New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife

October 15, 2001

According to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, the Six-day Firearm deer season has been modified to allow youth hunters accompanied by a licensed, non-shooting adult aged 21 or older, to hunt deer statewide on Saturday, November 17. This "Take A Kid Hunting" Deer Hunt is designed to increase a young hunter's opportunity for harvesting a deer with the help of a parent or other mentor in a non-competitive setting that encourages responsible, ethical and safe hunting practices.

"Special youth pheasant hunts have been held since 1995 and youth waterfowl days were authorized by Federal regulations since 1998," said Division Director Bob McDowell. "Similar to these programs, the youth deer hunt day is not designed to introduce youngsters to the sport of hunting. Rather, it is specifically intended for existing youth hunters who have successfully completed a hunter education course and obtained a youth license or those youth who may hunt under the occupant farmer license exemption."

The bag limit is one deer of either-sex and of any age or antler configuration, exclusive of the regular Six-Day Firearm Season bag limit. All other hunting requirements for the Six-Day Firearm Season apply. Hunting hours are ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset EST. Youth hunter status applies to the holder of a Youth Hunting License or the immediate family members of qualified occupant farmers who are at least 10 years of age and continues until December 31 of the year in which they turn 16.

Active youth participants must possess a valid Youth Firearm license or qualify under the occupant farmer exemption. A current and valid rifle permit is also required if a muzzleloading rifle is to be used. All youth hunters must be under the direct supervision of a non-hunting adult (21 years or older) who must also possess a proper and valid firearm license and a current rifle permit, if the youth is using a muzzleloading rifle. The hunter and parent/mentor must set up together at the same location and hunt as one unit, not independently of each other. The adult cannot hunt or possess a firearm. The adult may grunt call or rattle for the youth. The hunter must wear the required 200 square inches of fluorescent "hunter" orange, and it is highly recommended that the adult do likewise.

Any firearm and ammunition approved for deer hunting may be used. Neither the "earn-a-buck" requirement in zones 5, 7-14, 36, 41, 50 and 51 nor the antler point restrictions in zones 3, 6, 9, 13, 27, 29, 35 and 63 will apply for the youth hunter on November 17, exclusively. The successful youth hunter must tag the deer with a homemade transportation tag and take the deer to the nearest official deer checking station. The tag must include the youth's name and address, hunting license number, sex of deer, number of antler points (if any), harvest location information (date, zone, county, township), and must say "taken during the 6-day firearm season - youth hunt". No supplemental tags will be issued as the bag limit for the youth hunt day is one deer of either-sex. Youth hunters may still harvest two antlered deer during the statewide Six-day Firearm Season, which will run December 3-8, 2001.