Alabama teaches new wave of hunters with workshops

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Hunting is a popular activity across Alabama, but while many may be interested in learning how, they may not know where to begin.

That’s why The Alabama Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division is offering workshops across the state so people who live here can enjoy the activity, regardless of their level of experience.

“Getting the opportunity to learn how to hunt is kind of the next step in becoming an Alabamian and a southerner for me,” says Amalia Halpin, who attended Saturday’s workshop in Montevallo. “‘I was really excited to get to sign up and when I saw it was for beginners I was like let me get in that!’”

It’s an outdoor activity many find intriguing, but learning how to hunt can be difficult without someone to show you how. That’s where Alabama’s department of conservation and natural resources hopes Hunting 101 classes will help.

“Alabama is lucky to have an abundance of natural resources, and we like to teach people how to use them, and hunting 101 workshops are one of the best ways that people can get started,” says Marianne Gauldin, who serves as the conservation outreach coordinator for the Alabama Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.

The workshops teach people everything from firearm safety to game cleaning, and they also help open the door to more resources for preserving Alabama’s wildlife.

Gauldin says 100% of hunting and fishing license sales go towards conservation and research.

“Wildlife conservation in Alabama and across the country is funded in part by licensed sales,” Gauldin says. “In addition each license purchase allows us to access other monies from the federal government and we get a three to one match on those license dollars and so every license sold opens us up to even more funding.”

The workshops are teaching a new wave of hopeful hunters a different way to enjoy Alabama’s wildlife, and and how to respect it.

“For somebody like myself who doesn’t have a family who hunts or any sort of hunting culture around them, I think this is a beautiful opportunity to get to know what it’s like to use wildlife management areas, how to do it responsibly, how to handle things correctly, how to be safe when you’re out hunting,” Halpin says.

After completing a workshop, people are also given the option to go on a hunt with the instructors that same day. If you’re interested in learning more about those hunting workshops here.

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