I have a question about Hunters Ed and your license

I’m 50 so this is for my son
His friend got a ticket from a GW Saturday morning for not having Hunter Ed.
Now, he took the course, online from the approved State of Texas site, and he has proof of that, but apparently he didn’t have that on him when the GW checked his licesnce. He said the licsence, has a statement on it that says something like “Hunters Ed required” He never noticed it.
Anyway, I told him, he would have a chance of having the ticked dismissed if he took it into TPW and showed them his proof of taking the course.
My observation is that apparently, after taking HE, you will have to also keep proof of this with you the rest of your life, along with your licsence, because the State of Texas cannot update their record on you in their system to show that you did in fact take the course.
Am I wrong about this?

that is correct

Okay, thanks for the reply.
They should update their system for people who complete HE so they don’t have to do that.
They have the technology, they just don’t use it.

Wife and I got our licenses yesterday. She’s fairly new to hunting, took hunters ED prob 5 years ago, I took mine 18 years ago. I also have a lifetime license. I noticed in her license it said “Hunters ED Required,” but I was holding her card in my hand. My license however said “Hunters ED: 384627”

I know the law says I have to keep the HED card on me while hunting, but since my license now has my HED number do I have to keep the card on me?

I remember a TPWD employee telling me that Hunter Education certificate numbers are not printed on the hunting licenses of kids. They are however printed on the licenses of adults. I honestly don’t remember the exact reason.

I always keep my hunters education card on me

Interesting question, you'd think they'd have the technology at TPW to attach a confirmed HEC to a persons info in the license database.

I know all my licenses I get from Colorado now have "Hunters Ed Validated" printed right on the front, all I had to do years ago was submit my Texas HE card at the DOW office, they checked with Texas to confirm, and now I don't have to physically have the card in my possession there, even though it has a permanent spot in my wallet.

Like everything else the government lags behind.

Just call or email TPWD and they will update the database so it is on your license. Then you will never need it on you unless you go out of state.

You can print your card here if you want. The GW should have used this link below though so no ticket was needed!! All you really need to do is hit the print button and screenshot it.

https://tpwd.elementlms.com/hunterboater-education-verification/

I just went online and took a screenshot. It’s on my phone in its own album and I always have it just in case.

They would have to not only update their database but also change the wording of the law itself. I’m guessing that’s a little too much to expect out of a government agency. And sure the kid can have his ticket dismissed with proof but that’s a pain in the butt. But had he followed the law he wouldn’t be in this situation.

My wife’s license has her hunters ed number on though mine does not, it also says hunters ed required. Weirdly enough I had taken the class and passed a year before she took it. We always carry both cards with us.

Your son's friend will most likely need to contact the local court associated with violation. Sometimes it's just a call to the court clerk, followed up by mailing, emailing or faxing the documentation to show he has had hunter's education, along with like a copy of the ticket, his license and hunting license etc. Some courts may want him to come down and appear before the judge on his appointed court date. I would start with a polite call to the court clerk.

TPW can put your HE# on the license. You have to ask them somehow. Mine is on there. One year I had to get the store to reprint with the HE# for my daughter.

There has been feedback on the THF about TPW saying your HE# on the license is good enough, and there's been other feedback that said you should have your HE card with you. I recommend keep it with you.

This is rediculous if they will not look it up when you call. Everyone's HE information is right here on TPWD own website! Talk about a waste of taxpayer dollars... Just screenshot it and send them an email if they are too lazy to type in 3 things to pull it up.

https://tpwd.elementlms.com/hunterboater-education-verification/

I got a license one year a few years ago at a TPWD office. I noticed it said the same thing and asked about it. The clerk took my hunter education card and did something so that if showed up in the system and printed me a new license that had the hunter education number on it. Every license i have gotten after that has had the number so she entered it into the system some how.

Law says to have card with you...so maybe you should have the card with you! Even stupid laws need to be followed.

Buddy I hunted with didn't have his listed on his license but the GW was able to run a search and find it so no ticket. Why couldn't/wouldn't that GW offer the same courtesy?

I always check for my HE# because I have no idea where my card is.

I have youth in my 4-H hunting group that have Hunter Ed Required on their hunting Liens. The older youth have the Hunter ED number on theirs.

I just talked to the Hunter Ed Department of TPWD in Austin and He told me that the Hunter Ed Required will show up on hunting License until they present a DRIVERS License.

According to him they have to carry the Hunter Ed card until they get the Drivers License, and update the Hunter Ed Card, then it will show up on the next Hunting License.

He also stated that you can download the Hunter ED card to your phone, Game warden can scan it from your phone.

I have never understood why you need to have your card on you if it shows that you have passed on your license. But the one thing that would be nice is if they provided you with an actual card and not a piece of paper thinking it's going to hold up over time.

And also tell you that your not suppose to laminate the card to boot.

Ive only been checked while hunting 1 time, the warden asked if we had licenses but didn't look at them and only checked to make sure that all the dead deer were tagged.

You don't need the card on you if the HE# is on your license. I think this has been said 1000 times on here. I have been checked over 9 times over 15 years with no issues and never had a card. I posted the link above you can screenshot or print your card if you still want it on you. Print 50 copies if you want on cardboard or 3D print it with titantium if you don't like the paper the government uses.

^^ This. It will show your HE number on the license once it's in the system. The HE card itself is not "needed" if your HE # is on the license. Our local GW said it's not needed if the HE # is on the license.