November 15 Marks DNR’s 14th Annual Maryland Junior Deer Hunt Day
November 6, 2008
Annapolis, Md. — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites junior hunters to try deer hunting and refine their hunting skills during Maryland’s 14th Annual Junior Deer Hunt Day on Saturday, November 15, 2008. White-tailed and sika deer firearms hunting will be open exclusively to hunters aged 16 years and younger who are accompanied by an unarmed, licensed (or exempt from license requirement) adult who is at least 21 years of age.
“This popular hunting day provides an opportunity for experienced adult deer hunters to mentor and pass on the knowledge and skills required to be a safe, effective and ethical hunter,” said Harry Spiker, Wildlife and Heritage Service Game Mammal Section Leader. “Junior Deer Hunt Day is dedicated to teaching young hunters the ethics, techniques and traditions of hunting, and encouraging appreciation of our natural resources.”
New this year, the Junior Deer Hunt Day bag limit is separate from the Deer Firearms Season bag limit. This change allows successful Junior Deer Hunt Day participants to continue to pursue deer during the Deer Firearms Season in all regions of the state. Junior Deer Hunt Day is open concurrently with the Bow Season. Hunters pursuing deer with archery equipment on November 15 must wear fluorescent orange.
All hunters participating in the Junior Deer Hunt Day must have passed a Maryland Hunter Education Course and exam and demonstrated proficiency during a practical test and live firing exercise. The Hunter Education course includes instruction in hunter responsibilities, firearms safety, the principals of wildlife management and other outdoor fundamentals.
Successful junior deer hunters are encouraged to visit one of Maryland’s Junior Hunter Certificate Agents to receive a special certificate for any deer they harvest. The certificate is available to junior hunters during any of the Maryland deer hunting seasons. A list of participating certificate agents, bag limits, season dates, deer registration procedures and other deer hunting information are online at www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide
. The Maryland Guide to Hunting & Trapping 2008-2009 issued with each hunting license contains detailed information about all of Maryland’s hunting seasons.
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North Carolina Waterfowl Hunters Urged to Use Caution on the Water
November 6, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. – Waterfowl hunters are reminded by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to use basic safety precautions when boating.
Capt. Chris Huebner, the state’s hunting and boating safety coordinator, recommends the following guidelines:
- Wear a proper personal flotation device and insist that passengers wear one also.
- Be aware that small, flat-bottom vessels are prone to capsizing and swamping.
- Store equipment properly and keep it evenly distributed in the boat.
- Don’t overload the boat, especially with passengers.
- Keep hunting dogs prone in the center of the boat.
- Never move about the boat with a loaded shotgun.
A particular danger is posed by hypothermia – the loss of body heat. Exposure to extreme cold, such as being in cold water or wearing wet clothes in cold conditions, can increase the chance of hypothermia. Capt. Huebner advises wearing proper cold weather clothing, avoiding cotton, relying on wool and synthetic materials instead.
“Dress in layers, cover head and hands, and avoid over-exertion or fatigue,” Huebner says. “In case of capsizing or swamping, stay with the boat. It will still provide some flotation and will be the initial focus of a rescue attempt.”
As with any type of hunting, it is a good idea to let someone know where you plan to hunt and an approximate time of return. Keep a cell phone in a waterproof bag that can be used without removal from the bag.
Successful completion of a Hunter Education course, offered free by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission throughout the state, is required for all first-time hunting license buyers. For course schedules, game regulations and additional hunting safety information, click here or call (919) 707-0031.
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California DFG Offers Special Game Bird Heritage Program Event at Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area
October 27, 2008
Permits for two Game Bird Heritage Apprentice pheasant hunts for junior hunters will be issued by drawing. The deadline to apply is Oct. 27. To be eligible, youths must have successfully completed a hunter education course and possess a valid California Junior Hunting License. This apprentice hunt will be located south of the City of Sonoma at the Valley of the Moon Trap Club and on the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Ringstrom Bay Unit of the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area.
Additional activities will include wildlife management and safety talks, and practice shooting at the trap range. Lunch will be provided to participants and their chaperones. This event is possible through DFG’s Game Bird Heritage Program, the generous contributions by The Valley of the Moon Trap Club, and our many volunteers and donations. The event times are scheduled as follows:
Morning Hunt - Nov 15, 2008 - 8 a.m. to noon
Evening Hunt - Nov 15, 2008 - 1 p.m. to 4:55 p.m.
Hunters can apply on the DFG Web site or can download, print and mail an application form available at: www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/uplandgame/gamebird/specialhunts. Scroll down and click on “Apprentice Hunts for Juniors” to find information and a statewide map of the hunts and the application. Applicants must enter all required information. Hunters who have just graduated from a hunter safety class and have a priority stamp may enter that number to receive priority in the drawing. Two hunters may enter as one party.
