MENTORED HUNTER CHANGES ====

MENTORED YOUTH 7 AND OLDER TO RECEIVE DEER, TURKEY TAGS


All ages can continue to hunt deer, turkey and select other species.





The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to a measure that will require any antlered deer or turkey harvested by a Mentored Youth hunter younger than 7 to be taken with valid harvest tags provided by his or her adult mentor.


Antlered deer and spring turkey harvest tags would be issued only as part of the Mentored Youth Hunting Permits issued to Mentored Youth ages 7 through 11.


There still is no minimum age to participate in Pennsylvania’s Mentored Youth Hunting Program.


And there is no minimum age for Mentored Youth to hunt deer and turkey.


The transfer of an adult mentor’s tag to a Mentored Youth hunter is not new to the Mentored Youth Hunting Program. In fact, any harvests of antlerless deer or fall turkeys by Mentored Youth hunters must be taken with valid harvest tags provided by an adult mentor.


In voting to approve the measure, the commissioners noted their continuing concerns over purported harvests by extremely young Mentored Youth that, in actuality, are unlawful harvests by their adult mentors.


The proposal addresses that concern, while continuing to give parents the opportunity to introduce their children to hunting at ages they consider appropriate.


Commissioners noted that since January, when the board preliminarily approved the measure, they have received much feedback from hunters who said they support the proposal. Commissioner James Daley asked that, in the future, look at how the proposal might affect sportsmen’s clubs that host hunts for Mentored Youth.


The Mentored Youth Hunting Program was established in 2006 to give children 11 and younger the opportunity to experience hunting in a tightly controlled setting.


At present, Mentored Youth may only hunt deer, turkeys, squirrels, woodchucks and coyotes. And the Mentored Youth and adult mentor, together, may only possess one sporting arm between them while hunting. The adult mentor also must carry the sporting arm at all times while moving.


All Mentored Youth hunters must obtain a $2.70 permit that is valid during the license year in which they hunt. Deer and spring turkey harvest tags would continue to be issued for Mentored Youth ages 7 and older.

If I would have had a camera on Sat I could have taken a photo at a nearby dam on a small creek nearly identical to yours Doc. I counted 8 adults fishing and 4 kids on mine. If the adults are that brazen out in the open just imagine what is going on in the woods in hunting season.

Though I didn't think it needed changed, I think it was a good compromise on the MYH.  Scofflaws can still get their sub AR deer if they want but have to give up their tag and have a MYH out their with them.  Rule breakers are going to be rule breakers.  

So the adult gives up his tag which requires them to harvest (kill, whatever) an AR legal buck to the ute (sorry Cousin Vinny) who can kill (harvest, whatever) a non AR legal buck.

Does this smack of if it is legal, the adult got it and if not the kid did?

Dardys I know that ain't so cause, the PGC says it ain't so!

Everyone knows the PGC doesn't lie!

They even assure me 'all' kids under 12 can safely shoot at animals, using high powered weapons, so long as daddy carries the gun.

I was out with my nephew fishing the mentored youth trout day. On a popular stream in Washington County. Not one other group fishing until after 1:00. We caught 5-6 including one big breeder rainbow.