2014 Maine Youth Hunting Day Slated for Saturday

Are your kiddos getting excited to go hunting this weekend? Youth deer hunters across Maine will get their own day to hunt deer, and that day happens to be this coming Saturday.

Governor Paul LePage said, “Youth day is an excellent way to introduce a young hunter to a tradition such as deer hunting. Hunting is not only a Maine tradition, it also teaches children conservation, patience, responsibility and respect for our natural resources.”

Hunters who possess a junior hunting license and are 10 or older and younger than 16 can hunt deer on this day if they are under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian or a qualified adult. Any person who accompanies a junior hunter other than that parent or guardian must either possess a valid hunting license or have successfully completed a hunter safety course. The accompanying adult cannot possess a firearm.

The junior hunter on this day can take one deer of either sex only in those Wildlife Management Districts where Any Deer permits were issued. In WMDs where there are no Any Deer permits issued, hunters may only take an antlered deer. All laws pertaining to hunting during the open firearms season on deer apply on the youth deer day.

Hunters can also transfer their Any Deer permits or Bonus Deer Permit to a junior hunter, or any other hunter. Certain restrictions apply, including that a resident permit may only be transferred to another resident, and a nonresident permit may only be transferred to another nonresident. This transfer can be done online until 11:59 p.m. October 31st, 2014.

For more information on how to swap or transfer your permit, please visit http://www.maine.gov/ifw/licenses_permits/lotteries/anydeer/#swap.