The Virginia Hunter Education Association was officially organized in April of 2007 by a core group of volunteer hunter education instructors from across Virginia. We are a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization with the primary goal of improving hunter education in Virginia.

There are over 650 instructors in Virginia teaching hunter education in every county throughout the state. They are your neighbors and friends who have a strong desire to pass the hunting heritage to the next generation of hunters. They volunteer their time and knowledge to reach this goal. Each year about 14,000 students complete hunter education through both online and in-person classes. A program milestone was reached in 2007 when the number of Virginia Hunter Education Graduated students exceeded half-a-million. The cooperation between 160 Conservation Police Officers and the 650+ volunteer instructors has made this a successful program.

Today there are many other activities that compete for our time and attention. On July 1, 2013, the VDGIF unveiled a new shorter, more interactive course that requires 6–8 classroom hours with interactive activities and hands-on exercises.  This new curriculum requires students to complete several hours of self-study prior to the class which can be completed through several options detailed on our  Hunter Education Classes page.  On October 1, 2013, a new “full-online” adult hunter education course limited to Virginia residents 18 years of age or older was implemented.  And, on April 1, 2016,  Virginia expanded the  on-line age requirement to include any  Virginia resident age 12 or older.

The Virginia Hunter Education Association is working in unison with The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to provide hunter education to the citizens of Virginia. Our goal in forming this association is to improve our abilities as instructors through training, equipment  to aid  in teaching our classes, and, as time changes, to keep Virginia’s hunter education program at the forefront in the field.

Looking to the future, it is our desire to promote hunting to the next generation of hunters. We teach firearm safety, wildlife management, and ethical behavior to new hunters as they enter our ranks. Together we are continuing the hunting heritage in Virginia.

REGIONAL INFORMATION

When VHEA’s by-laws were defined at the time of incorporation as a 501(c)3 organization, 5 Regions of representation were defined consistent with those of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.  In 2010 when VDGIF’s Regions 4 and 5 were combined into a single Region 4, VHEA Board Members voted to keep its regions as originally established in lieu of a re-organization which would require changing and filing new by-laws with the Virginia State Corporation Commission and the Internal Revenue Service.  The lists and map below detail the 5 VHEA regions.

VHEA Officers

Regional Directors

Click on map to enlarge