Youth Hunting:

Rules & Guidelines

• Children under 10 years of age are NOT allowed to hunt.
• Children at least 10 years of age and up to 16 years of age must have a junior hunting license.

Junior hunters must be accompanied by an adult.

• Junior hunters (10 years of age or older and up to 16) may hunt with firearms ONLY in the presence of their parent or guardian, or an adult who is at least 18 years of age.
• The accompanying youth hunter guardian is responsible for any violations committed by that hunter.
• Any person who accompanies a junior hunter, other than the parent or guardian, must either possess a valid Maine hunting license or have successfully completed a hunter education course.
• The accompanying guardian must be unaided by visual or audio enhancement devices, and maintain safety distance that allows uninterrupted visual and auditory communication.
• A junior hunter who turns 16 years of age may continue hunting for that year with the junior license but MUST complete the appropriate safety course prior to hunting without adult supervision.
• A junior hunter who turns 16 and continues hunting with a junior license must purchase waterfowl (Federal and State) and pheasant authorities.
• Youths 16 years of age with an adult hunting license do NOT qualify for camp admission

The Maine Resident Junior Hunting License includes all hunting permits including muzzle loading, spring and fall turkey, second spring turkey, bear, coyote night hunt, and one expanded archery antlerless permit.

Note: Nonresident junior hunters still must pay for all above permits.

Youth Deer Hunting

• Junior hunters (10 to 16) who hold a valid junior hunting license are allowed to take one deer of either sex with either a firearm, crossbow, or bow and arrow on the youth deer hunting day (except in WMDs where no antlerless deer permits are issued; youth hunters are restricted to bucks only).
• If they shoot a deer on the youth deer hunting day, they are prohibited from taking any additional deer, unless they have been awarded a bonus antlerless-deer permit or participate in the expanded archery season (designated areas only) with appropriate expanded archery permits.
• The parent, guardian, or qualified adult shall not possess a firearm while accompanying a participating youth hunter.
• All laws pertaining to hunting during the open firearms season on deer apply on the youth deer day.

Source: http://www.eregulations.com/maine/hunting/