Saturday is Youth-Only Deer Hunting Day!
Here’s what you need to know.
Saturday October 23, 2021 is Youth Deer Hunting Day in Maine! Here are some of the important rules to keep youth hunters and their supervisors on the right side of the law:
· All children who have not yet reached their 16th birthday must have a junior hunting license to hunt. There is no minimum age to purchase a junior hunting license. After a junior hunter’s 16th birthday, the hunter may continue to hunt on their junior license for the remainder of the calendar year
· On Youth Only Hunting Day, the accompanying parent, guardian, or qualified adult shall not possess a firearm, bow and arrow or crossbow while accompanying a participating youth hunter.
· Hunters from 10–15 years of age must be in the presence of, and under the effective control of, a junior hunter supervisor.
· Hunters under the age of 10 must be in the presence of, and under the effective control of, a junior hunter supervisor who remains at all times within 20 feet of the hunter.
· “Junior Hunter Supervisor” means the parent or guardian of the junior hunter who holds or has held a valid Maine hunting license or successfully completed a hunter safety course, or a person 18 years of age or older who is approved by the parent or guardian of the junior hunter, and who holds or has held a valid Maine hunting license or successfully completed a hunter safety course.
· “In the presence of” means in visual and voice contact without the use of visual or audio enhancement devices such as binoculars and CB radios.
· Participants are allowed to take one antlered deer in WMDs where antlerless deer permits are not issued or are only issued for a portion of the WMD. Participants may take one deer of either sex in WMDs where antlerless deer permits are issued for the entire WMD.
· If a junior hunter shoots a deer on youth deer hunting day, they are prohibited from taking additional deer, unless they have been awarded a bonus antlerless-deer permit or participate in the expanded archery season (designated areas only) with appropriate expanded archery permits.
Good luck!
