Iowa hunters safety courses could be fully online under House proposal

Young hunters could skip the in-person elements currently required by Iowa’s hunter safety program under a bill that advanced from a House subcommittee Monday.

Currently, Iowa hunter education for those under the age of 17 requires either in-person classes or a combination of an approved online program, plus an in-person field day.

House File 2020 was filed by Rep. Jason Gearhart, R-Strawberry Point, who explained that the in-person requirements were difficult to attend for some families — like his own — who live in more rural areas and have limited opportunities to attend.

Gearhart said to get around this, his children took an approved hunter safety course from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, which does not have a field day requirement, but is accepted in Iowa through reciprocity.

“So we accept it from other states, I just feel like we should offer the same and make the field day optional,” Gearhart said.

The bill adds language that a hunter over the age of 11 may obtain a hunter safety certification from a “nationally recognized organization, including the National Rifle Association.”

HF 2020 also said the requirement could be satisfied by an online course either offered or approved by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Tammie Krausman, DNR’s communications director, said the language pointing to “recognized organizations” could affect Iowa’s reciprocity with other states since certifications are issued by a government entity.

Krausman said the field days are a time for hunters to learn about handling firearms, Iowa-specific laws and how to interact with landowners.

“We want to make sure we have really good hunters out there with good ethics,” Krausman said.

The department was not registered for or against the bill.

Gearhart said the field days should be optional for hunters who have someone to show them how to shoot and be responsible hunters.

“I feel it’s more important for a parent, mentor or grandparent, someone to take that child out, teach them how to hunt versus one day at a field day,” Gearhart said.

This article was first published by Iowa Capital Dispatch.