The hunters must be accompanied and supervised by a non-hunting adult, 18 years of age or older. Shooting safety glasses and blaze orange clothing are required by all participants (including chaperones).
A total of 20 permits will be available for the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area hunts (10 in the morning and 10 in the afternoon). All successful applicants will be notified by mail only. Any vacancies after the drawing will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis through the receipt of applications.
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Delaware Youth Waterfowl Hunt Scheduled for October 4
September 29, 2008
The Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife is again providing young and disabled (non-ambulatory) hunters a special opportunity to hunt waterfowl Saturday, Oct. 4. Hunting is permitted statewide on private and public lands, including state wildlife areas and federal refuges. Check specific area regulations for lottery times and blind availability.
Young hunters must be between 10-15 years of age and accompanied by a licensed non-hunting adult at least 21 years of age. Hunters 13-15 years of age must have completed an approved hunter education course and possess a Delaware junior hunting license. Standard daily duck bag limits and regulations apply, with hunters also permitted to harvest snow geese and two Canada geese. Young hunters should be of sufficient size, physical strength, and emotional and mental maturity to safely handle a firearm.
The Division of Fish & Wildlife annually provides this and other special hunting opportunities to promote hunting and outdoor recreation among young hunters and provide additional opportunities for disabled hunters. Studies have shown that youngsters who participate in outdoor recreation activities are more likely to continue these pursuits as adults. In addition to the waterfowl hunt, a youth deer hunt is scheduled for November 1.
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Youth Shooting Clinic at Council Grove, Kansas on October 11
September 18, 2008
Special event designed to encourage youth participation in outdoor shooting sports
COUNCIL GROVE — Youth from Morris and surrounding counties are invited to a free shotgun, pellet rifle, and archery shooting and safety clinic on Saturday, Oct. 11, at Council Grove Reservoir. Sponsored by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), the Neosho Valley Chapter of Quail Unlimited (QU), the Kansas Wildlife Officers Association, and Morris County hunter education instructors, this special event will provide participants with an opportunity to enhance firearm and archery shooting and safety skills. Controlled live fire instruction will teach safe and responsible shooting techniques.
Participants will be provided safety and shooting instruction by certified firearm and archery skills instructors. All gear and supplies, including shotguns, pellet rifles, ammunition, bows, arrows, targets, and eye and ear protection will be provided by KDWP’s “Pass It On” and Hunter Education programs. Participants should be breaking shotgun targets in the air by the end of the session.
Anyone ages 10 through 16 may participate. Participants are required to pre-register for the event. Students are not required to have completed a hunter education course, but it is preferred. The event will begin at 12 p.m. at the COE-managed area between Marina Cove and Neosho Park, approximately 1/4 mile west of the COE office at the west end of the dam. Check-in and free lunch will be provided by QU from noon to 12:30 p.m. Instruction will begin shortly after and will end at approximately 5 p.m.
Those interested are reminded to pre-register by Oct. 6. To register or learn more about this special event, phone KDWP wildlife area manager Brent Konen at 620-767-5900.
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Marsh Hen, Teal Seasons Open Soon in South Carolina
September 16, 2008
The migratory bird hunting seasons for marsh hens (rails) and teal will soon open.
The two-part season for marsh hens—including king, clapper, sora and Virginia rails—and common moorhens and purple gallinules will be from Sept. 15–Sept. 20 and Oct. 13–Dec. 15. The daily bag limit for king and/or clapper rails is 15 birds per hunter and moorhens and/or purple gallinules are 15 birds per hunter. The daily limit for sora and/or Virginia rails is 25 birds per hunter. Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset. Lead shot is legal for rail hunting, except that non-toxic shot is required on National Wildlife Refuges.
The South Carolina early season for teal will be Sept. 19-27. The daily bag limit is four birds. Shooting hours are sunrise until sunset (not 30 minutes before sunrise, as with other migratory bird seasons). Nontoxic shot is required for all waterfowl hunting.
For more information, write to Early-Season Migratory Birds, S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR), PO Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202, call (803) 734-3886 in Columbia.
South Carolina migratory bird hunters age 16 and older must have a state hunting license and a free migratory bird permit. Additionally, participants in the September Canada Goose season and the early teal season must have the Federal Waterfowl Stamp and SC Waterfowl Permit. Completion of an approved hunter education course is mandatory for resident and nonresident South Carolina hunters born after June 30, 1979, to purchase a license, and voluntary for older and younger hunters.
DNR protects and manages South Carolina’s natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state’s natural resources and its people.
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Hunter Safety Course Offered in Jackson County, FL
September 15, 2008
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering a free hunter safety course in Jackson County.
