Vermont Youth Deer Hunt Weekend is Nov. 5-6
OutdoorHub 10.13.11
Barre, Vt – Vermont’s youth deer hunting weekend is November 5-6 this year, the Saturday and Sunday before the rifle season opens.
“Vermont’s special youth deer hunting weekend helps to ensure that young hunters get the quality training and experiences they need for lifelong participation,” said Fish and Wildlife Hunter Education Coordinator Chris Saunders.
Anyone, resident or nonresident, who is 15 years old or younger on the weekend of the hunt and who has successfully completed a hunter safety course may purchase a hunting license and obtain a free youth deer hunting tag.
The young hunter must be accompanied by an unarmed adult over 18 years of age who holds a Vermont hunting license. The adult may accompany up to two young hunters.
The law now requires the adult to have direct control and supervision, including the ability to see and communicate with the youth hunter without the aid of artificial devices such as radios or binoculars. Landowner permission is required in order to hunt on private land during the youth deer hunt weekend.
A young hunter who has obtained a Vermont hunting license and youth deer tag may take one deer of either sex during youth deer hunting weekend. The antler restriction that applies for other Vermont deer seasons does not apply for youth deer hunting weekend.
A violation of the youth deer hunting law can result in a fine that is doubled and assessed against the adult who accompanies the youth.
A survey shows that Vermont’s youth hunting seasons appear to be helping with hunter recruitment and retention with 69 percent of participating young hunters hunting into adulthood, and that youth seasons are providing an excellent opportunity to teach ethics and hunter responsibility, as well as providing time for family and friends to be afield together when the focus is entirely on the participating youth.
For more information, go to Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website Youth Hunting page:
http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/hunttrap_youth.cfm
