Hunting FAQ

Answer:

General:

• Adult mentor must maintain physical control over the junior hunter at all times while hunting. This means the mentor and junior hunter must be close enough to talk without the aid of a radio and must be able to see each other.
• Youth and unlicensed adults may accompany a junior hunter and their mentor during the youth big game hunt, but they may not hunt or assist in the hunt (such as by driving deer).
• Mentor must complete permission form: https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/ythpermform.pdf

Small Game Hunting:

• 12-13 year old youth must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or a person who is 21 years or older. Adult mentor must have a license to hunt small game.
• 14-15 year old youth must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or a person who is 18 years or older. Adult mentor must have a license to hunt small game.

Big Game Hunting:

• 12-15 years old youth must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or a person who is 21 years or older. Adult mentor must be licensed to hunt big game and have 3 years of big game hunting experience.
• 16-17 first-time big game hunters must be accompanied for the entire season by a parent, legal guardian, or by a person designated in writing who is 18 years of age or older. The adult mentor must be licensed to hunt big game and have at least 1 year of big game hunting experience.

Junior Bowhunting:

• 12-13 year old youth must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or a person who is 21 years or older. Adult mentor must have at least 3 years of experience hunting deer or bear with a bow and have a license to hunt big game in the same seasons.
• 14-15 year old youth must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or a person who is 18 years or older. Adult mentor must have at least 1 year of experience hunting deer or bear with a bow and have a license to hunt big game in the same seasons