A free hunter education class is coming to Lone Oaks Farm in Middleton on Saturday, Oct. 17, giving new hunters in Hardeman County and neighboring Tippah County a one-day path to Tennessee hunter safety certification before the heart of fall hunting season. The course runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Clays at Lone Oaks Farm, 8875 Sain Road in Middleton.
Registration is required, and seats are reserved through the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s online hunter education event system.
What the hunter education class covers
The one-day course follows International Hunter Education Association standards and combines classroom instruction with a live-fire session. Topics include:
Firearms safety and handling
Hunter ethics and responsibility
Wildlife management and conservation
Archery and tree stand safety
Firearm history and marksmanship
First aid in the field
To earn certification, students must pass a 100-question written test and successfully complete the live-fire demonstration. The basic course is free, and lunch is provided.
Who can attend and what to bring
Students must be at least 9 years old to be certified, though younger children may attend and take part in the instruction. Parents are encouraged to go through the class alongside their children, which can make it a good family outing for households with a young hunter getting started this year.
Participants should bring their Social Security number and a No. 2 pencil for the written exam.
How to register
Sign up in advance through TWRA’s hunter education registration page for this event. Because hunter education classes often fill up in the fall, anyone planning to attend should register early rather than waiting until the week of the class.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026
Time: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: The Clays at Lone Oaks Farm, 8875 Sain Road, Middleton, TN 38052
Tennessee generally requires hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1969, to carry proof of completing a hunter education course before buying a hunting license, with limited exceptions. Mississippi has a similar requirement, and hunter education certification from one state is generally honored in the other, which matters for Tippah County families who hunt on both sides of the state line. Hunters with questions about their own situation should check with TWRA or the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
The October class comes as Tennessee’s archery deer season gets underway, with more fall seasons to follow in the weeks ahead.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
