MONTPELIER — A youngster’s first hunt can mark the beginning of a lifelong passion for the outdoors and a commitment to wildlife conservation. There is no finer time to begin this journey than during Vermont’s upcoming youth waterfowl hunting weekend on Sept. 24 and 25.
“Vermont’s youth waterfowl hunting weekend helps ensure that young hunters get the quality training and experiences they need for lifelong participation,” said Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter. “By design, the youth weekend hunt reinforces the route of initiation that is critical in recruitment — learning from an experienced adult role model.”
On Sept. 24 and 25, hunters 17 years of age and younger may hunt ducks and geese in the Lake Champlain and Interior Vermont waterfowl hunting zones (15 and under in the Connecticut River zone) according to the following conditions. The youth hunter must have a Vermont hunting license and must be accompanied by an unarmed adult, 18 years of age or older, who also has a Vermont hunting license. The adult may not hunt waterfowl or carry a firearm while accompanying the youth when the youth is hunting waterfowl. Neither the youth, nor the adult is required to have state or federal duck stamps.
Ducks and geese may be taken by youth hunters on Sept. 24 and 25, according to the bag limits set in the 2016-2017 Syllabus of State and Federal Hunting Regulations for Migratory Birds in Vermont, available from Vermont post offices, Fish and Wildlife offices and as a downloadable file from www.vtfishandwildlife.com.