Hands-on courses taught in small groups are now being offered to hunters and trappers by the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation.

Part of the Hunter Education Program, the courses are offered in seven disciplines — rifle, shotgun, crossbow, archery use and marksmanship, fur handling, land trapping, and water trapping — for those who have completed a hunter education, bowhunter education, or trapper education certification course.

The DEC urges hunters who have not taken a course for decades to take Next Step courses, which are “designed to be a good refresher on hunting and firearm safety for even experienced hunters.”

Course participants will spend time putting what they’ve learned into practice on the range or in field exercises, which will help build confidence and comfort with the tools and techniques of hunting and trapping while reinforcing important safety habits, the DEC said in a release.

All Next Step courses are free, but registration is required. Supplies and equipment are provided by course instructors so students do not have to bring their own.

Those interested will need their hunter or trapper education certificate number to register. The minimum age to take a Next Step course is 12. There is no certification offered with these courses.

To learn what Next Step courses are being offered, and to register, visit DEC’s website at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/92267.html. Since these are new courses, availability may be limited. Hunters and trappers are encouraged to check back often as courses will continuously be added.