Hunting Licenses and Requirements

In order to hunt or fish in any of the fifty US states you will need to have a current hunting license or hunting and fishing license. Each state has its own requirements that you will need to fulfill in order to be granted a hunting license.

To find out what your state requirements are you can visit your local community center or town hall, or go on the Internet and look for the hunting requirements for your state. Many states now have hunting and fishing license information and requirements online. Some even offer a download-able application that you can fill out and send in from home.

While the specific regulations of each state are different there are some requirements that most states have. Most states, if not all states, will require that any child under 14 who is applying for a hunting license be supervised at all times while hunting.

Children over the age of 14 are usually allowed to hunt unsupervised although there may be restrictions about the type of game that children can hunt and what type of weapon can be used. Even if the state doesn't require it you should always supervise a child who is out hunting.

Other requirements in order to get a hunting or hunting and fishing license may include the completion of a hunter's safety course or hunting education course that will teach hunting basics as well as wildlife conservation. If such a class is required your local fishing and game office or wildlife conservancy office will be able to give you the specifics about those classes such as price, location, and when they are held.

Some states require hunters to register all their weapons and may require the hunters to show proof of insurance before granting the hunter a license. In almost every state hunters are required to carry their hunting licenses on their person when hunting and must be able to show the license to a fish or game warden if asked.

For this reason when you are preparing to go out hunting you should always have your ID, your hunting license and other documents that you might need nearby and safe. One handy way to carry these documents without having them get in the way is to roll them up tight into a small tube that hangs from a cord and can be tied around your neck or clipped to your jacket or inside a pocket.