VERMONT — Young hunters participating in Vermont’s youth deer hunt this weekend, Nov. 7 and 8, are encouraged to help Department of Fish & Wildlife biologists by reporting their deer at one of 23 biological reporting stations around the state.
Two of those stations are in Addison County — at Buxton’s Country Store on Main Street in Orwell and at Vermont Field Sports on Route 7 South in Middlebury.
Youth deer hunting weekend helps ensure that young hunters get the quality training they need for lifelong participation, and it also provides biological information needed to manage Vermont’s deer.
“Examining deer during the youth deer hunting weekend is our best opportunity to assess the deer herd because youth hunters are allowed to harvest any deer, including spike bucks,” said Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s deer project leader Nick Fortin. “The information collected will help biologists assess the physical condition of Vermont’s deer, including ages, weights and antler development.”
Fortin said Vermont hunters are very interested in the health of the deer herd
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department will have personnel at the 23 biological reporting stations between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., unless the store closes earlier on Nov. 7 and 8. Youth hunters visiting a biological reporting station will receive a youth hunter participation patch, and successful youth hunters will also receive a 2015 Vermont Hunter Cooperator Patch.
Anyone, resident or nonresident, 15 years old or younger on the weekend of the hunt and who has successfully completed a hunter education course must purchase a hunting license and obtain a free youth deer hunting tag.
The young hunter must be accompanied by an unarmed adult over 18 years of age who holds a Vermont hunting license. The adult may accompany up to two young hunters. The adult must have direct control and supervision of the young hunters, including the ability to see and communicate without the aid of artificial devices such as radios or binoculars.
Landowner permission is required in order to hunt on private land during the youth deer hunt weekend.
The youth hunter may take one deer of either sex on youth deer weekend, and the antler restriction that applies in other deer seasons does not apply during youth deer weekend.
Violation of the youth deer hunting law can result in a doubled fine that is assessed against the adult who accompanies the youth.