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. 25 and 26.

On Sept 25 and 26 hunters 17 years of age or younger may hunt ducks and geese in the Lake Champlain and Interior Vermont waterfowl hunting zones. The age requirement is 15 and under in the Connecticut River zone.

“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.”

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. Youths 16 and 17 years of age must have state and federal duck stamps.

All youth hunters must also register with the Harvest Information Program in each state that they hunt. This can be done on Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website or by calling toll-free 1-877-306-7091. The adult may not hunt waterfowl or carry a firearm while accompanying the youth when the youth is hunting waterfowl.

Ducks and geese may be taken by youth hunters on Sept. 25 and 26 according to the bag limits set in the 2021-2022 Syllabus of State and Federal Hunting Regulations for Migratory Birds in Vermont, available from Vermont post offices and as a downloadable file from vtfishandwildlife.com under Hunt — Waterfowl.