OUTDOOR KIDS: Youth Hunting Opportunities

By Kelton Hatch Idaho Department of Fish & Game Youth across the state of Idaho have the opportunity to start hunting waterfowl and pheasant this fall. Youth at the age of 10 are eligible to purchase a hunting license after completing a Hunter Education course. This youth license allows hunting of small game including turkeys, rabbits, upland game, waterfowl and sandhill cranes. To make it a little nicer for beginning hunters, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game offers two special youth hunts for hunters, ages 10-15 years old. The goal of the program is to give youth an opportunity to hunt before animals are disturbed by other hunters during the general season. It's a great opportunity for young hunters without the pressures surrounding the general opener. The rules for the youth hunt are simple. The hunters must have a valid hunting license, including the migratory bird permit for waterfowl. They also must be accompanied by an adult 18 years old or older while hunting. Waterfowl Youth hunters wanting an early shot at a duck or goose can participate in the youth waterfowl hunt on September 27-28. Bag limits for ducks and geese will remain the same as for the general season. Hunters are allowed to harvest seven ducks, but can include no more than: one pintail, two redheads, two mallard hens or three scaups. They can also harvest four geese. The season is closed for canvasbacks. Pheasant Youth wanting to hunt pheasants have seven days before general seasons open starting from noon on October 4 and continuing through October 10. To help the youth hunters, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game will release pheasants at the Niagara Springs Wildlife Management Area north of Buhl along the Snake River. All upland game hunters and upland game bird hunters are required to wear visible hunter orange (minimum size 36 square inches) above the waist during pheasant season when hunting on Wildlife Management Areas where pheasants are stocked. A hunter orange hat meets this requirement. Bag limits remain the same as the general season. The daily limit is three cocks, and the possession limit after the first day is six. At wildlife management areas where pheasants are stocked, the bag limits are two cocks and four after the first day. For more information on youth hunting, call 208-324-4359. Kelton Hatch is the regional conservation educator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.