Search Wildlife
- Planning a high-elevation hike this summer? How to avoid conflicts with mountain goats
- Utah Cutthroat Slam releases newest medallion after reaching over 1,750 completions
- Tips to prevent conflicts with bats
- Want to try hunting? Take a hunter education class or enroll in Utah's Trial Hunting Program
- Over 10K boats inspected for aquatic invasive species during Fourth of July weekend
- Blue Ribbon Fisheries program allocates $450K to enhance some of Utah's best fishing spots during 2025-26 projects
- See hummingbirds up close at banding event in northeastern Utah
- Want the chance to hunt big game this fall? Remaining 2025 deer, elk permits to be sold beginning July 8
History of hunter education
Hunter safety courses have saved lives and prevented accidents.
Utah's program began in 1957. During that year the state experienced 126 hunting-related accidents. Of those accidents, 22 were fatal. This sort of accident rate was not tolerable.
The Utah Hunter Education program began as a voluntary program, and in 1960, the program became mandatory. Any resident under the age of 21 wanting to purchase a hunting license was required to complete this course. That law stayed in effect until 1987, when the law changed to require anyone, non-resident or resident, born after December 31, 1965 to complete a hunter education course before purchasing a hunting license.
This law is working; since 1996 Utah has averaged less than seven hunting accidents per year. During that time, Utah has had only seven hunting firearm-related fatalities. Hunting is safe and getting safer.
