Deer season may be months away, but it’s never too soon to start planning, especially if you’re a prospective hunter who needs to complete a hunter safety course in order to head afield come November.

Many folks wait until the season’s upon them before worrying about those courses, but the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife offers them year-round, at a variety of sites.

Among the local offerings:

Bow-hunter education courses:

. In Hermon, April 14-15 from 6-9 p.m., April 17 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., at Hermon High School. Contact Woody Thompson at 876-3497.

. In Greenville, April 14-15 from 6-9 p.m., April 17 from 8 a.m.-noon, at Greenville High School. Contact Woody Thompson at 876-3497 or Debbie Ward at 695-2125.

Hunter safety courses:

. In Stratton, March 22, 24, 30, April 1, 6, 8, from 2:45-4:45 p.m. Contact Rick Rogers at 639-5421 or John Nichols at 246-2283.

. In Waterville, March 30, April 1 from 6-9 p.m., April 4 from 7 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Elks Lodge. Call Dave Marshall at 453-6145.

. In Augusta, April 26-30, 6-9 p.m. at Cony High School. Call Dolley Sullivan at 626-2470.

. In Union, April 5, 7, 12, 14, 15 from 6-9 p.m. at Union Elementary School. Call Susan Taylor, 832-5205.

. In Glenburn, March 29-31, April 1 from 6-9 p.m. at Glenburn Elementary School. Call Mrs. Betterley at 947-8769, Ext. 235, or Woody Thompson at 876-3497.

. In Dexter, April 26-29, 6-9 p.m. at Dexter Regional High School. Call Woody Thompson at 876-3497 or Donna Gellette at 924-7674.

. In Guilford, March 22-25, 6-9 p.m. at Piscataquis Community High School. Call Woody Thompson at 876-3497 or SAD 4 Adult Education at 876-4363.

. In Fairfield, April 20, 22 from 6-9 p.m., April 24 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at VFW Post 6924. Call Don Perrine at 474-6829.

. In Palermo, April 24-25 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.. Call Hank Holding at 589-3666.

Moose lottery deadline looming

Prospective moose hunters should be aware that the deadline to enter the state’s moose permit lottery is approaching.

Hunters can register on the Internet until 11:59 p.m. on April 1 for the yearly drawing.

Go to www.mefishwildlife.com to register.

Prosek to speak in Brewer

Noted author, artist and angler James Prosek will be the guest of the Izaak Walton League of America on April 5 at an event to be held in Brewer.

Prosek, author of several popular books including “Trout: An Illustrated History” and “Fly-fishing the 41st,” will speak at the Penobscot County Conservation Association’s clubhouse off North Main Street from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

For more information call 897-6295 or e-mail iwlamaine@iwlamaine.org.

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.