Go on More Hunts with Better Information Youth Hunting Guide

Youth must complete hunter education and be 10 years old by the start date of the hunting season if they want to hold their own tags. If a non-resident youth is under 10, they may buy a hunting license and hunt under an adult’s tag without having taken hunter education. Once a youth reaches 10 years old, they must have taken hunter education to hunt. Alaska does not have a point system. There are no price breaks for non-resident youth. The non-resident hunting license is $160.

Youth must complete hunter education and be 10 years old by the start of the hunt. They may apply for bonus points if they are 10 by the application deadline. Arizona is great to youth by offering them a combo hunting and fishing license for only $5, and the application fee is $15 per species. I apply my boys for bighorn sheep, elk, deer, and antelope. Another great thing about Arizona is that they allow a parent or guardian to transfer a tag to a youth between the ages of 10 and 17.

Youth can apply at 11 years old as long as they turn 12 before the end of the hunting season. They must be 12 to hunt in Colorado. Youth may apply for a preference point if they turn 12 years old by December 31st of that year. Hunter education is required for all hunters born after January 1, 1949. The youth hunting license is $1.50, and youth elk, deer, and antelope tags cost $126.49. Colorado does not charge youth for points. This is a huge savings as an adult pays $100 per point for bighorn sheep, moose, and mountain goat. Youth hunters also receive preference in the secondary draw for all elk, deer, antelope, and bear tags. Colorado sets aside up to 15% of limited doe antelope, either- sex deer, and antlerless elk tags for the regular rifle seasons for youth hunters.

Youth must complete hunter education and can apply for tags as long as they turn 10 years old before they hunt. Idaho is really good to youth hunters and has reduced-price tags. A youth hunting license is only $95.75. Idaho does not limit the number of youth general deer tags and non-capped general elk zones. Youth can apply for any of the big game species available, but they have to follow the same rules as adults. If they apply for bighorn sheep, mountain goat, or moose, they cannot apply for deer, elk, or antelope. Idaho does not have a point system. Idaho allows a parent or grandparent to transfer a deer, elk, or antelope tag to a youth between the ages of 10 and 17. This is my favorite state for youth hunting opportunities due to the ease of getting a general deer or elk tag over-the-counter. My boys have really taken advantage of the youth hunting opportunities in Idaho over the years.

There is no minimum age requirement to apply or hunt in Iowa, but you have to have passed a hunter education class to apply. This is a preference point state, so whoever has the most points gets the tag. It costs $60.50 to purchase a deer point. I have built 5 points for each of my boys in this state. I have no plans of taking them to Iowa in the near future, but the points never expire, so they will have them until they use them. The reason I stop at 5 points is because that should draw them any tag they want. This way, if we ever decide to hunt Iowa, we will be able to go that year.

There is no minimum age requirement to apply or hunt in Kansas. Any hunters 15 years old or younger may hunt without hunter education as long as they are under direct supervision of an adult. Kansas has a reduced-price hunting license and deer tag for youth hunters. The youth hunting license is $42.50, and the deer tag is $117.50. Kansas is a preference point state, so whoever has the most points gets the tag. You can purchase a point for $27.50. You only lose your points if you fail to apply for five consecutive years. I have not purchased my boys points in Kansas as the deer tags are very easy to draw.

There is no minimum age requirement to apply or hunt in Kentucky, but you have to have passed a hunter education class. Kentucky does not have a point system. It is only $10 to apply, so I put my boys in for the rifle bull permit and the youth either-sex permit. I don’t apply them for the cow permits as that is a long way from Montana to drive to hunt a cow elk. If I lived on the eastern side of the United States, I would be applying them for the cow permits.

To apply for a moose permit, a youth must be 10 years old by the start of the moose season. Any non-resident youth younger than 10 may apply for a moose point for $15. Hunter education is only required for youth 16 and older, but youth under 16 must be accompanied by an adult who has passed hunter education. I apply each of my boys in Maine for moose. A few years ago, Connor was drawn for the alternate list, but unfortunately, not enough hunters turned back their tags, so he did not end up with a moose tag.

For a youth to apply for a tag in Montana, they must turn 12 by January 16th of the following year. If the youth’s guardian draws a non-resident combination, elk, or deer permit, they can purchase a reduced-price youth combo tag for the youth. Montana will allow youth to harvest a deer starting at 10 years of age. If a youth is old enough to apply for a permit, they are old enough to apply for points. This is a good opportunity to build your youth points for the future. There is no price break for youth bonus points, so they pay the same fees as the adults. As a non-resident, it will cost you $75 each to buy points for bighorn sheep, mountain goat, or moose. It costs $25 each to buy points for elk, deer, antelope, and mountain lion.

