Min Age Requirements

HuntElk4Fun_ · Oct 9, 2006

LAST EDITED ON Oct-09-06 AT 04:25PM (MST)[p]My boys 12 and 10 are getting to that age and I'm starting to do endless research on some hunting opportunities for them in the west. I know a few off the top of my head, but curious if people know some others to save me reading endless regulations:

Wyoming - 12 yrs old (12 at the time of the hunt)
Idaho - 12 yrs old (12 at the time of the hunt)
Utah - 14 yrs old (14 in the calendar year - most likely will drop to 12 next year)

Can anyone help me on...
Montana, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, & New Mexico

P.S. Anyone recommend any particular states for price, proximity to No. Utah? I'm currently leaning to Wyoming and Idaho's mentoring program. I just want my kids to experience a fine hunt, not worried about the size we are chasing. I think Utah's experience is far from a "building memories with dad" experience!

Thanks for any info!

ODDNUT1
Kirt C.
Hunt Odds.com

kilowatt · Oct 9, 2006

Montana: 12 years before or during the season for youth.
Colo: 12 years & under 16 with an adult for youth
NV: 12-17 years for big game on a youth
AZ: 14 years for big game
NM: 18 years

All above with Hunter Safety Cert.

I looked at the regs for these states rather quickly so hope I didn't miss something.

Brian

bowhunt · Oct 9, 2006

Kirt,

Idaho allows for a mentored non-resident tag for youth.
What that means:
-You buy a full price Deer Tag
-Kids get tags for resident prices

I have taken my 2 boys the last 2 years. It is a very economical way to hunt out of state.

Good luck.

HuntElk4Fun_ · Oct 9, 2006

Is NM really 18? I thought they were 12 or even no min. age limit with hunter's ed?

ODDNUT1
Kirt C.
Hunt Odds.com

ismith · Oct 9, 2006

I think that here in Montana you have to be supervised if your under 16. There are some good youth hunts here in Montana though that are worth looking into.
ismith

utaz · Oct 9, 2006

Arizona requirements:

I think with a valid hunter safety course card from Arizona you can hunt big game at ages 10 to 14, you will also need a Class F and G license on your possesion. Page 4 of the Arizona proclamation.

UTaz

ktc · Oct 9, 2006

Not to hijack a great question by Odd, but I have a 12 year old daughter who is excited to go also. What states have set aside licenses for youth only drawing? Wyoming has a youth fee, but they draw from the same pool as the regular licenses? What states seperate tags and draws for youth?

sremim · Oct 9, 2006

AZ does have juniors only hunts and I think the tags are not taken from the general tag. The age requirment is 10-14 with a valid hunter education card. Over age 14 you do not need hunter education. I think most junior only elk tags are cow tags. Not sure though.

HuntElk4Fun_ · Oct 9, 2006

ktc- your fine, not hijacking at all. All good stuff and I'm curious too.

I know NM sets aside tags for Youth.

Utah has the Youth Elk hunt (which I personally think isn't worth it)

I think Idaho has the best youth program with the mentor tags. They are DIRT CHEAP! <$20 for Elk for a non-resident. That's insane. Granted they have to be with someone who has a license/tag, but still, I see it as me and my two boys can all hunt for $550/3 or around $180 for Elk. That's cheap!

I will definitely be shooting for Wyoming too. I'm from Kemmerer and hope to let them enjoy some hunting in the areas I grew up. Youth points are only $10 and tag prices are reduced enough that I think they are worth it.

ODDNUT1
Kirt C.
Hunt Odds.com

woodruffhunter · Oct 9, 2006

LAST EDITED ON Oct-09-06 AT 08:38PM (MST)[p]Odd,

I am just over the hill from you. I am surprised you think the Utah hunt "wasn't worth it". I am also interested in finding out some info. Idaho sounds like a great deal.

I am hoping this thread keeps active. A very good subject.

couesbitten · Oct 9, 2006

OR is 12 yrs. and WA is no minimum age requirement. Both require hunter education. Scott/couesbitten

HuntElk4Fun_ · Oct 9, 2006

Woodruff- I just personally think it's better for the youth in Utah to put in for the normal LE hunts and build points vs put in the for the Youth Elk hunt. I think that same opportunity exists in a state like Wyoming or Colorado. Both states where a youth could go kill a rag bull, spike or a cow and experience a great hunt. Just my thoughts...

ODDNUT1
Kirt C.
Hunt Odds.com

rhssstt · Oct 9, 2006

The Navajo Nation has both a youth hunt for ages 12 to 16 and the regular rifle hunt. A 12 year old with a hunter safety card can put in for both. The youth hunt is prior to the regular rifle hunt and is currently three days long. A Friday and a weekend. The cost for Non Navajo is $200. The regular rifle hunt is eleven days long and cost is steeper at $1,000.

