9th Annual Perry Youth Hunt Extravaganza

The 9th annual Perry Youth Hunt Extravaganza is set for September 22 and 23 and will be held at the Perry VFW, 601 N. Main (M-52 just south of Lansing Road a few blocks with the Howitzer on the front lawn.  Can’t miss it.)  The event is a celebration of a new crop of big game hunters as part of Michigan’s legendary whitetail deer hunting tradition.

It works like this: Beginning at 10 AM Saturday the 22nd to approximately 8 PM and Sunday the 23rd, licensed youth deer hunters may register for the event by harvesting a deer during the two-day hunt and bringing it to the VFW for photographs, which will become part of a running display for all to see.  (If the weather is cool enough, deer can be hung at our buck pole). Those licensed youth hunters not harvesting a deer may only register after hunting is concluded on Sunday beginning at 7:30 PM. 

 

The event is unique in that no entry fee is required.  Any youth hunter showing a valid deer hunting license and registering is eligible to win valuable outdoor gear.  Our goal is also to give commemorative T-shirts to each youth hunter.  In addition,  at least one firearm will be awarded to a lucky participant’s parent in trust for their respective youth hunter at the conclusion of the drawing, which begins at 8:30 PM Sunday and runs until all the hardware is gone.  (Note:  parents must be eligible under Federal firearms laws and must file requisite forms with our willing Federal Firearms Licensed (FFL) sponsors from Tracy’s Outpost.

 

In this event, there is no competition. There is no prize for biggest buck or anything like that. If you are a youth hunter, and show us your license, you’re in.  Simple as that.  If you are able to kill a deer (and, by the way, the law permits only one deer per hunter during this two-day season),we’ll take your photo and show it to everyone that stops by our tent.

 

The event is sponsored by the Perry Sons of Amvets.  What does that mean?  It means these patriots have earned enough cash, which has been dedicated to this event, through fund-raising dinners and breakfast buffets throughout this past year. Without the hard work of these community-conscious citizens, it wouldn’thappen.  And, it doesn’t matter where you go, you won’t see an event like this anywhere else.

 

Youth Hunting Rulesfrom the DNR’s website…

 

A youth and 100 percent disabled veteran firearm deer hunt will take place on all lands in Michigan September 22-23, 2012. Youth 16 years of age or younger may participate in this special hunt. Hunters under the age of 10 must be licensed through the Mentored Youth Hunting Program and accompanied by a qualified mentor.

“Firearm Hunting Rules for Youth Hunters.” For youth 10 to 16 years of age and qualified veterans with disabilities, valid licenses include a combination, firearm or antlerless deer license. During this two-day hunt only,a firearm or combination license may be used for an antlered or antlerles sdeer. A Deer Management Assistance (DMA) permit may also be used to take one antlerless deer only, if issued for the area/land upon which hunting. Archery and junior archery deer licenses are not valid for this hunt. The bag limit for this season is one deer.

All hunters are required to wear hunter orange and must have permission from the landowner or leaseholder before hunting on private land.The telephone number of the private landowner is required to acquire a private-land antlerless deer license.

FirearmHunting Rules for Youth Hunters

The following restrictions apply to youth hunters during any firearm deer season:

§  Youth under 14 years of age may hunt with archery and crossbow equipment on public or private lands or with a firearm on private or Commercial Forest lands only.

§  A public-land antlerless deer license is required to hunt antlerless deer on Commercial Forest land.

§  All hunters under age 17 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or someone designated by their parentor guardian; additional qualifications apply with the apprentice or mentored youth licenses.

§  All hunters participatingin a firearm season must wear hunter orange.

§  Apprentice Hunting License

§  A person who does not have a hunter safety certificate and is 10 years of age or older may purchase an apprentice hunting license. An apprentice hunter may purchase this license for two license years before he or she must successfully complete a hunter safety course. The apprentice hunting license is available to residents and nonresidents.

When afield, an apprentice hunter must be accompanied by someone 21 or older who possesses a regular current-year huntinglicense for the same game as the apprentice. For apprentices between ages 10-16, the accompanying hunter must be the apprentice’s parent, guardian, or someone designated by the parent or guardian. “Accompanied by” requires the accompanying hunter to be able to come to the immediate aid of the apprentice and stay within a distance that permits uninterrupted, unaided visual and verbal contact.

For hunting antlerless deer, the accompanying hunter needs a 2012 deer hunting license that is valid sometime within the 2012 deer hunting season. A person may accompany no more than two apprentice hunters while hunting.

Mentored Youth Hunting Program

New! The Mentored Youth Hunting Program allows youth hunters nine years old and younger to hunt deer, turkey and small game,trap furbearers and fish for all species with a qualified youth mentor who is 21 years old. The mentored youth license is a “package” license that entitles the youth to hunt, trap and fish for the species listed above during all open seasons for the species.

Additional restrictions apply; complete program details can be found in the Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest, or online at www.michigan.gov/mentoredhunting.

A deer kill tag issued under the mentored youth license is valid for any deer in any deer management unit, except during antlerless-only seasons when only an antlerless deer may be taken.