NBEF Adds Educational Opportunities As Bowhunting Interest Increases
Posted on: Sep 29, 2025
RAPID CITY, SD (September 29, 2025) – National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) reports an increased interest in bowhunter education. The state of Louisiana is the latest state to offer online bowhunter education for bowhunter certification. Louisiana joins 40+ states already offering online bowhunter ed courses.
NBEF recently conducted bowhunter education instructor training and certification in three states - Alabama, Kentucky, and Arizona. Steve Hall, a retired hunter ed administrator from Texas and NBEF board member, conducted the trainings with additional trainer, Stephen Spencer, joining him in Arizona. These training sessions were at the request of these states due to an increase in consumer interest for more bowhunter knowledge. The instructor class attendees were agency staff involved in hunter ed, the R3 department, and National Archery in the Schools Program state employees.
“As an educational organization, NBEF gets excited when there’s an upswing in requests for more bowhunter education opportunities,” explained Marilyn Bentz, NBEF Executive Director. “We’re pleased to share our extensive experience onboarding states that want to offer online certification or additional in-person instructor led classes. And we’re extremely fortunate to have individuals like Steve Hall and others available to conduct instructor training and certification when needed.”
NBEF endeavors to spread NBEF’s message about its safety and success-focused bowhunter ed classes, informational materials and to enthusiastically support the industry.
NBEF helps bowhunters learn to be safe, successful and stewards of the sport. NBEF offers bowhunting instructional items, books, videos, 3-D models, apparel and more at nbef.org.
About NBEF
The National Bowhunter Education Foundation offers instructional content and tools for bowhunter education classes in the US. Helping bowhunters learn to become safe and successful hunters and stewards of the sport is important to the NBEF. NBEF provides the bowhunter certification and class content that some states and certain circumstances require to bow hunt. NBEF provides instructor training and certification.
NBEF oversees the International Bowhunter Education Program and works with the International Hunter Education Association and state agencies to coordinate a unified program. States may have additional requirements. Europe and other countries offer full reciprocity for the NBEF (IBEP) certification and conduct classes.
NBEF also oversees the International Crossbow Education Program and works with state agencies responsible for crossbow education to develop comprehensive online crossbow safety courses that teach students important laws and regulations, game identification, and safe, responsible handling of crossbow equipment.
NBEF is a 501(c)3 corporation that isn’t a membership-based organization. Tax-deductible donations to support this non-profit are welcome.
Learn more at nbef.org.
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NATIONAL BOWHUNTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION MEDIA CONTACT:
Kim Emery, Firefly Publicity, kim@fireflypublicity.com