I don’t believe that I hear more misinformation about any Pennsylvania Game Commission programs than I do about the Mentored Youth Hunting Program.

The program was introduced by the PGC in 2006 to provide an opportunity to hunters under the age of 12 to be introduced to hunting. Although the program was officially started in 2006, I believe that it has been unofficially around for decades as fathers, grandfathers and other older relatives’ mentored youth to the art of hunting.

I recall being a youngster and getting the chance to shoot a groundhog out in the pasture fields around the homestead with my dad and uncles coaching me along. I guess it was illegal or maybe it wasn’t back then, but it was a common event around those parts.

The PGC caught on that it was better to have some official oversights of mentored hunting and they started with groundhogs and squirrels. PGC Executive Director Carl G. Roe said it well when he stated, “Hunting is deeply woven into the cultural fabric that defines Pennsylvania, and it is important that we recruit new hunters to carry on this tradition.”

Roe also noted that the logic behind the program is simple and clear: Create expanded youth hunting opportunities without compromising safety afield.

A hunting permit was first required in 2009 for the Mentored Youth Hunting Program and 28,542 permits were issued by the PGC. Last year, the number of permits grew to 33,514 and by all accounts will continue to expand as more mentoring adults and youth catch on to the program.

Under the program, a mentor is defined as a properly licensed individual at least 21 years of age, who will serve as a guide while engaged in hunting and other related activities. The mentored youth is identified as an unlicensed youth under the age of 12 who is accompanied by a one to one mentor while engaged in hunting.

Once a youth reaches age 12, he or she will be required to attend and successfully pass the H-T-E course offered by the PGC and will be considered a junior hunter at ages 12 through 16.

Mentored youth can participate during any established season for woodchucks, squirrels, fall turkey, spring gobbler, coyotes and deer season. The mentored youth can also participate in the junior only squirrel season and junior one day gobbler season.

In the field, a mentored youth is required to use the same legally permitted sporting arms or bows that a regular hunter would use. A mentored youth hunter can shoot either a buck or doe depending on the season. If it is a doe, the mentor must surrender his or her doe license to the youth for a legal tag in the proper WMU.

The youth is limited to one doe license transfer per license year and must be reported by the mentor within 10 days of harvest.

Antlered deer are covered by the same rules as junior hunters and must be at least one antler three inches or longer or one antler with two points. The tag for a buck is part of the youth mentor license and does not require the mentor to use his tag.

The other tag that is new to the MYHP program is the fall turkey season. A mentor must surrender his tag to the youth if the youth harvests a fall turkey. All big game harvested by the youth is required to be reported to the PGC within 10 days using the proper procedures.

Some general information about the hunt that is appropriate to know is that the MYHP license costs $2.70 and is available at all hunting license vendors. All the fluorescent orange requirements are to be followed for safety by both the mentor and the youth.

While moving, the mentor carries the sporting arm. Only one sporting arm is permitted with the pair during the hunt. This is a one to one ratio hunt with one mentor and one mentored youth.

When the pair reaches their stationary hunting stand location, the youth is then given the sporting arm with direct supervision (within an arms length) of the youth. There is no minimum age for the mentored youth, but common sense should prevail and if that doesn’t work, I would pull out the mother card!

There you have it, the clear explanation of the under 12 Mentored Youth Hunt and the difference between that and the 12-16 Junior License.