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12 year old - youth season question

Daver

Daver

PMA Member
Question - can a 12 year old who hasn't yet had official hunter safety training, but will be hunting with a parent, get a youth season license?

Last year I got my then 11 year old son an early muzzleloader license and plan to do similar this year, but a friend of mine has depredation tags and would like us to come shoot a doe during the youth season. OK fine, we will and can donate the meat somewhere, but I don't know if he is eligible for that season if he hasn't had the official safety course.
 
Daver
The way I remember it from last year is he can go youth season as long as he's under 16. But if he's over 12 he has to have a hunter certificate. I would double check on that though. Kind of a goofy rule if ya ask me.
 
If you look at page 8 in the reg's you will see that in the second paragraph."the youth must provide proof of having passed a hunter education and ethics course sponsored by a state wildlife agency when purchasing the license." there is also some other important info there. So I don't think having read that, that the youth can hunt the youth season. You may still be able to get into a course before the youth season if you call them up. http://www.iowadnr.com/law/lawdb/viewcourse.html Good luck hunting.
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We got caught off guard on this rule last year. CamoKid had hunted the late muzzleloader season at age 11, and didn't need a hunter safety certificate. Right before youth season, I went to get his license, and found out that 12 was the magic age for needing the certificate. The reason we had held off was because it is taught in his school in the fall. So, we found a course that was nearby, went through it together (I highly recommend doing that) and still had a week and a half to hunt. He was able to take a doe on the last day. So, look online at the DNR site, and find a class that will be held soon.
 
I am a hunter ed instructor...the youth must take the course to be eligible for youth season, it is kind of a wierd law considering that the youth may hunt any other seasons until he is 16 as long as he is with an liscensed adult.
 
Thanks to all that replied, your answers confirmed my understanding. It does seem kind of odd that a youth can hunt all other game and seasons without Hunter Ed, but needs it for the youth deer season even while under direct adult supervision. In any event, we definitely plan on taking the course together, we just probably won't get it done in time for this years youth season.
 
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