There is also a youth elk hunt. Same length and price.

The Navajo Nation covers part of Northeastern Arizona, North western New Mexico and a bit of southern Utah. No state license or permit required, only the Navajo Nation permit.

Hunts are by drawing and must be put in by June of that season year.

Fish & Wildlife number is 928-871-7065. Call them and ask them to send you a proclamation. It contacts all the details.

ShadowHunter

muleydoc · Oct 10, 2006

ODDNUT 1,

I have been doing the same with my son who is now 12. New Mexico has no age limit but rather they must first pass a hunter safety course. They have a youth hunt for deer that is second to no other state. My son has applied for and successfully received a youth rifle hunt for unit 2B for the last two years. This is a 3 pt or better unit that they change for the youth to be a 2 pt or better hunt. The rifle hunt for the youth is the week before the regular rifle season so you have only youth hunters with their parents in the field at this time. We had multiple opportunities at small 2 and 3 pt bucks which I believe equals a very high quality hunt for a first time hunter. My son harvested his first deer the second morning of the hunt (a 2pt) last year. I am looking forward again to this hunt which is next weekend for him. Colorado also has good opportunites for late season cow elk hunts that are reasonably priced and tags are readily obtainable. Arizona is a great state but the good tags are harder to get. AZ being a minimum age of 10. As you may already know 12 is the minimum age for Colorado, Nevada, and Wyoming. It is unfortunate that as a Utah resident I have to go to another state for my son to hunt. But on the positive side the hunting has been far better out of state. I do not hunt in Utah unless I draw a limited entry permit. I want a quality experience (especially for my son) or not at all. I hope to get my boy hooked on hunting before he loses interest and pursues something else (for my own selfish interests I want a new hunting partner). Please feel free to contact me any time if I can help as I have spent a lot of time to research the different states for youth hunting opportunities.

Muleydoc

stanley · Oct 10, 2006

Sremin & Kilowatt, a slight correction on AZ. Here's the deal:

Age 14 & above can hunt big game with no hunter's education.

Age 10-13 can hunt big game with hunter's education.

The youth hunts are for any hunter under the legal age (18), 10-17, depending on whether they have passed hunter's ed or not. Basically kids are eligible to apply for a junior hunt up to and through the calendar year of their 17th birthday. After that, they jump into the pool with the rest of us.

As far as where the junior tags come from Sremin, you're right that the junior elk tags are all cows. The deer tags are bucks though, with the exception of the 100 junior doe tags issued on the Kiabab this year. In a round-about way, the junior tag DO come out of the general tag allotment. The Wildlife Managers set the overall harvest objective for each species in their respective units. They then recommend the hunt structure, which in some units includes junior tags. In any unit that has a junior hunt, the general tags are decremented by that amount in order to keep the overall harvest objective in sight. Bottom line is; the youth tags are not 'gravy' over & above the general allotment.

S.

littlebuck2 · Oct 10, 2006

MULLET:Business in the front party in the back

I really like hunting and i couldn't wait until i turned fouteen. i think that is a great age to start hunting and it makes me angry that the utah f&g want to change it to twelve. i believe youth get plenty of oppurtunity to hunt starting with birds at twelve. then with all these youth hunts that lets them hunt all seasons is good enough. if that doesn't spark a kids interest in hunting them putting a high powered rifle and sending them into the forest at 12 doesn't sound appealing.

wallhanger · Oct 10, 2006

Can anybody say for sure what the minimum age is for big game in NM? I too did not think there was a minimum age, only that they must be accompanied by an adult (18 year old) with a hunter's safty certificate. Please advise.

thanks,

WH

elkfreak · Oct 10, 2006

NM has NO minimum age as long as they have completed a Hunter Education Course and they are accompanied by an Adult.

nmtaxi · Oct 10, 2006

No age requirements for NM is correct. My son started when he was 10.

Warren · Oct 10, 2006

We have no minimum age in Mississippi. However, you cannot take the Hunter Education Course until you are ten years old. My child can hunt as long as he is accompanied by me. You guys out West are missing the boat with the kids. My Son has killed 12 whitetails before his 8th birthday. We shoot off bi-pods or the rail of a tree stand. This allows me to control the rifle until I set it up for him to shoot.

COHunter · Oct 11, 2006

In Colorado they changed the rules recently to where a youth hunter is now anyone under 18. Must be 12 to hunt Biggame.

AWHOLELOTTABULL · Oct 12, 2006

Kirt,
If you are into whitetails, Kansas has no limits on age. As long they can handle a weapon they can shoot. I know there are several eastern/mideastern states that don't have an age limit. My 11 year old daughter has hunted turkeys now for 3 years in Kansas. What a riot!

It's always an adventure!!!