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| Dylan Potter with a buck he took during a mentored youth hunt |
The time shared between a youngster and a mentor is invaluable. There simply is no better way to introduce a young person to safe, ethical and responsible aspects of hunting than with the close supervision of an adult mentor that the Mentored Youth Hunter Program provides.
The Program allows youth 9 through 13 years of age to hunt without first passing an approved hunter education program. It gives unlicensed youngsters the opportunity to receive mentored, one-on-one field experience and training on the ethics, safety, responsibility, and enjoyment of the hunting while closely supervised by a licensed adult.
As an incentive to participate in the mentored youth hunting program, youth will receive one mentored youth preference point for each year the youth registers for the program. Once the department receives the youth’s registration form, if the youth does not have a hunter identification number, a number will be assigned and a mentored youth preference point updated in the system.
e-mail questions to: mentored.youth@state.or.us or call 503-947-6027
Youth Participation
A youth may participate in the mentored youth hunter program, without first passing an approved hunter education program, provided the youth:
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Noah Frank with his first buck.
-Oregon Fish and Wildlife- |
Is 9 through 13 years of age. At age 14, a youth is no longer eligible to participate in the mentored youth hunting program. From age 14 through 17, a youth must pass an approved hunter education program and possess his or her own license and/or tags.
- Hunts while accompanied by a supervising hunter who is 21 years of age or older and who has a valid license and tag(s) for the dates, area and species being hunted.
- Annual registration is required.
- Has in possession proof of registration.
- Reviews and acknowledges understanding of material on safe hunting practices provided by the department by signing form.
- Follows all regulations regarding hunting in the given wildlife management unit, management area or location
- Remains under the immediate control of the supervising hunter at all times while the youth is in possession of any legal weapon for the hunt
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Maddy Donovan (11) and mentor - Great Grandpa Bernard L. Straight.
-Photo by John B. Straight.- |
Supervising Hunter
The supervising hunter shall:
- Have a valid hunting license and tag(s) valid for the dates, area and species being hunted.
- Maintain immediate control of the mentored youth hunter at all times while the youth is in possession of any legal weapon for the hunt.
- Ensure that all Oregon hunting regulations are followed. The supervising hunter shall be responsible and accountable for all actions of the mentored youth hunter while engaged in hunting.
- Supervise only one mentored youth hunter at any given time while engaged in hunting.
- Review information on safe hunting practices provided by the department with the youth.
Safety
While engaged in mentored youth hunting activities:
- The supervising hunter shall maintain immediate control of the mentored youth hunter at all times while the mentored youth hunter is in possession of any legal weapon for the hunt.
- The supervising hunter shall not accompany more than one mentored youth hunter at any given time while engaged in hunting.
- The supervising hunter and the mentored youth hunter shall not collectively possess more than one weapon legal for the hunt at any given time while engaged in hunting.
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Hunter Pariani (10)
-Photo provided by Fred Pariani- |
Seasons and Bag Limits
Any wildlife harvested by the mentored youth hunter shall be counted towards the supervising hunter’s bag limit. A youth is not eligible to participate in the mentored youth hunting program if the youth possesses their own valid hunting license and/or tag(s) valid for the dates, area and species being hunted. The mentored youth hunting program is not applicable to designated youth only seasons and hunts.
Mentored Youth Preference Points
Youth participating in the mentored youth hunting program will receive one mentored youth preference point for each year the youth registers for the program. The mentored youth preference points will be “banked” and held in the licensing system with no expiration date.
To redeem banked points, the mentored youth will be required to fill out a form supplied by the department’s License Services Section that clearly states what species the mentored youth wants their mentored youth preference points moved to. Points must be used at one time and may not be split among species. Once Mentored Youth Preference Points are redeemed, they are converted to the Preference Point System and are subject to the Oregon Administrative Rules that govern preference points.
Want to share your youth hunter experiences with your fellow hunters?
E-mail us your letters and photos, give us permission to use the photo, and we’ll post them here.
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Registration
Signing up for the Mentored Youth Hunter Program is easy.
Register free of charge online or at any license sales agent where hunting and fishing licenses are sold.
These programs are funded by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (Pittman-Robertson) and the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act (Wallop-Breaux).
Assurances
The Oregon Outdoor Skills Program is subject to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and offers all persons the opportunity to participate in programs and activities regardless of race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability. No individual will be turned away from or otherwise be denied access to or benefit from, any program or activity on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to the Civil Rights Coordinator for Public Access, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop: WSFR-4020, Arlington, VA 22203.
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