Youth Hunt leftover tags

Youth Hunt Rules and Regulations  

Open to resident and non-resident hunters under age 16 who possess a current valid spring turkey license, stamp, and harvest authorization (formerly known as a carcass tag/permit). • Youth hunters 12-15 years old must complete a hunter safety education course, unless hunting under the Mentored Hunt Program. • Youth hunters under age 12 must participate in the Mentored Hunt Program during the 2-day youth hunt, even if they have successfully completed a hunter safety education course. 

A current valid harvest authorization issued for any time period can be used during the 2-day youth hunt, but the hunter must hunt within the Turkey Management Zone indicated on their harvest authorization. • Youth hunters may only harvest one male or bearded turkey total during this 2-day hunt, regardless of how many harvest authorizations they have. 

A youth hunter who does not successfully harvest a turkey during the 2-day youth hunt may use their unfilled harvest authorization in the time period and zone for which their harvest authorization was issued. • A harvest authorization filled during the 2-day youth hunt may not be reused to harvest an additional turkey during the normal hunting season.

Youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older. • Adults accompanying youth hunters may not hunt for turkey during the youth hunt. • Adults may not possess their own firearm, bow or crossbow while they, or the youth hunter, are using any turkey calls or decoys during the Spring Turkey Youth Hunt. For hunters 12-15 years of age who possess a Hunter Education Certificate: 

To “accompany” means that the adult is within both visual and voice contact of the youth. • The adult is not required to be a licensed hunter, or to complete a hunter safety education course. • An adult may not accompany more than two youth hunters during the youth turkey hunt at any given time. For hunters under age 12, and youth hunters without a Hunters Education Certificate:  

Youth hunters under the Mentored Hunt Program as mentees.  

Mentees must be mentored by an adult who is within arm’s reach at all times during the hunt. • Adult mentors must be at least 18 years of age and be the mentee’s parent or guardian, or have permission from the mentee’s parent or guardian.

Mentors must possess a current valid hunting license for any type of game. 

If the mentor was born on or after 01/01/73, they must be a graduate of a hunter safety education course or have completed basic training with the U.S. Armed Forces. • Qualified adult mentors may only mentor one mentee participating in the Mentored Hunt Program at any given time. They may also accompany up to one other youth hunter if that hunter is least 12-15 years of age and has completed hunter safety education. All other turkey hunting regulations apply. 

 Frequently Asked Questions

 Does the adult accompanying a youth hunter need a hunting license?

 For hunters 12-15 year of age who have completed.  Hunter Education, the adult does not need a Wisconsin hunting license. For all hunters participating in the Mentored Hunt Program, the adult must have a current valid license for any game species. However, if the mentored hunt is being conducted on the mentor’s own land, then no license is required for the adult as long as the mentor is not hunting at that time. 

Can an adult call in turkeys for a youth hunter during the Spring Turkey Youth Hunt? Yes, an adult can call turkeys for the youth hunter if the caller does not also possess a firearm, bow or crossbow. 

Can the adult accompanying a youth hunter have a firearm, bow or crossbow? Adults are not allowed to possess a firearm, bow or crossbow during the Spring Turkey Youth Hunt if they, or the youth hunter, are also in possession of any turkey calls or decoys. An adult may have a weapon during the youth hunt and hunt for game which is open to them if they are not in possession of any turkey calls or decoys. 

How close do the adult mentor and youth hunter need to be while hunting? For hunters 12-15 years old who have completed Hunter Education, the accompanying adult must be within visual and voice contact without the aid of any mechanical or electronically amplified device, except for a hearing aid. For youth hunting under the Mentored Hunting Program, the adult must be within arm’s reach of the youth at all times during the hunt. Please keep in mind turkey hunting is a unique sport and requires extra safety precautions. 

I didn’t receive a harvest authorization through the preference drawing, how can I still participate in the youth hunt? 

There are two ways for a youth hunter to obtain a harvest authorization outside of the drawing: 1. Hunters can purchase a leftover spring turkey harvest authorization for any time period to participate in the youth hunt. Spring turkey harvest authorizations that remain after the preference drawing will be made available for purchase in late March.

Good luck and remember there are still leftover tags available..   

  I am happy to making Masks for this the Prairie Ridge Hospital, please stay safe out there

Julie and Tom

Tom's Guns
Tom & Julie Bergholz
215 W. Main Street P.O Box 115 Marshall, WI 53559
tomsguns@gmail.com
608.655.3772