HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Game Commission lowered the minimum age required for its online independent study Hunter-Trapper Education Class to 11.

Registration is available at the Game Commission's website www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on the "Hunter Education Classes" icon in the center of the homepage.

After reading the instructions on how to register, click on the "Go to Calendar" button at the top of the page, then scroll down and select an "Independent Study" class meeting your scheduling needs.

Once registered, the student is given the option of studying course material online or requesting a copy of a printed manual. Then, on a given date and time, students who completed the home-study portion of the course will spend time with a wildlife conservation officer to learn about the Game and Wildlife Code, hunting ethics and landowner relations. Students then take the certification test.

"Most students spend about eight to 10 hours completing the home-study portion of the course," said Keith Snyder, Hunter-Trapper Education Division chief. "The Game Commission believes our distance learning program provides a needed convenience to busy students."