1. Study & Pass the Online Course

   After passing the Bowhunter Ed California Course, you’ll pay the $30.00 course fee and immediately print out your Field Day Qualifier Certificate which you will need for the Follow-Up Class.

2. Sign Up and Attend the Required Field Day

   To complete the hunter education requirements for California, you must attend the Follow-Up Class portion of the Bowhunter Ed California Course. Learn more about the Follow-Up Class.

3. Receive Your California Bowhunter Education Certificate

   After successfully completing the Follow-Up Class, your permanent California Bowhunter Education Certificate will be issued to you by the California Department of Fish and Game.

   Ready? Start the Course Today →

Bowhunting Basics Instruction

This online bowhunting license course is based on Today’s Bowhunter: The Responsible Bowhunter’s Guide that was developed and printed by Bowhunter Ed specifically for the California Department of Fish and Game for use in classroom instruction.

This official training program will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be a safe and responsible bowhunter in CA.

Comprehensive Bowhunter Education Content

The Bowhunter Ed California Course features easy to understand bowhunter safety instructions and hundreds of detailed illustrations to help you improve your bowhunting skills and become a better, more prepared bowhunter.

This online bowhunter safety course will teach you the things every bowhunter must know, from following bowhunting regulations to behaving responsibly, in order to comply with state or provincial legal requirements.

Instructional Videos and Animations

Your bowhunter safety education is reinforced by getting hands-on. Watch, touch, drag, drop, swipe, and more as you progress through the bowhunter safety course.

What you learn in the interactive activities is reinforced when you attend the mandatory, hands-on Follow-Up Class after successfully completing the online bowhunter course.

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  Sample course instructional video, “Treestand Overview”

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  Sample course instructional animation, “Good shot selection”

Learning Step by Step

This official training program is developed to meet the standards for hunter training established by the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA).

To help you improve your bowhunting skills and to prepare you for the final exam, the course is broken down into 8 easy-to-understand units that you can complete at your own pace:

• Unit 1: Introduction to Bowhunting
• Unit 2: Understanding Wildlife
• Unit 3: Safe and Responsible Bowhunting
• Unit 4: Know Your Bow and Arrow
• Unit 5: Preparation Before the Hunt
• Unit 6: Methods of Bowhunting
• Unit 7: Shot Placement and Recovery Techniques
• Unit 8: Outdoor Preparedness

Read each unit. The units are organized to form building blocks of information. Each unit will help you understand the information in the next units.

Unit Quizzes & Final Exam

Unit Quizzes

As you progress through the course, you’ll be given the opportunity to demonstrate how well you’re understanding the bowhunter safety topics by taking a quiz at the end of each of the 8 units.

You’ll need to score 70% or greater on the unit quiz before moving on to the next unit. If you don’t pass a unit quiz, don’t worry. You’ll just go back and study the unit again until you’re ready to pass.

Final Exam

After completing all units, you’ll have the choice to proceed directly to the online Field Day Qualifier Exam or you can take a practice exam first.

You must score 80% or greater on the final exam to pass. If you fail the final exam, there is no penalty. You can retake the exam as many times as you like until you pass.

The Mandatory Follow-Up Class

After passing the online course, you are required to attend the California Department of Fish and Game Follow-Up Class to complete your bowhunter education certification.

You’ll bring the California Bowhunter Education Certificate you received after passing the online course final exam to the Follow-Up Class as proof of having completed the online course.

At the Follow-Up Class, you’ll participate in practical testing and the demonstration of bow and arrow safety and hunting skills under the supervision of a certified instructor. This normally occurs outside, in actual hunting areas, so you should dress accordingly.

After successfully completing the Follow-Up Class, your permanent California Bowhunter Education Certificate will be issued to you by the California Department of Fish and Game.