Youth must be at least 12 years old prior to the opening of any hunt choice they apply for in order to be eligible. An 11-year-old who will turn 12 before the beginning of the last season on their application is eligible to apply for a bonus point. The youth hunting license is $16, but all the tag and application fees are the same as the adults. Hunter education is required for all hunters born after January 1, 1960. At this time, there are only youth deer hunts set aside for resident hunters. Hopefully in the future non-resident youth will also get that opportunity.

New for 2025, the minimum age to apply or hunt in New Mexico with an out-of-state hunter education certificate is 9 years old. New Mexico does not have a point system, so I only apply the boys on years it fits our schedule. The best thing about youth hunting in New Mexico is the season dates the state sets aside for them. Youth hunters usually get to hunt closer to the rut on some of the best elk and deer areas. The youth hunting license is $19, but all the tag and application fees are the same as the adults. New Mexico can get expensive as you must front the entire tag fee. I usually apply the boys for at least deer, elk, and oryx each year. Another good opportunity in New Mexico is their landowner tags. These are getting more expensive every year, but there are several parents who are taking their kids to New Mexico on the youth hunts. Applicants must be 9 years old with hunter education completed at the time their application is submitted. If they are 17 years old, they must still be 17 years old on the opening day of the season/hunt they are applying for to be considered a youth.

Oregon does not allow youth to apply for tags unless they will be 12 years old by the time of their hunt. Oregon allows youth 9-11 to buy points for deer, elk, antelope, and the mentored youth point, which is free. The youth license is $10 and then it is $8 per application for each species, so for $34, you can be building points in Oregon for deer, elk, and antelope. Oregon is a preference point state for all species except bighorn sheep and mountain goat. Oregon sets aside 5% of the draw tags for non-residents and then gives half of those to outfitters. If you are applying in Oregon, non-residents will get 2.5% of the deer and elk tags and 3% of the antelope tags. Most of the top deer, elk, and antelope tags take 18+ points to draw. I apply my boys for Oregon as we hunt it on a regular basis on easy-to-draw tags. Oregon also allows youth hunters to fill other hunters’ tags under the youth mentored hunt program. Youth 9-15 may participate in the mentored hunt program.

I only apply for bison in South Dakota for my boys, but someone could be putting their youth in for deer and antelope as well. Youth must be 12 years old by December 31st to apply. Youth under age 16 must have passed hunter safety to apply. I put my boys in for the trophy and non-trophy bison. Each application for bison is only $10 and $0 for deer and antelope.

Youth must be 12 years old to hunt. The youth hunting license is $34.75, but all the tag and application fees are the same as the adults. Hunter education is required for all hunters born after December 31, 1965. General season bull elk permits are unlimited for youth hunters, and 20% of the general deer and antlerless elk permits are set aside for youth hunters in the draw.

There is no minimum age requirement to apply for Vermont moose, but you must have passed a hunter education class. There is no minimum age to apply for points. I apply all my boys for moose here as it is only $25. The odds of drawing are poor, but it’s another chance at putting a Canadian moose on the wall.

There is no minimum age requirement to apply or hunt in Washington, but you have to have passed a hunter education class. Non-resident youth under 16 years old can apply for permits for $3.80 each. This is a great savings as the non-resident adult pays $110.50 to apply for the same permit. I have been applying my boys for Washington and will continue until they all turn 16 years old and then I will never apply them again as it too expensive for the steep draw odds for the permits. Last year, I applied the two younger boys for mountain goat, any moose, cow moose, youth moose, bighorn sheep, ewe bighorn sheep, and youth bighorn sheep. It costs me just over $30 per kid to apply them for those eight permits. If they are lucky enough to draw, the youth tag fee only costs $57 for any moose, goat, or sheep permit.

Youth must be at least 12 years old by December 31st to apply and hunt in Wyoming for all animals except bison. Youth must be at least 12 years old by December 31st to apply for points only for the species that have points available. Hunter education is required for all hunters born after January 1, 1966. Wyoming permits are issued through the draw for non-residents. They offer reduced-price youth permits for elk for $290 and for deer and antelope for $125. They also have reduced-price youth points for elk, deer, and antelope at $10 apiece. Honestly, it is a no brainer to buy your youth points for elk, deer, and antelope as they are so cheap and you can apply with the youth and ride their points.

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