Registration open for hunter safety classes

OTHELLO — The Adams County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, is sponsoring one-day classes for people needing field training to complete their hunter safety courses. Classes are scheduled for March 21 and April 18, with the potential for more classes later in the year.  

Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said he decided to start the classes in response to numerous inquiries over the years, usually around the start of hunting season.  

“Myself and (ACSO Deputy) Blake Hampton have become state-certified hunter safety instructors,” Wagner said. “It’s all volunteer. It’s on our own time.” 

The field day is the hands-on portion of the class, focusing on firearms and handling them safely, conservation and hunter responsibilities when they’re out in the woods or on the range, hunting safety scenarios and ethical hunting practices. The hunter education section of the training is available online, and Wagner said most people opt to take the course that way rather than an in-person class.  

Hunters must pass both sections of the course before they can get a hunting license.  

The first class was March 8, but Wagner said the department has been working on it for a while. 

“It’s been in the works for about two years,” he said. 

The courses have attracted people of all ages and from throughout the state, Wagner said. Preference is given to local applicants first.  

“It’s been good so far. The classes have been filling up withing five minutes of being posted,” he said. “It’s been fun.” 

Interested in more outdoors coverage? Pick up our March 18 edition for hiking, fishing, hunting and more.