Youth Hunting: A Guide for Parents and Mentors

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Opening morning of the youth hunt. A 12-year-old in an orange hat that’s a little too big, sitting at the base of an oak next to her grandfather, trying very hard not to fidget. A boy on his first youth waterfowl day, more excited about the dog than the ducks. Whatever happens, they’ll remember the cold, the sunrise and the person who took them. Youth hunting is how most hunters start, and today there are more ways than ever to start safely: mentored licenses, youth-only seasons and hunter education built for kids.

This page is for parents, mentors and young hunters: when kids can start, how hunter education and mentored programs work, the youth seasons, the safety rules that matter most for young hunters and the questions parents ask. Rules vary a lot by state, so treat the examples here as a guide and check your own state wildlife agency.

When can kids start hunting?

There’s no single national age. Hunter education itself has no national minimum: according to hunter-ed.com, some states let students as young as 9 take the course. And many states let younger kids hunt before they take the course, as long as an adult mentor is right there. A few examples, as of the 2026 seasons:

State	How kids start
Pennsylvania	Mentored Youth Hunting permit for kids under 12, with a licensed mentor aged 21 or older. Junior license at 12–16; hunters aged 12 and 13 must be with a licensed adult family member 18 or older.
New York	14- and 15-year-olds who’ve passed hunter education may hunt deer and bear with a firearm with a qualified adult. 12- and 13-year-olds may hunt deer with a firearm only in counties that allow it, with a licensed mentor 21 or older with at least three years of deer-hunting experience who keeps physical control of the youth; both stay at ground level and wear fluorescent orange or pink.
Colorado	Apprentice certificate from age 10 for small game and 12 for big game, with a mentor at least 18 who holds hunter education; the apprentice must be able to see and hear the mentor at all times.
Montana	Apprentice hunter from age 10 for up to two license years before hunter education, with a mentor at least 21 who stays within sight and direct voice contact and supervises only one apprentice at a time.

These apprentice and mentored licenses grew out of Families Afield, a campaign started in 2004 by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the National Wild Turkey Federation and the US Sportsmen’s Alliance. By 2013, 35 states had passed apprentice license laws and more than a million apprentice licenses had been sold. More on how hunter education works on our hunter education and organizations page.

Youth seasons and youth-only hunts

Youth seasons give young hunters first crack at game with less pressure and fewer hunters in the woods. Under the federal framework, states can hold Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days for hunters 17 and younger, who must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years old. New York holds a Youth Big Game Hunt over Columbus Day weekend, and many states have youth turkey, deer or pheasant weekends. Some national wildlife refuges run special youth hunts with their own permits. Your state’s regulations booklet lists the dates.

Safety for young hunters

Young hunters need the closest supervision, and the research shows why. A study of Pennsylvania hunting-related shooting incidents from 1987 to 1999 found hunters younger than 20 had the highest injury rates. A national study of tree stand injuries found the highest rates among hunters aged 15 to 34. The good news is that the safety basics are easy to teach and build into habits:

• The four rules, every time: treat every firearm as loaded, keep the muzzle in a safe direction, be sure of the target and what’s beyond it, and keep the finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot. Practice them with an unloaded firearm at home before the season, with an adult.
• Arm’s length: mentored programs keep the adult within sight and voice, and New York’s rule for 12- and 13-year-olds requires physical control. Many families start in a ground blind for exactly this reason.
• Blaze orange: on the youth hunter and the mentor, whether or not it’s required.
• Tree stands: if a youth climbs, they wear a properly fitted full-body harness and stay connected from the ground up. Hunter Safety System, which makes a youth harness, says children under 16 must be supervised by an adult and recommends a lifeline as well.
• Hearing: NIOSH recommends that impulse noise not exceed 140 dB peak, and common firearms usually exceed it, so young hunters should use hearing protection when shooting, especially at the range.
• Cold: sitting still for hours chills anyone, and kids lose interest fast once they’re cold. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises dressing children in several thin layers, keeping them dry and watching for frostbite on fingers, toes, ears and noses. Bring snacks, a warm drink and hand warmers, and go home before it stops being fun.

At home, the AAP recommends storing every firearm unloaded and locked, with ammunition locked separately, so that children can’t reach it. Our hunting laws and safety rules page covers blaze orange and tree stand rules in detail, and our hunting guide covers the health side.

Programs for kids and teens

• NWTF JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship), since 1981, for young people interested in hunting and conservation.
• Ducks Unlimited Greenwings, for members 17 and younger, with chapter events such as duck calling, waterfowl identification and conservation lessons.
• 4-H Shooting Sports, including a Hunting and Wildlife discipline taught by certified instructors.
• State youth hunts and learn-to-hunt days, often with volunteer mentors, run by state agencies and local clubs.

Gear for young hunters

Kids don’t need much, but what they wear has to fit: an oversized harness or a vest that slips off isn’t safe. The Hunter Safety System Lil’ Treestalker is a youth full-body harness with a shock-absorbing tether, quick-snap buckles and no weave-through buckles; it comes with a tree strap and a suspension relief strap (about $120 at the maker). The Allen Company blaze orange vest comes in adult and child sizes and adjusts with hook-and-loop over a jacket. And a box of HotHands hand warmers keeps small fingers working on a cold sit. More on our hunting gear page.

Prices change often. The prices above are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

If your kid also plays a team sport, our youth soccer guide covers the same parent questions for the field.

Youth hunting FAQs for parents

What age can my child start hunting?

It depends on the state. Some offer mentored permits to children under 12 (Pennsylvania, for example), others start apprentices at 10, and some states let children take hunter education from age 9. Check your state wildlife agency’s youth page.

Does my child need hunter education first?

Not always. Many states offer mentored or apprentice licenses so kids can hunt beside an adult before taking the course, usually for a limited number of years. To hunt on their own, or past a certain age, they’ll need hunter education.

Who can be a mentor?

Usually a licensed adult, often 18 or 21 or older, who has hunter education or enough experience. Some states require a parent, guardian or someone the parent designates, and limit how many youths one mentor can supervise. The mentor must stay close enough to see, hear and help.

Is hunting safe for kids?

With hunter education, close supervision, blaze orange and a harness for any tree stand, many families find it a safe, rewarding activity. Young hunters do have higher injury rates in studies, which is why mentors stay at arm’s length and drill the four rules of firearm safety.

How do I keep my child warm and interested?

Dress them in several thin layers, keep them dry, bring snacks, a warm drink and hand warmers, and keep the first hunts short. A ground blind lets them move a little without spooking game. Success isn’t the harvest; it’s wanting to go again.