Vermont Business Magazine With youth deer weekend just around the corner, young hunters are encouraged to take to the field to hone their skills and to also help Fish & Wildlife biologists by reporting their deer at one of 23 biological reporting stations around the state.Youth deer hunting weekend helps ensure that young hunters get the quality training they need for lifelong participation, and it also provides biological information needed to manage the herd into the future.
“Examining deer during the youth deer hunting weekend is our best opportunity to assess the deer herd because youth hunters are allowed to harvest any deer, including spike bucks,” said Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s deer project leader Nick Fortin. “The information collected will help biologists assess the physical condition of Vermont’s deer, and data about age, weight and antler development will help guide future deer management decisions.”
“Vermont hunters are very interested in the health of the deer herd,” said Fortin. “We encourage hunters to bring their deer to one of these biological reporting stations. It's a great opportunity to get your deer weighed, aged and examined by a state wildlife biologist, and you will be directly contributing to deer management in Vermont.”
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department will have personnel at the 23 biological reporting stations listed below between 9 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. for youth weekend, November 7 and 8. Along with having their deer examined and aged by a biologist, youth hunters visiting a biological reporting station will receive a youth hunter participation patch. Successful youth hunters will also receive a 2015 Vermont Hunter Cooperator Patch.
Anyone, resident or nonresident, who is 15 years old or younger on the weekend of the hunt and who has successfully completed a hunter education course must purchase a hunting license and obtain a free youth deer hunting tag. The requirements apply to all interested young hunters, including the children of landowners.
Additionally, the young hunter must be accompanied by an unarmed adult over 18 years of age who holds a Vermont hunting license. The adult may accompany up to two young hunters. The law requires the adult to have direct control and supervision of the young hunters, including the ability to see and communicate without the aid of artificial devices such as radios or binoculars.
Landowner permission is required in order to hunt on private land during the youth deer hunt weekend and youth are encouraged to secure permission well in advance.
The youth hunter may take one deer of either sex on youth deer weekend, and the antler restriction that applies in other deer seasons does not apply during youth deer weekend.
Violation of the youth deer hunting law can result in a doubled fine that is assessed against the adult who accompanies the youth.
The biological reporting stations listed below will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on November 7 and 8:
Biological Reporting Station Name Town County Address
Buxton’s Country Store Orwell Addison County Main Street, Orwell, VT 05760-0016
Vermont Field Sports Middlebury Addison County 1458 Route 7 South, Middlebury, VT 05753
Marty’s Sports & Gunsmithing Bennington Bennington County 1679 Harwood Hill Drive, Bennington, VT 05201
HN Williams Store Dorset Bennington 2732 Route 30, Dorset, VT 05251
Riteway Sports Hardwick Caledonia County 241 Wolcott Street, Hardwick, VT 05843-1129
Jericho General Store Jericho Chittenden County 53 VT Route 15, Jericho, VT 05465-0244
Northern Wildlife Island Pond Essex County 550 East Charleston Road, Island Pond, VT 05846
Barnies Market Concord Essex County 166 Main Street, Concord, VT 05824-0254
West Enosburg Country Store Enosburg Falls Franklin County 2394 W. Enosburg Rd, Enosburg Falls, VT 05450
Ste Marie’s Swanton Franklin County 31 Grand Avenue, Swanton, VT 05488
A&B Beverage Grand Isle Grand Isle County 193 US Route 2, Grand Isle, VT 05458
Ingalls Market & Deli Eden Mills Lamoille County 4121 VT Route 100, Eden Mills, VT 05653
Flanders Market Chelsea Orange County 359 VT Route 110, Chelsea, VT 05038
Ease Corinth General Store East Corinth Orange County 8392 Vermont 25, East Corinth, VT 05040
Bob’s Quick Stop Irasburg Orleans County 6196 Route 14 Irasburg, VT, 05845
Wright’s Enterprises Newport Orleans County 48 Community Drive, Newport, VT 05855
Keith’s Country Store Pittsford Rutland County 4085 US Route 7, Pittsford, VT 05763-0538
Grant’s Village Store Middletown Springs Rutland County 752 Coy Hill Road, Middletown Springs, VT 05757
R&L Archery Barre Washington County 70 Smith Street, Barre, VT 05641-4076
Mountain Deer Taxidermy Northfield Washington County 1308 Loop Road, Northfield, VT 05663
Guilford Country Store Guilford Windham County 475 Coolidge Highway, Guilford, VT, 05301
Steve’s Bait Shop North Hartland Windsor County 8 Rockwood Street, North Hartland, VT 05052-0083
Joe’s Taxidermy Reading Windsor County 7190 VT Route 106, Reading, VT 05062