Hunter safety classes return to West Iron County High School in April

Iron County families planning ahead for hunting season have a narrow window to get a young or first-time hunter certified, and missing even one session could mean waiting until another class opens.

The 2026 hunter safety classes will return to West Iron County High School, with instruction in the cafeteria at 701 Nick Baumgartner Way on Tuesday, April 28, Wednesday, April 29 and Thursday, April 30 from 4 to 7 p.m. each night. A required field day will follow at Camp Gibbs Recreation Area on Saturday, May 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. All four sessions are required to earn certification.

That full attendance requirement matters for families trying to get a new hunter ready before the fall seasons. Michigan requires hunter education to purchase a hunting license for anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1960, and the state says the course is meant to train safe, legal and responsible hunters. The curriculum covers wildlife management, wildlife identification, ethics, laws and regulations, and firearms safety and handling.

The local class is built around that same standard. Kalkomey’s Michigan storefront says students must complete either the traditional course or the online course plus field day to earn certification. The bow hunter education safety certificate does not count toward buying a hunting license in Michigan.

Seats for the Camp Gibbs field day were already limited, with 44 of 48 spots remaining at the time it was listed. The field day is set for Camp Gibbs Recreation Area, 129 W Camp Gibbs Rd in Iron River, and the instructor is listed as Anthony J. Dallavalle. Questions can be directed to Anthony Dallavalle at 906-367-0128, and preregistration is required through Michigan.storefront.kalkomey.com.

For Iron County, the class is part of the spring calendar that signals hunting season is getting closer. It also fits a broader statewide pattern: the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has repeatedly leaned on in-person classes, field days and online registration to meet demand, including a 2025 push that added 50-plus hunter safety education classes in one week. In a county where hunting remains tied to outdoor tradition and the fall economy, from fuel to gear to camp food, those four dates now determine whether a first-time hunter is ready when season opens.