The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Hunter Education program is offering free hunting clinics geared towards teaching participants the basics of hunting turkey, waterfowl and upland game birds in southcentral and southwest Washington.

The clinics, which run on various dates through Oct. 31, will last two to four hours and cover the basics of hunting. In addition to classroom time, the clinics may include range time for patterning shotguns, said Aaron Garcia, WDFW Hunter Education coordinator.

Some clinics provide opportunities for beginning hunters to learn under the guidance of volunteer hunter education instructors, Master Hunters, and local hunting organizations. Participants in these mentored hunts must have valid hunting licenses.

Classes can fill fast and registration is first come, first served online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/huntered/clinics.

The schedule is as follows:

Aug.12, 2 p.m. – Fall Turkey Clinic at Cabelas in Union Gap, Yakima County in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Aug. 13, 2 p.m. – Fall Turkey Clinic at Cabelas in Union Gap, Yakima County in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Aug. 27, 12-noon – Waterfowl Hunting Clinic at the Vancouver Trap Club in Clark County.

Sept. 2, 6 a.m. – Mentored Dove Hunting at the Sunnyside Wildlife Area Headquarters Unit in southeast Yakima County.

Sept. 23, 6 a.m. – Mentored Upland Bird Hunting for youth only (15 and under). Mentors with dogs will be at the Sunnyside Wildlife Area pheasant release sites in southeast Yakima County.

Sept. 23, 6 a.m. – Mentored Upland Bird Hunting for youth only (15 and under). Mentors with dogs will be at the Cottonwoods pheasant release site on the Wenas Wildlife Area in Kittitas County.

Sept. 23 – Oct. 31, Mentored Early Fall Turkey Hunts on multiple days at multiple locations across the state. WDFW is matching registrants with First Hunt Foundation (http://www.firsthuntfoundation.com/) mentors.

Sept. 30, 7 a.m. – Mentored Pheasant Hunt for youth only (15 and under), followed by Upland Bird Hunting Clinic, at Reds Fly Shop/Canyon River Ranch in Ellensburg, Kittitas County. The clinic after the youth hunt is open to all age registrants.

Garcia notes that youth hunters who attend with adult guardians and their own bird dogs, and do not require help from WDFW mentors can register for the Sept. 23 pheasant hunts at Sunnyside and Cottonwoods release sites.