LAUREL, MD – On October 28, Bowie State University Outdoor Club, in partnership with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Maryland Natural Resources Police Safety Education & Outreach Unit, hosted a hunter safety field day at the National Wildlife Visitor Center, Patuxent Research Refuge.
The event was designed to educate students, especially those from non-hunting backgrounds, on the principles of conservation and the vital role of hunters in wildlife management.
Participants engaged in classroom learning about firearm safety, ethical hunting practices, and tree stand use. The event included practical evaluations such as a hunter safety trail walk and a live fire exercise.
Completing both classroom and field components, the students earned their Maryland hunter education certification, allowing them to purchase a hunting license in the state.
This event is part of Maryland’s R3 plan — to recruit, retain, and reactivate hunters — and sets the stage for students to engage in a mentored hunt with the Delta Waterfowl Foundation University of Hunting Program later in the month.