Montana Youth deer hunt this weekend

Montana’s annual youth-only deer hunt is set for Oct. 16-17.

The two-day special season is open to properly licensed youngsters ages 12 to 15 who passed a hunter safety course. Also, 11-year-olds who passed hunter safety may hunt if they’ll be 12 by Jan. 16, 2015.

The youth hunt is typically scheduled during the public schools’ two-day vacation in October. This puts youth rifle hunters in the field during the final days of Montana’s archery season.

Archers and our young hunters need to be aware of the overlapping seasons and plan accordingly, officials said.

Young hunters must wear hunter orange and follow all hunting district regulations, which may limit them to certain species or require a special permit.

To participate, youth hunters must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult 18 years of age or older.