Hunter Education Training in Colfax to be held September 18

Registration is open for a Sept. 18 Wisconsin Hunter Education Internet Field Day at the Dunn County/Colfax Shooting Sports Complex, according to Jim Nosker, lead instructor for the Colfax Hunter Ed team.

Due to continuing COVID-19 concerns, there are not any traditional classroom sessions planned in Colfax for this year, Nosker said. The 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Internet Field Day on the 18th will be the only session this year.

To take part in the Internet Class Field Day students must:

1. complete an on-line Hunter Education Course;

2. preregister for the field day;

3. bring to the field day proof of having successfully completed the internet class.

There is one on-line courses approved by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It, as well as registration for the field day, can be located on the DNR’s Go Wild internet site, Nosker said.

Cost of the field day is $10, as set by the DNR, and is separate from the cost of the on-line course. The fee has to be paid at the start of the field day. Any checks should be made out to Colfax Hunter Education.

Nosker noted that anyone from Wisconsin can attend the field day. Due to social distancing requirements the class size is limited and students should not wait to sign up for it. There is a high demand for Internet Field Days and Nosker expects the class to fill quickly. The last two years students from as far away as Green Bay have attended.

Those registering for the class should also start taking on the required internet classes as soon as possible.

For years the DNR has pushed the idea of internet courses, Nosker said, insisting that Wisconsinites have been clamoring for internet based classes and claiming that younger students learn better over the internet than they do in a traditional classroom.

According to the DNR, internet courses and the internet field day are designed for “the busy student or working adult that cannot fit a traditional class into their already busy schedule.” Students must register with a certified internet field day instructor and then complete the online training before attending the field day. Online coursework with 80% passing score or higher is required to obtain a field day permit which allows a student to attend a Wisconsin hunter education in-person internet field day.

After passing the internet course, students will spend a day with instructors reinforcing what they have learned online and practicing basic firearm safety and handling skills. They will be tested on what they have learned at the end of the field day. The field day is mandatory to earn a hunter education safety certification.

Nosker said calling the September 18 session a field day is somewhat of a misnomer because the class could be conducted mostly indoors and the outdoor part requires little more than a parking lot. No shooting is required for the field day and he explained that because of the amount of time the one-on-one testing requires and the limited number of instructors, there will be no time to make shooting available during the eight hour course.

According to Nosker the biggest problem with the internet field day is students showing up who have never handled a firearm before. That has led to students being sent home because they crossed someone with a firearm’s muzzle. Students attending the field day are expected to have handled firearms before and are expected to know how to safely operate a pump action shotgun.

Because of COVID-19 students will be outdoors the entire day, so that social distancing can be maintained. They should dress accordingly, Nosker advised.

Lunch will be provided courtesy of the Colfax Sportsmen’s Club.