The Noble Foundation is co-hosting an Oklahoma Hunter Education Course on Saturday, August 19, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The course will be held in the Southern Oklahoma Technology Center Auditorium, located at 2610 Sam Noble Parkway in Ardmore.

The course is required for all Oklahoma hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1972, before they can purchase a hunting license, deer gun permit or deer primitive firearms permit. This course is required for some, if not most, hunters in all states. The Oklahoma hunter education certification is accepted in all 50 states.

"Most wildlife management is funded by hunters. We believe it is important to foster interest and ethical conduct in hunting because it directly benefits wildlife management," said Mike Porter, a wildlife specialist at the Noble Foundation.

To receive a hunter education certificate, a person must attend the entire course, demonstrate safe gun handling and pass the written exam. Course subject matter includes firearms, hunter ethics, safety, specialty hunting, laws, survival, wildlife management and conservation.

"Most people in the United States are not hunters, and non-hunters' perceptions of hunters and hunting is primarily shaped by their observations of hunters and communications with hunters," added Porter. "We want to positively influence these perceptions by helping develop safe and ethical hunters."

This free course is open to public, but space is limited. Attendees will have a one hour break for lunch.

Please call Melissa Castleman at the Noble Foundation at (580) 223-5810 or register online at www.noble.org/AgEvents to reserve a seat.

###

News Release Issued: August 10, 2006

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc. (www.noble.org), headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a nonprofit organization conducting agricultural, forage improvement and plant biology research; assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs; and providing grants to nonprofit charitable, educational and health organizations.