Hunter education classes have been scheduled for a number of communities in northwest Montana.

All classes are free of charge. By state law, anyone born after Jan. 1, 1985, must have completed the hunter education course to buy a hunting license in Montana. To attend class and become certified, students must be at least 11 years old.

All students must register online for the following courses. When registering, students will note specific information and guidelines for the course included in the online posting.

Whitefish: Hunter education classes will be held from 6-9 p.m. on March 3, 4, 6 and 7 at the Whitefish Middle School. The field course is held on Saturday, March 8. Call Ronny Nail at 862-4509 for more information.

Olney: Classes are held at the Olney Fire Hall, and run 5:30-8 p.m. on April 1, 2, 8, 9, 15. The written test and field course are scheduled for April 16. Contact Thad Briggs at 881-2819 for more information.

Columbia Falls: Register online from Feb. 1 through March 24. After registering online, all students must attend a brief mandatory orientation at the Columbia Falls Fire Hall on Tuesday, March 25, between 6-8 p.m. Students must bring their permission slip with them at that time, and they will receive their manuals and assignments. Classes will be held from 7-9 p.m. at the Columbia Falls High School April 10, 14, 15, 17, 21, 22, 24. The field course is Saturday April 26 and test night is April 28. For more information, call Lead Instructor Ray Garth at 862-9100.