North Dakota Outdoors: Youth Hunting Opportunities

I was fortunate to grow up in a family where spending time hunting, fishing and trapping was encouraged well before I was old enough to pass my hunter safety course. In fact, for many years leading up to my first deer hunt, while other kids were in school, I accompanied my dad on his opening day hunt.

From ducks, pheasants and deer to trapping fox, coyote, mink and muskrat you might say I was not only exposed to the outdoors, but perhaps overexposed, in a good way, as those earlier experiences have served me well.

Back in the mid-1980s when my hunting became more active, there was no such thing as a youth season or really any specific rules which afforded young hunters any particular advantage or incentive. Over the last 20 years many new opportunities have been added. One glimpse into the world of today’s teenager and it’s evident that even more may be necessary to fill the ranks of future hunting generations.

Youth hunting incentives are very much on the radar of Game and Fish Director Terry Steinwand. “The governor, the majority of lawmakers and state wildlife managers agree that we want to see more opportunities and reduced hurdles for young hunters to enter the field,” Steinwand said. “The challenge is truly understanding the existing opportunities, current and future trends, contributing factors, and the relationships of all these to know what regulation changes and new programs or initiatives will actually make a difference toward increasing and keeping kids, as well as young adults, in hunting and other outdoor activities.”

While youth opportunities have been emphasized the past two decades or so, North Dakota has always embraced youth within its hunting heritage, “Our small game and waterfowl hunting seasons exclude no one,” said Greg Link, Game and Fish Department assistant wildlife division chief, regarding age stipulations. “Consequently, these youth-only seasons are good tools to encourage youngsters to spend
more time in the field.”

North Dakota allows youth under age 12 (there is no minimum age) to hunt small game and waterfowl with the appropriate license as long as they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. At 12, the hunter must have passed a certified hunter education course to obtain a hunting license.

Here’s a rundown on some of the major new opportunities for youth developed over the past 20 years.

Youth Waterfowl Hunting
The two-day youth waterfowl season is held on a weekend in mid-September – Sept. 20 and 21 this year. Legally licensed resident and nonresident youth waterfowl hunters ages 15 and younger are allowed to hunt ducks, coots, mergansers and geese statewide.

Youth Pheasant Hunting
In 2005, lawmakers established the option for a youth pheasant hunting season on the Saturday and Sunday preceding the regular pheasant season. This year it’s Oct. 4 and 5. Hunters ages 15 and younger are eligible to participate.

For the youth waterfowl and pheasant seasons, the daily bag limit, licensing requirements, and all other regulations are the same as for the regular seasons. A general game and habitat license is required, and youth ages 12 and older need to have passed a certified hunter education course. An adult at least 18 years of age must accompany the youth hunter into the field. The adult may not carry a firearm nor hunt any wildlife species.

Youth Deer Hunting
North Dakota’s youth-only deer hunting season opens Sept. 12 at noon and runs through Sept 21. First-time deer hunters ages 14 and 15 are eligible to participate at a reduced fee. The season is statewide, except for restricted licenses and units in western North Dakota. Each youth deer hunter must be accompanied by an adult while in the field.

The youth deer season is the state’s longest-running youth-only season, starting in 1994.

In addition to these popular fall hunts, this past spring saw the first youth turkey hunting incentives. First-time spring wild turkey hunters ages 15 or younger could receive one spring wild turkey license valid for the regular hunting season.

North Dakota licensing data indicates our hunter numbers remain strong. Special youth seasons have provided new opportunities in less competitive environments, while high game populations and reasonable access have also helped increase adult license sales.

Maintaining our wildlife populations and habitat is probably the biggest challenge to maintaining both adult and youth hunter numbers.