Hunting License for a 15-year-old

October 7, 2010

Question: I have a question about my oldest boy who is now 15 and has a junior license (lifetime) again this year due to the fact that he was 15 when the license was issued. He will turn 16 in September. Will he be able to apply for the junior bird hunts in November and December? Based on my interpretation of the regulations it appears that the answer is yes, but I want to be 100 percent sure before he applies. (Jack S.)

Answer: Junior hunting licenses are issued to children who are under 16 years old as of the first day of the license year (July 1).  Everyone 16 years and older on July 1 of the license year must buy an adult license. So, as long as your son was still younger than 16 years old on July 1, he can purchase a junior license at any time during the license year.

All hunters who qualify for a junior hunting license are eligible for most Apprentice hunts. There are currently a couple of exceptions to this rule: Pre-Season and Post-Season Youth Waterfowl Hunts sponsored by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  These hunts are regulated by federal guidelines that require hunters to be 15 or under on the day of the hunt.

Keep in mind that once he turns 16, he will need to purchase a federal duck stamp (if hunting waterfowl) but will not need to a buy state duck stamp until the following year. For a list of stamps and definitions of the various licenses, please see www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/hunting/huntdescrip.html.