Upcoming Hunter Education Program Next Step Courses

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
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Hunting and Trapping Newsletter

Hunter Education Program Next Step Courses

DEC's Hunter Education Program (HEP) is piloting a limited number of Next Step courses for those who have already completed a hunter education, bowhunter education, or trapper education certification course and want more education and hands-on experience.
Taught by HEP staff and certified HEP instructors, the seven different Next Step courses being piloted are rifle, shotgun, crossbow, bowhunting, fur handling, land trapping, and water trapping. Each four-hour course focuses on safety, techniques, and hands-on experience. There is no certification offered with these courses.

All Next Step courses are free, but registration is required. You will need your certificate number to register for a Next Step course. The minimum age to take a Next Step course is 12 years old.

Registration is now open for the following courses. Other Next Step courses should be open in the next few weeks. Two of the courses are being offered in conjunction with the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program (BOW) and are open to women only.

DEC Region 1 (Long Island)

Next Step Bowhunting
August 25, 2022
3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
340 Smith Rd
Shirley, NY 11967
Register for this course

DEC Region 3 (Lower Hudson Valley)

Next Step Bowhunting
July 23, 2022
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Anderson Field
61 Hunt Road
Orangeburg, NY
Register for this course

Next Step Crossbow
July 23, 2022
1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Anderson Field
61 Hunt Road
Orangeburg, NY
Register for this course

DEC Region 5 (Eastern Adirondacks)

Next Step Land Trapping
August 27, 2022
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Region 5 Warrensburg NYSDEC Sub Office
232 Golf Course Road
Warrensburg, NY 12885
Register for this course

DEC Region 6 (Western Adirondacks)

Next Step Land Trapping
August 27, 2022
8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Brownville WMA
17893 Game Farm Road
Dexter, NY 13634
Register for this course

Next Step Shotgun
August 27, 2022
1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Brownville WMA
17893 Game Farm Road
Dexter, NY 13634
Register for this course

DEC Region 7 (Central NY)

Next Step Rifle
August 7, 2022
9 a.m. -1 p.m.
Whitney Point Sportsman Club in Broome County
3132 NY Route 206
Whitney Point, NY 13862
Register for this course

DEC Region 9 (Western NY)

Next Step Rifle
September 14, 2022
4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Springville Field and Stream
8900 Chaise Road
Springville, NY 14141
Register for this course

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Beyond BOW

Women’s Next Step Bowhunting
August 3, 2022
4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Saratoga Sand Plains Archery Range
Route 50
Register for this course

Women’s Next Step Crossbow
August 4, 2022
4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Saratoga Sand Plains Archery Range
Route 50
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (Just North of Wilton Mall)
Register for this course