With deer season approaching, prospective hunters who are looking to get into the sport ought to do a bit of advance planning so they’ll be eligible to head into the woods this fall.

According to state law, in order to obtain a license for firearms, archery or trapping, an individual must complete a sanctioned safety course.

Hunter safety courses consist of 12 hours of instruction, and are held at various sites around the state.

Among the sites in Eastern and Northern Maine (check out the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Web site at www.state.me.us/ifw/ for times and contact numbers):

Caribou: at Caribou High School Sept. 16-19, or Oct. 21-24.

Limestone: at the town library, Sept. 21-22 and 28.

Bar Harbor: at MDI YMCA, Sept. 28-29.

Bucksport: at the Bucks Mills Rod and Gun Club, Sept. 21-22.

Southwest Harbor: at the Coast Guard Station, Sept. 28 and Oct. 6.

Otis: at Beech Hill School, Sept. 28, Oct. 5, Oct. 12.

Washington: at Prescott Memorial School, Sept. 16-19.

Union: at D.R. Gaul Middle School, Sept. 23-26.

Rockland: at Region 8 Tech School, Sept. 30, Oct. 1-3.

Hope: at Beaver Lodge, Oct. 26-27.

Hampden: At Reeds Brook School, Sept. 16-19.

Lincoln: At Mattanawcook Academy, Sept. 16-19.

Millinocket: At VFW Hall, Sept. 16, 18, 19, 20.

Burlington: At VFW Hall, Sept. 21-22.

Hermon: At Hermon High School, Sept. 23-26.

Old Town: At VFW Hall, Sept. 28-29, or at Old Town High School, Oct. 7-10.

Enfield: At Grange Hall, Sept. 28-29.

Bangor: At United Technologies Center, Sept. 30, Oct. 1-3.

Newport: At Walmart, Oct. 5-6, or at Nokomis High School, Oct. 14-17.

Corinth: at Central Middle School, Oct. 12-13.

Brewer: at Penobscot County Conservation Association, Oct. 19-20.

Orono: at Orono High School, Oct. 21-24.

Greenville: at Greenville High School, Sept. 23-26.

Guilford: at Piscataquis Community High School, Sept. 30, Oct. 1-3.

Pittsfield: at Warsaw School, Oct. 7-11.

Unity: at Unity College, Sept. 17, 19.

Burnham: at Town Hall, Sept. 27, 29.

Palermo: at Sheepscot Fish & Game Club House, Oct. 5-6.

Calais: At Washington County Technical College, Sept. 21-22.

SAMCEF auction set

Sportsmen looking to land some equipment might want to consider heading to Augusta on Sunday, Sept. 15.

That’s the date of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine Conservation Education Fund Guns and Gear Auction.

The event will be held at the Augusta Elks Lodge, with doors opening at 10 a.m. and bidding beginning at 11.

Guns and new gear have been donated by L.L. Bean and other Maine businesses, and a snack bar will be open.

Scarborough fun shoot on tap

Scarborough Fish & Game will host a National Sporting Clays Association fun shoot today at 9 a.m.

Entry into the 100-target event costs $45, which includes NSCA registration. Prizes will be awarded in all NSCA classes.

To submit an item for publication in the Outdoor Notebook, send e-mail to jholyoke@bangordailynews.net, fax to 990-8092 or mail information to Outdoor Notebook, Bangor Daily News, PO Box 1329, Bangor, Maine, 04402-1329