The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will hold a FREE hunter education skills session on Friday, October 9th, 2026, from 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm at Grace Community Church, 1652 S. Ash Street, Buffalo.
Students must be at least 11-years old to take this class. Registrants 16-years old and younger must present a birth certificate, or other proof of age to attend the course.
This hunter education skills session fulfills the second half of the hunter education certification process. To attend this class, students must first complete the Missouri hunter education knowledge prerequisite by either completing the free self-study guidebook, called Today’s Hunter in Missouri, or completing hunter education online.
If students opt to complete the study guidebook, they MUST bring the book with them to class and present the completed chapter reviews in the back of the book to be granted admittance to the skills session. Students may obtain a free study guidebook from MDC Southwest Regional Springfield office or locally at Shrock’s Country Butchering, 25 Wildlife Road, Buffalo. If students opt to complete hunter education knowledge portion online, they MUST complete all chapter reviews and print a copy of the skills session qualifier certificate or display the PDF on a mobile device.
As a reminder, Missouri residents 16-years old and older can complete the entire hunter education program online for a fee paid to the online course provider. Once you’ve completed the course and passed a 60-question final exam with a score of 80 percent or better, you will receive your certification. If you choose to do this option, you will NOT need to attend a skills session class.
Hunter education has reduced hunting accidents and deaths by more than 70-percent since it became mandatory in 1987. For this reason, MDC recommends all hunters become hunter-education certified. The program provides a foundation in hunting safety and ethics, and instills responsibility, improves skills and knowledge, and encourages interaction between beginner and veteran hunters.
Attendees MUST register for this class before October 8th and seats are limited. To register for this class or to learn more about Missouri’s hunter education process, visit mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/hunter-education and search for Dallas County class or call the Springfield Southwest Regional MDC office at 417-895-6880.
