Kids as young as 8 years old can participate in turkey hunts beginning next week.

A new rule adopted by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission allows hunters who are 8 or 9 years old and hold a Hunting Passport to buy turkey tags this season. The youth hunt starts April 8 and the general hunt begins April 15 in North Idaho.

The hunting passport and turkey tags can be purchased online via the Idaho Fish and Game website. Idaho’s Hunting Passport is part of Fish and Game’s mentored hunting program. It allows any first-time hunter, resident or nonresident, over the age of 8, to hunt with an adult mentor for a year without completing an Idaho hunter education course.

— Ralph Bartholdt