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Youth Hunting Guide

Deciding when to get your youth hunter their first big game license or permit is an important decision as you introduce them to hunting! Use this chart below to decide which state's course would be best fit for your youth hunter.
 







 
Non-Resident Youth Opportunities Youth Age Range Dicsounted Youth License? Dicsounted Youth Permit or Tag? Dicsounted Youth Point Fee? Youth Only Hunts/Draws Minimum Age to Apply/Hunt Minimum Age to Purchase Points
Alaska under 18 No No - No No minimum age using adult's bag limit. Draw/permit hunters must be 10 years old. -
Arizona 10-17 Yes, $5 vs. Adult price of $160 Yes, cow elk $50, deer $25 (youth-only hunts) No Yes, cow elk, mule/coues deer 10 years old by start of the hunt 10 years old by application deadline
California 12-17 Yes, $16.20 vs. Adult price of $216   No Yes, junior deer hunts 12 years old by July 1 for deer, elk, antelope; or 16 years old for sheep 12 years old by July 1 for deer, elk, antelope; or 16 years old for sheep
Colorado 12-17 Yes, $1.50 vs. Adult price of $114.01 Yes, elk/deer/antelope  $126.49 Yes, all points $0   12 years old by last day of the season, 12 years old to actual hunt 12 years old by Dec 31st
Idaho 10-17 Yes, $95.75 vs. Adult price of $204.46 Yes, elk $299.75, deer $176.75 -   10 years old by start of the hunt -
Iowa Under 18 Yes, $47 vs. Adult price of $146 No No   No minimum age No minimum age
Kansas Under 16 Yes, $43.23 vs. Adult price of $100.38 Yes, deer $120.98 No   No minimum age No minimum age
Kentucky 12-15 Yes, $10 vs. Adult price of $150   - Yes, either-sex elk No minimum age -
Maine Under 16         10 years old by start of the hunt No minimum age
Montana 12-17 Yes, big game combo $636.50 vs. Adult price of $1,245.50 - No   General elk/deer (10 years old by date of license purchase); Special Permits (12 years or older by Jan 16 of following year) General preference points (10 years old by date of purchase); Bonus points (12 years or older by Jan 16 of following year)
Nevada 12-17 Yes, $16 vs. Adult price of $156 No No No 12 years old by start of the hunt 12 years old before last season begins
New Mexico 9-17 Yes, $15 vs. Adult price of $69 No - Yes, all species 9 years old with out-of-state Hunter Ed by the time of application -
Oregon 9-17 Yes, $10 vs. Adult price of $172 No -   12 years old by start of the hunt 9 years old by Dec 31st
Pennsylvania  12-16         12 years old by application deadline 12 years old by application deadline
South Dakota 12-15 No No Only deer points, $0 each Some antlerless deer hunts 12 years old by Dec 31st 12 years old by Dec 31st
Texas 8-16   Some Yes, all points $0 Yes 8 years old for most species; or 17 years old for sheep  
Utah 12-17 Yes, $34.75 vs. Adult price of $122.64 No - Yes, reserved deer quota & any-bull elk 12 years old before Dec 31 to apply, 12 years old to hunt 12 years old by Dec 31st
Vermont Under 18         No minimum age No minimum age
Virginia 12-15   No -   No minimum age -
Washington Under 16 - Yes, sheep/moose/goat $57 Yes, $3.80 application vs. Adult price of $110.50 Yes, including ewe sheep and cow moose No minimum age No minimum age
Wyoming 12-17 - Yes, elk $290, cow elk $115, deer/antelope $125 Yes, deer/elk/antelope points $10 each   12 years old by start of the hunt, or 14 for Bison 12 years old before December 31st
 
Hunter Education Requirements Hunter Ed Required? Proof of Hunter Ed Required? Required to Purchase Points?
Alaska If born after Jan 1, 1986 for certain areas Yes, carried in field -
Arizona Any hunters under 14 Yes, carried in field Yes, if under 14
California First time hunter or other state's previous license Yes, must submit online before purchasing license Yes
Colorado Born after Jan 1, 1949 Yes, provide number and carried in field Yes
Idaho Born after Dec 31, 1974 No -
Iowa Born after Jan 1, 1972 Yes, if applying in the draw No
Kansas Born after Jan 1, 1975 No Yes
Kentucky Born after Jan 1, 1975 No -
Maine First time hunter No Yes
Montana Born after Jan 1, 1985 No No
Nevada Born after Jan 1, 1960 Yes, must submit online before purchasing license Yes
New Mexico Any hunters under 18 No, but number provided online if under 18 -
Oregon Any hunters under 18 No Yes
Pennsylvania  First time hunter No Yes
South Dakota Any hunters under 16 No, but number provided online if under 16 Yes
Texas Born after Sept 2, 1971 No Yes
Utah Born after Dec 31, 1965 No Yes
Vermont First time hunter No No
Virginia First time hunter or ages 12-15 No -
Washington Born after Jan 1, 1972 Yes, must submit online before purchasing license Yes
Wyoming Born after Jan 1, 1966 No Yes
 
Hunter Education Online Courses Who May Take? Course Age Requirements Course Cost In-Person Requirements
Alaska Anyone No minimum age $19.95 online Field Day required
Arizona Anyone At least 9 years old $19.95 online Field Day required
California Anyone No minimum age $24.95 online Not required
Colorado Anyone No minimum age $29.50 online Conclusion Class required
Idaho Anyone At least 9 years old $32.50 online Not required
Iowa Anyone At least 11 years old $28.95 online Field Day required
Kentucky Anyone At least 9 years old $34.95 online Range Day required
Maine Anyone At least 10 years old $24.95 online Skills & Exam Day required
Montana Anyone At least 11 years old $25 online Not required
Nebraska Anyone At least 11 years old $29.50 online Hunt Safe Session required
Nevada Anyone No minimum age $24.50 online Final Day required
New Mexico Anyone At least 9 years old $34.95 online Not required
Oregon Anyone No minimum age $34.95 online Field Day required
Pennsylvania  PA Residents Only At least 10 years old $34.95 online Not required
South Dakota Anyone At least 11 years old $24.95 online Field Day required
Texas Anyone At least 9 years old $34.95 online Field Day required
Utah Anyone No minimum age $24.95 online Field Day required
Vermont VT Residents Only No minimum age $0 online In-Person Course required
Virginia VA Residents Only At least 11 years old $29.50 online Not required
Washington Anyone No minimum age $24.95 online Field Skills Day required
Wisconsin Anyone No minimum age $34.50 online Field Day required
Wyoming Anyone No minimum age $19.95 online In-Person Course required



More Tips from Hunt Advisor Robert Hanneman


The states featured in this article are ones that I feel are good states to be applying for, building points for, or taking your youth to on an over- the-counter hunt. I apply or build points for my boys in all the states listed below except Alaska and Kansas. I talk to hunters all the time who are afraid to start building points for their kids as they are not sure they are going to hunt. If they choose to not hunt, it may not be a total loss as a lot of states average points when you apply as a party, so you or someone else could ride their points to draw a tag.

ALASKA

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.

ARIZONA

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.

COLORADO

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.

IDAHO

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.

IOWA

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 five 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 five 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.

KANSAS

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.

KENTUCKY

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.

MAINE

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.

MONTANA

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- esident 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.

NEVADA

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 MEXICO

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

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.

SOUTH DAKOTA

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.

UTAH

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.

VERMONT

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.

WASHINGTON

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.

WYOMING

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.

All of the information and prices listed for this article were based off each state’s 2024 hunting regulations. Everything always seems to change, so check out each of the 2025 state sections in our magazine for possible youth hunting changes within the states.