The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division of the SC Department of Natural Resources initiated special youth hunts as early as 1996-97 and now conducts approximately 110 hunts each year. These hunts fall into 5 general categories as follows:

•Youth Dove Hunts
•Youth Deer Hunts
•Youth Raccoon Hunts
•Adult/Youth Turkey Hunts
•Adult/Youth Waterfowl Hunts
•Youth Waterfowl Hunts

In addition, WFF staff provides Adult/Youth...

In 2000, the SC General Assembly created a new statute (50-9-740) that authorizes the SCDNR to designate one or more youth days in addition to the regular season for a species of wild game. The youth days must be held outside of the regular season on a weekend, holiday or other nonschool day and within 14 days before or after the regular open period for that species. Under this law a youth hunter is one who is less than 18 years of age. The SCDNR, under the authority of this law, has...

The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) is a national program that supports the shooting sports and hunting thrust of the SCDNR. Youth programs are developed through organizations and schools and supported with equipment and supplies provided by the SCDNR. In 2009, 1,246 students participated on 29 teams at 9 events.

The gun safety and shooting components of the program dovetail nicely with other SCDNR shooting and hunting programs.

National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) is a nation-wide program that provides guidance and support to partners wishing to implement the program in schools within their state. The SCDNR initiated this program in 2005 and now provides the opportunity in 146 schools. SCDNR participates in the program by recruiting schools and has trained 236 teachers and instructors. Eighteen thousand students in the 146 schools are expected to participate in the program during the 2009-10 school...

Matching caring adults with a passion for the outdoors with children that want to learn about the outdoors...that's what the Pass It On program is about in a nutshell.

Whether it is fishing, camping, hiking, bird watching, archery, hunting, shooting sports, sailing...or just about any other traditional outdoor activity, we work to provide opportunities for children to learn about them in a safe environment from mentors willing to share their time.

The Arkansas National Archery in the Schools Program (Arkansas NASP) is the official Arkansas affiliate of the National Archery in the Schools Program.

Archery is an activity in which people from all walks of life and almost every size and ability can participate. Archery is also a great way to sharpen skills and build success in the classroom; in addition, it is also a relatively simple and inexpensive sport to learn and pursue.

Arkansas NASP is focused on providing a...

Times, lifestyles, and family activities have changed, as well as our land and wildlife resources. The youth of today do not have the same opportunities to hunt as in the past 20 to 30 years. Due to urbanization, loss of farms and other open space, less leisure time, computers and internet access, video games and organized school activities, young people are losing their connection to the outdoors. The days of walking down the road to the nearby farm or wood lot to hunt after school are all...

The Apprentice Hunter Validation Program serves as a short-term, one-time-only, exclusion to the regulations related to the hunter education firearms safety training requirements. As such it gives a person that qulaifies an opportunity to sample hunting for one season before they are required to complete a hunter education firearms safety training course.

Mentored Youth Hunts are operated in partnership between the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the National Wild Turkey Federation, Pheasants Forever, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, Bluffland Whitetails Association and Minnesota State Archery Association. They have three purposes:

1) They are intended to be educational experiences to teach new hunters (both youth and their guardians) the skills and techniques to be life-long hunters.

2) They provide first time...