Course. There is no online-only certification, and online courses from other states do not qualify for a Wyoming completion class.
Source: Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026.
Is there a field day in Wyoming?
Blended students must take the Internet Completion Course, a 4 to 6 hour instructor-led class, within 12 months of finishing the online part. Both routes end with a 50-question test passed at 80 percent and a firearm handling practical; live fire is not required, though some classes offer range time.
Source: Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026.
How much does Wyoming hunter education cost?
The online portion of the blended course costs $24.95 per person. The agency says the online lessons can be used without extra fees if the final online test is not taken.
Source: Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you hunt in Wyoming before taking the course?
The free Hunter Education Temporary Exception (HETE) lets anyone not yet certified hunt for one year with a mentor, registered online; mentees must be 12 or older to hunt big game, and those under 18 need parental permission. Mentors must be 18 or older, hold a hunter education certificate and a current Wyoming hunting license, sign the mentee's authorization, supervise one mentee at a time (family members may mentor several relatives) and stay within sight and direct voice contact. The authorization is not valid in Elk Hunt Areas 75 and 79.
Source: Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026.
How do you replace a lost Wyoming hunter education card?
Since September 2021 certificates are emailed, and the certificate number prints on Wyoming hunting licenses as proof in the field. A replacement card is ordered through the agency's card replacement vendor linked from its page; the cards page lists $12 and the FAQ lists $10, with a PDF available right after payment.
Source: Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026.
Does Wyoming accept hunter education cards from other states?
Wyoming accepts hunter education cards from every other US state, Guam, Puerto Rico, Canadian provinces and Mexican states, and from many other countries (email wgfhuntered@wyo.gov to check). Hunters with out-of-state cards must carry proof in the field.
Source: Wyoming Game and Fish, checked October 27, 2026.
What this page leaves out
These could not be confirmed on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's pages when this page was checked, so they are left out rather than guessed:
- Fee, if any, for the traditional class and the Internet Completion Course (not stated on the course page). Check Wyoming Game and Fish Department Hunter Education Specialist, 307-777-4538.
- Hunter education deferral (agency pages describe the Temporary Exception with a mentor, not a deferral). Check wgfd.wyo.gov.
Hunting in Wyoming by the numbers
In 2024, 118,896 people held a paid Wyoming hunting license, down 10.1% from 132,185 in 2022, the 39th most of the 50 states. They bought 228,854 licenses, tags, permits and stamps (169,075 resident, 59,779 nonresident) for a gross cost of $30,855,979, 63.6% of it paid by nonresidents. Against Wyoming's 587,618 residents in 2024 that is 20.2 license holders per 100 people, though license holders include nonresidents.
| Licenses sold in | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid hunting license holders | 132,185 | 126,148 | 118,896 |
| Resident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 184,811 | 182,414 | 169,075 |
| Nonresident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 76,602 | 65,790 | 59,779 |
| All licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 261,413 | 248,204 | 228,854 |
| Gross cost paid by residents | $11,350,865 | $11,510,628 | $11,223,669 |
| Gross cost paid by nonresidents | $23,191,142 | $21,301,828 | $19,632,310 |
| Gross cost, all buyers | $34,542,007 | $32,812,456 | $30,855,979 |
| Rank among the 50 states by license holders | 39th | 39th | 39th |
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 Wyoming land has public access?
PAD-US 4.0 lists 33,297,738 acres of Wyoming with public access, 53.2% of the state's 62,598,282 acres: 25,824,090 acres open access and 7,473,648 acres restricted access (a permit, draw, season or other limit).
| Public access land, PAD-US 4.0 | Acres | Share of the state |
|---|---|---|
| Open access | 25,824,090 acres | 41.3% |
| Restricted access | 7,473,648 acres | 11.9% |
| Managed by federal agencies | 29,272,605 acres | 46.8% |
| Managed by state agencies | 3,978,540 acres | 6.4% |
| Managed by local, private, tribal and other managers | 46,593 acres | 0.1% |
| All public access land | 33,297,738 acres | 53.2% |
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: wgfd.wyo.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: Wyoming hunting, and Wyoming deer hunting.
- Hunter education in other states