Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County will be hosting both the Trapper and Hunter Education Courses at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Education Center on 377 Schroon River Road in Warrensburg. All first-time hunters and trappers must pass these courses before they can get a license in New York State. Trained instructors certified by the Department of Environmental Conservation teach safe and responsible outdoors practices and the important role of hunters and trappers in conservation. The courses are free of charge, thanks to the Pittman-Robertson tax which is paid by trappers and hunters, but space is limited.

Trapper Education Course, to be held on Saturday, May 8th from 8am to 4pm, will include an overview of current trapping laws, ethics, techniques, and the common species harvested during the trapping season. Master Training Instructor Charles Lashway will be the main presenter for this training session. Additionally, a DEC Officer will join the program to review current laws and the role of the conservation officer. Youth MUST be 10 years or older. Class is limited to 25 participants. To register, please call Charles Lashway at .

The Hunter Education Class, to be held on Sunday, May 23, from 10am to 4pm, provides the necessary training needed to receive a Hunter Education Certificate for New York State. The program also fulfills the requirements for re-issuing a certificate for those who may have lost theirs and are not in the current system. Topics will include safe firearms handling, wildlife conservation, hunting ethics, outdoor safety/survival, and general laws of hunting in New York State.

Each Hunter Education Course student MUST complete the home study workbook, which takes between 2.5-5 hours, and present the completed workbook at the beginning of the classroom session. All materials must be picked up at the Cornell Cooperative Extension office (Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30am-4:30pm) no later than 4:30pm on May 6th. Youth must be at least 11 years old before the class and have written parental permission. Class is limited to 30 students; pre-registration is required and can be done by calling 668-4881 or 623-3291.