Special Youth, Veteran and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting Day

[Graybeard]

Press release

January 20, 2023

Contact: Seth Maddox, (334) 242-3469

Special Youth, Veteran and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting Day

The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has designated Saturday, February 4, 2023, as the second of the 2022-2023 hunting season’s Special Youth, Veteran and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting Days. The first of the two special waterfowl hunting days took place November 19, 2022.

On February 4, youth under age 16 who are accompanied by a licensed adult hunter as well as military personnel on active duty and veterans (as defined in section 101 of U.S. Code: Title 38) may hunt for waterfowl statewide. Regular waterfowl season shooting hours, bag limits, legal arms and ammunitions apply to the special days. Hunting area rules and regulations also apply.

To participate in the hunt, youth must be accompanied by a licensed adult supervisor. Only one firearm will be allowed per youth and only the youth hunters will be permitted to utilize the firearm for hunting unless the adult meets the requirements of a veteran or active-duty military personnel. The adult supervisor must remain within arm’s length of the youth at all times and may accompany up to two youth participants during the hunt. The adult is also expected to review the rules of firearm safety and hunter ethics with each youth and ensure they are followed.

Youth is defined as an individual age 15 years and younger. Adult is defined as an individual age 21 years and older, or as the parent of the youth. The adult must have a state hunting license, state and federal waterfowl stamps and a free Harvest Information Program registration. Veterans and active duty military personnel must be in possession of a valid proof of service such as a military ID, Veterans Administration ID, veteran ID, veteran validation on their driver’s license or a copy of their DD Form 214. Possession of the mandatory hunting licenses and stamps is also required.

For more information about the Special Youth, Veteran and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting Days, contact WFF Migratory Gamebird Coordinator Seth Maddox at Seth.Maddox@dcnr.alabama.gov or (334) 242-3469, or visit www.outdooralabama.com/waterfowl.

ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Learn more at www.outdooralabama.com.
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[Ranger99]

The whole nation should have youth
and veteran hunting and fishing days.
I've always been unhappy here because
these p******  here tacked on the antler
restriction to the youth season. Those
that were for it and like it are all the
"Don't shoot anything less than a 5 year
old trophy buck " types, and rabid about
everyone else being on the same page.

JMHO- I believe a youth hunter should
be able to shoot any deer walking .
They have their whole lives to decide
if they want to be a trophy hunter or not

[Graybeard]

Yup I agree. To a person, of any age really, that very first deer ya shoot is a trophy regardless of size/age/sex.

Had does been legal here back when my wife was deer hunting with me she'd have taken her first deer. But back then it was bucks only with rifle. Now they want ya to kill those does and the limit is two a day.

[Lloyd Smale]

we have a youth hunt and a liberty hunt that disabled vets can hunt both. No restrictions and even anterless deer are allowed. Ive never participated in either. It amazes me how many hunters you talk to that are angry about these hunts. You hear it alot "why should they get first crack at the bucks" or you will here "there father shoots a deer and tags it with his kids tag" Yet not one case of anyone getting arrested for that.  Had one guy bitching last year. He said he has a camp and baits deer all year long to get a good buck to come in and for the last 3 years someone set up a blind just over his property line and the kid shot a nice buck that was his. I about lost it. I told him you dont own any bucks, you dont control any hunters on state land and baiting the way your doing it is illegal. In my area baiting is only allowed 2 starting two weeks before season and is limited to 3lbs of bait. He had sugar beet piles as high as my truck. Its the same everywhere. Theres always those who dont give a rats ass about anyone but themselves. I told him my camp is a mile away and your illegal baiting is taking deer that we might harvest away. He turned red and walk away. Im sure he thought because i owned land near by i shared his greed.

[nw_hunter]

I grew up in a time when deer in my area of the south, were few and far between. I hunted squirrels and other small game as a youth. Most deer were killed over dogs, with shotguns back then. I never got into hunting deer from stands, with food plots and bait stations. Most of my hunting big game has been out west. Most practice walk and stalk hunting here. Baiting isn't allowed here. I have killed a few under wild apple trees. LOL!

To me, hunting over a food plot, and from a stand isn't something I would enjoy. Just me! Not knocking it. I realize the area you live in dictates the style of hunting you do.

Thanks to the Timber industry, our deer and other wildlife numbers are declining rapidly  because of clear cutting, and spraying to kill all food sources that wildlife needs to survive. My hunting days are about over, but the future for our young hunters is not looking good.

[Ranger99]

My motto has been-
Hunt your own hunt and let me hunt mine

I've hunted just about every legal way that
there is in this state. There's so many here
now that insist that their way is the only way
and everybody else should subscribe to their
methods.  I have people every year that cry
and moan that I shot some special deer
that " should have been allowed to grow a
few more years and mature " or some
ridiculous something like that. The people
in my area disdain anything but "trophy "
bucks, but will turn around and scream
that it's not about the bragging rights, but
the sport,  blah blah blah,  yet they won't
shoot a traditional muzzleloader, or a
40 year old bow, and very few walk anywhere
and drive a $20,000.00 UTV
I've done all that, hunted high fence out
of a high rack, plush places with plush
tower blinds, drove the ranch roads and
took shots out of a truck window, etc.

IMO it won't be long until if you want to
kill a deer,  you'll have to do it at one of
the hunting ranches or lodges on their
terms and pay their prices

[Lloyd Smale]

well said

I grew up in a time when deer in my area of the south, were few and far between. I hunted squirrels and other small game as a youth. Most deer were killed over dogs, with shotguns back then. I never got into hunting deer from stands, with food plots and bait stations. Most of my hunting big game has been out west. Most practice walk and stalk hunting here. Baiting isn't allowed here. I have killed a few under wild apple trees. LOL!

To me, hunting over a food plot, and from a stand isn't something I would enjoy. Just me! Not knocking it. I realize the area you live in dictates the style of hunting you do.

Thanks to the Timber industry, our deer and other wildlife numbers are declining rapidly  because of clear cutting, and spraying to kill all food sources that wildlife needs to survive. My hunting days are about over, but the future for our young hunters is not looking good.