Fish and Game continues to propose steps to simplify youth licensing and hunting, to make it easier for families and youth to understand youth hunting opportunities and eligibility requirements. Commission-approved seasons include youth general and controlled hunts for pheasants, turkeys, and waterfowl. Currently, age and mentoring eligibility requirements are inconsistent with resident Junior Hunting License and nonresident Junior Mentored Hunting License requirements and are inconsistent across species.

In order to make it easier to understand requirements needed to participate in designated youth hunts, Fish and Game proposes the following four changes:

Modify requirements for youth participating in youth pheasant and turkey hunts to be consistent with their License or Passport requirements. Federal regulations require all youth participating in the Youth Waterfowl Hunt must be accompanied by a licensed adult 18 or older.

Standardize the age structure for participation in the Youth Pheasant Season to include licensed hunters ten (10) years of age to seventeen (17) years of age, and hunting passport holders eight (8) years of age to seventeen (17) of age.

Add general hunts to the list of youth-only turkey hunts the Commission may establish.

In addition, standardize the age structure for participation in youth-only general and controlled turkey hunts to include licensed hunters ten (10) years of age to seventeen (17) years of age.

Passport holders 10 years of age to 17 years of age can participate in the youth-only general turkey hunts.

Standardize the age structure for participation in the Youth Waterfowl Hunt to include licensed hunters ten (10) years of age to seventeen (17) years of age, and hunting passport holders eight (8) years of age to seventeen (17) of age.

Happy Hunting!