CASPER, Wyo. — A pheasant hunt open only to hunters age 17 and under is scheduled to take place on the Yellowtail Wildlife Habitat Management Area near Lovell from Friday, November 19 through Sunday, November 21.
“During this three-day timeframe, pheasant hunting is restricted to youth only on all lands contained within the Yellowtail Wildlife Habitat Management Area north of the Shoshone River,” the Wyoming Game and Fish Department explained.
The youth-only hunt has been expanded to three days for the first time. In previous years, only one day per season was set aside for youth hunters, according to Game and Fish.
“By reconfiguring the dates of the youth hunt, birds brought in and released from the Sheridan Bird Farm will be more available to youth hunters and should provide a better opportunity for youth to harvest birds over a three-day period, versus only Saturday as it was before,” Lovell Game Warden Dillon Herman said.
Herman added that youth-only hunts are a good way for new hunters to get started in the field.
“There should be ample opportunity to put up multiple birds in a day and favorable chances for youngsters to shoulder their shotgun and pull the trigger,” he said. “I believe this kind of experience in a youth’s early years of hunting can help make hunting a lifelong endeavor.”
The youth-only hunt is open to hunters 17 years of age and under.
“To participate, youth hunters must have a pheasant special management permit and have successfully completed a hunter education course or be enrolled in Wyoming’s hunter mentor program prior to hunting during the youth hunt,” Game and Fish said. “In addition, youth over the age of 14 years must possess a valid game bird license and conservation stamp. An adult must accompany hunters under the age of 14; adults may not take any pheasants on the Yellowtail area north of the Shoshone River during youth hunt days.”
“All pheasant hunters are required to wear one article of fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink clothing (hat, shirt, sweater, jacket, vest, or coat) while hunting pheasants on Yellowtail Wildlife Management Area. For more information regarding youth-only hunts, contact Game and Fish or visit wgfd.wyo.gov.”
