Hunting in New Mexico can be a great bonding experience for a family. It requires partnership, cooperation, and patience in order to succeed both as a family and during a hunt. New Mexico is a wonderful place for any kid to learn to hunt with its plethora of diverse species. Kids have the opportunity to participate in big game hunts and bagging animals such as elk and longhorn sheep which are several times their size. The process of applying for a hunting permit for kids is very similar to that of applying for an adult license. Here are seven things for all parents in New Mexico to know before applying for a hunting permit for their kids.
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- The official New Mexico Department of Hunting & Fish website states that in New Mexico children must wait to apply for an adult license until after they turn 18.
- All youth hunters are required to get either a hunter education number from any state or a New Mexico Mentored-Youth Hunter number. It is illegal for any youth to attempt to purchase or even apply for a hunting license before getting one of those two numbers.
- All first time hunters between the ages of 10 and 17 must pass the Mentored-Youth quiz. If they succeed, they are then given a Mentored-Youth Hunter number.
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- A Mentored-Youth Hunter number allows the youth to hunt with a supervising adult and purchase hunting licenses for game-hunting, game-hunting and fishing, deer, turkey, javelin, and small game.
- Huntereducation.com says that in New Mexico a child may only be in the Mentored Youth program for two consecutive years. After this, if they pass the New Mexico Hunter Education course they can hunt any species that they wish, as long as it is legal to hunt in New Mexico. They also no longer legally require adult supervision to hunt, although it is strongly recommended that adults still supervise them.
- In New Mexico there is no minimum age to hunt. If a youth decides to hunt, legally they must have a hunter education card or Mentored-Youth number on them at all times during the hunt.
- Because children are so small it is especially important that they wear hunter orange clothes to be easily detected by other hunters. Wearing the right clothing can prevent many unfortunate hunting accidents.
This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.
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