Hunter’s Safety

Article 2.5 of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 4 of the Fish and Game Code deals with hunter’s safety in California.

Section 3049 contains two statements of legislative intent and one set of legislative findings and declarations.

Section 3050 prohibits a hunting license from being issued to any person unless he or she presents to the person authorized to issue that license any five specified documents.

Section 3051 requires the department to provide for a course of instruction in hunter education, principles of conservation, and positive sporting behavior, and for this purpose may cooperate with any reputable association or organization having as one of its objectives the promotion of hunter safety, principles of conservation, and positive sporting behavior.

A hunter education instructor issues a certificate of completion as provided by the department to a person who completes a course of instruction in hunter safety, principles of conservation, and positive sporting behavior. The department prescribes a minimum level of skill and knowledge to be required of all hunter education instructors, and may limit the number of students per instructor in all required classes.

Section 3052 states that a person receiving instruction from a hunter education instructor cannot be charged a fee for the service provided by the instructor, but may be charged a fee to cover the costs incurred by the instructor in teaching the class. A record of these costs is kept for inspection by the department. Costs may include range fees, ammunition, and transportation of students.

Section 3053 provides that, in the case of loss or destruction of a certificate, a duplicate certificate may be issued by the instructor who issued the original certificate, or, by an instructor of the sponsoring organization having adequate records to establish successful completion of the prescribed course, or by the department if verified by adequate records to establish successful completion of the prescribed course.

Section 3054 requires the department to furnish information on hunter safety, principles of conservation, and sportsmanship that are distributed free of charge to persons designated as hunter education instructors for instructional purposes.