Fall turkey hunting added to list of eligible species for youth
participants
HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania
Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe said the popular Mentored Youth
Hunting Program (MYHP) has been expanded for 2012-13 to include fall turkey
hunting thanks to a recent change in law and regulations.
“Since 2006, Pennsylvania’s
hunters have been taking advantage of a remarkable opportunity to introduce
those under the age of 12 to hunting through the Mentored Youth Hunting Program,
and we have seen a steady increase in the number of MYHP permits issued,” Roe
said. “Hunting is deeply woven into the
cultural fabric that defines Pennsylvania, and it is important that we recruit
new hunters to carry on this tradition.”
Roe noted that the logic
behind the Mentored Youth Hunting Program is simple and clear: create expanded
youth hunting opportunities without compromising safety afield. In 2009, the
first year a permit was required to participate in the MYHP, the agency issued
28,542 permits. In 2010, the agency
issued 30,790; and, in 2011, the number of permits issued increased to
33,514.
“This program paves the way
for youngsters to nurture their interest in hunting early and allows them to
take a more active role in actual hunting while afield with mentoring adults,”
Roe said. “The program accommodates hands-on use of sporting arms and can
promote a better understanding and interest in hunting and wildlife conservation
that will help to assure hunting’s future, as well as reinforce the principles
of hunting safely through the close supervision provided by dedicated
mentors.”
Under the program, a mentor
is defined as a properly licensed individual at least 21 years of age, who will
serve as a guide to a youth while engaged in hunting or related activities, such
as scouting, learning firearms or hunter safety and wildlife
identification. A mentored youth is
identified as an unlicensed individual less than 12 years of age who is
accompanied by a mentor while engaged in hunting or related
activities.
Mentored youth can
participate during any established season for woodchucks (groundhogs),
squirrels, fall turkey, spring gobbler, coyotes and antlered and antlerless
deer. In addition to being able to participate during the general seasons for
the listed species, mentored youth also may hunt during the junior-only squirrel
season (Oct. 6-12) and junior-only spring gobbler day (April 20).
For antlered deer, the
mentored youth must use legal sporting arms for that season; for example, a bow
or crossbow must be used during archery antlered deer season. Also, those youths participating in the MYHP
are permitted to follow the same antler restrictions as a junior license holder,
which is one antler of three or more inches in length or one antler with at
least two points.
In order to harvest an
antlerless deer, an
adult mentor must be willing to transfer a valid antlerless license issued to
him or her to an eligible mentored youth upon the harvest of an antlerless deer,
and a mentored youth may only receive one antlerless deer license each license
year. The antlerless deer license transferred to the mentored youth must be for
the Wildlife Management Unit in which the adult mentor and youth are hunting.
The harvest of the antlerless deer is to be reported by the adult mentor within
10 days of harvest, and a box is to be checked “taken by mentored
youth.”
In order to harvest a
fall turkey, an adult
mentor must be willing to transfer a valid fall turkey tag that is issued as
part of the adult’s general hunting license to an eligible mentored youth upon
the harvest of a fall turkey. A mentored youth may only receive one fall turkey
tag each license year. The harvest of the fall turkey is to be reported by the
adult mentor within 10 days of harvest, and a box is to be checked “taken by
mentored youth.”
The regulations require that
the mentor-to-mentored youth ratio be one-to-one, and that the pair possess only
one sporting arm when hunting. While
moving, the sporting arm must be carried by the mentor. When the pair reaches a stationary hunting
location, the mentor may turn over possession of the sporting arm to the youth,
but must keep the youth within arm’s length at all times while the youth is in
possession of the sporting arm.
The program also
requires that both the mentor and the youth must abide by fluorescent orange
regulations for the season they are participating in, and that the mentored
youth must tag and report any deer or turkey taken. As part of the MYHP permit, youth will be
provided the necessary harvest tags for antlered deer and spring gobbler, but
must use the adult mentor’s antlerless deer and/or fall turkey harvest
tags.
MYHP participants who
harvest an antlered deer or a spring gobbler must report their harvest within 10
days. Harvests can be reported using the agency’s online harvest reporting
system, the toll-free telephone reporting system (1-855-724-8681) or they can submit a harvest report
card, which is available as inserts in the 2012-13 Pennsylvania Hunting and
Trapping Digest.
Harvest report cards also
can be printed from the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by putting your cursor over the “Self-Help” button in
the menu bar at the top of the page, then clicking on “Download Forms and
Brochures” in the drop-down menu listing and then clicking on “Big Game Harvest
Report Card.”
All youth participating in
the MYHP must obtain a permit through the Game Commission’s Pennsylvania
Automated License System (PALS), which costs $2.70. Of that fee, one dollar goes to the Game
Commission, one dollar goes to the issuing agent who processes the permit
application, and 70 cents goes to the company managing PALS.
“When we first started the
MYHP, we didn’t require a permit because there was no method available to issue
a permit without creating an enormous obstacle for participants,” Roe said. “PALS provides an easy method for parents to
obtain a MYHP permit without too many difficulties.”
For more information on the
program, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and put your cursor over the “Hunt/Trap” button in the
menu bar at the top of the page, click on “Hunting” and then click on “Mentored
Youth Hunting Program FAQs” in the “Related Links” section. Information also is included on page 15 of
the 2012-13 Pennsylvania Hunting and Trapping Digest.
To continue hunting once a
youth reaches the age of 12, they will need to and pass a basic Hunter-Trapper
Education course and purchase either a junior hunting license or a junior
combination license. For a listing of
HTE courses, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and put your cursor over “Education” in the menu bar at
the top of the page, then put your cursor over “Hunter Education” in the
drop-down menu listing and click on “Hunter Education Class
Calendar.”