The course will be at the Lily Pad Ranch and Hunting Club, 2224 Kent Cemetery Road in Alford. Instruction will take place 6-9 p.m. Sept. 23 and 26, and 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 27.
Individuals who have taken the Internet course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online completion report and attend only the Sept. 27 class from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Students are encouraged to bring a pencil and paper with them to take notes.
The hunter safety course is required for anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, to purchase a Florida hunting license. The FWC course satisfies hunter safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
People interested in attending this course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/huntered or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at 850-265-3676.
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Take Your Kids Waterfowl Hunting in Utah on Sep. 27
September 12, 2008
Shooting starts at 6:50 a.m. that day
A great way to introduce your kids to waterfowl hunting awaits Sep. 27 as Utah hosts its annual Special Youth Hunting Day.
All of Utah’s state waterfowl management areas and federal refuges will be open to hunters 15 years of age and younger that day. To qualify for the hunt, young hunters must complete the state’s Hunter Education course, have a current hunting license and be accompanied by an adult.
Shooting starts at 6:50 a.m. on Sep. 27. You can learn more about the hunt by obtaining a copy of the 2008–2009 Utah Waterfowl Guidebook. The guidebook is available now at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks
A fun day
“The youth hunt is a great way to get young people excited about waterfowl hunting,” says Tom Aldrich, migratory game bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. “There’s always plenty of ducks for the kids to shoot at, and the kids have the marsh all to themselves.
“And, since adults can’t hunt that day, they can focus all of their attention on these young hunters. The youth day gives adults more time to teach the kids how to be safe, responsible and ethical hunters.”
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Youth Waterfowl is Sept. 20-21 in North Dakota
September 8, 2008
North Dakota’s two-day youth waterfowl season is Sept. 20-21. Legally licensed resident and nonresident youth waterfowl hunters age 15 and younger may hunt ducks, geese, coots and mergansers statewide.
The daily bag limit and species restrictions for the youth season are the same as for regular duck and goose seasons.
Resident and qualifying nonresident youth waterfowl hunters must possess a general game and habitat license and a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate. (Nonresidents from states that do not provide a reciprocal licensing agreement for North Dakota residents must purchase the nonresident waterfowl license package.) In addition, all youth hunters must be Harvest Information Program certified, and youth ages 12 and older need to have passed a certified hunter education course. Hunters age 15 and younger do not need a federal duck stamp.
Hunters who purchase a license through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department can easily get HIP certified. Otherwise, hunters must call 888-634-4798, or log on to the Game and Fish website at gf.nd.gov, and record the HIP number on their fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate.
Hunters are reminded to HIP register in each state for which they are licensed before hunting migratory game birds.
Shooting hours for the youth waterfowl season are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. An adult at least 18 years of age must accompany the resident youth hunter into the field, and a licensed adult is required to accompany a nonresident youth hunter. The two-day weekend hunt does not count against a nonresident adult hunter’s 14-day regular season waterfowl dates.
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Javelina Hunting Clinics Offered by Arizona Game and Fish
September 5, 2008
PHOENIX — Getting started in something new is always hard, be it a new hobby, skilled trade or other interest. The same holds true for hunting, prompting the Arizona Game and Fish Department to host several hunting workshops to teach the basics of hunting javelina.
These informative workshops are taught by knowledgeable wildlife biologists and fellow javelina hunters. Their goal is to teach new and youth hunters how to get started and increase their odds for success. Those interested are encouraged to attend one of the following free workshops:
Tucson, Sept. 10 from 6:30-8 p.m., International Wildlife Museum, 4800 Gates Pass Road, (520) 628-5376.
Mesa, Sept. 26 from 7-9 p.m., Mesa Regional Game and Fish office, 7200 E. University Drive, (480) 981-9400.
Phoenix, Sept. 26 from 7-9 p.m., Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, (602) 942-3000.
Each workshop will include a PowerPoint presentation and discussions about the biology and management of the animals, to the nuts and bolts about how to hunt them. Other key areas to be covered include identifying the signs of where they eat and sleep, and how to use binoculars to locate animals.
To hunt javelina, youth must be at least 10 years old and have passed a certified hunter education course. Youth over 14 are encouraged to take a hunter safety course, but it is not mandatory. Regardless of age, a general hunting license is required, as well as a javelina hunt permit-tag.
Currently, there are plenty of juniors-only fall javelina hunt permit-tags available on a first-come, first-serve basis by submitting an application via U.S. Mail. The majority of the hunts are in beautiful southern Arizona. The season dates are either Oct. 10-16 or Nov. 21-27, depending on choice of hunting area. For details on applying for a tag and a list of hunting area choices, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw.
Javelina resource links:
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