Section 147.804. General

(a) License required. A mentor shall possess a valid Pennsylvania hunting license or qualify for license and fee exemptions under section 2706 of the act (relating to resident license and fee exemptions) prior to engaging in any mentored hunting activities.

(b) Permit required. A mentored youth or mentored adult shall possess a valid applicable mentored hunting permit prior to engaging in any mentored hunting activities.

(c) Species limitation.

(1) A mentored youth’s hunting eligibility is restricted to the following species: cottontail rabbit, mourning dove, squirrel, woodchuck, coyote, deer and wild turkey. Except as provided in this paragraph, mentored youth hunting permits will be issued with an antlered deer harvest tag and a spring turkey harvest tag. Harvest tags will not be issued to mentored youth applicants who are under 7 years of age at the time of application.

(2) A mentored adult’s hunting eligibility is restricted to the following species: squirrel, ruffed grouse, rabbit, pheasant, bobwhite quail, hares, porcupine, woodchuck, crow, coyote, antlerless deer and wild turkey. Mentored adult hunting permits will be issued with a spring turkey harvest tag.

(d) Seasons and bag limits. A mentored youth’s and mentored adult’s hunting eligibility is further constrained by applicable hunting seasons, daily limits, field possession limits and season limits provided in § 139.4 (relating to seasons and bag limits for the license year).

(e) Applicability of junior seasons and antler restrictions. A mentored youth is eligible to hunt during any special youth hunting seasons that apply to any species specified in subsection (c) and are subject to the same antler restrictions that apply to junior license holders in § 131.2 (relating to definitions).

(f) Tagging requirements. Mentored youth and men-tored adults shall tag and report all big game harvested in the manner provided in section 2323 of the act (relating to tagging and reporting big game kills).

(g) Transfer of an antlerless license. Notwithstanding the prohibitions in section 2711(a)(3) and (5) of the act (relating to unlawful acts concerning licenses), mentors are authorized to transfer antlerless licenses issued to them to an eligible mentored youth or mentored adult. The antlerless license shall be valid and in the possession of the mentor at all times while hunting antlerless deer. The transfer of the antlerless license may not occur until after the mentored youth or mentored adult has harvested the antlerless deer, but before tagging the carcass. A mentored youth or mentored adult may receive by transfer no more than one antlerless deer license each license year. Mentored youth and mentored adults are ineligible to make direct application for an antlerless license.

(h) Transfer of a fall turkey tag. Notwithstanding the prohibitions in section 2711(a)(3) and (5) of the act, mentors are authorized to transfer fall turkey tags issued to them to an eligible mentored youth or mentored adult. The fall turkey tag shall be valid and in the possession of the mentor at all times while hunting fall turkey. The transfer of the fall turkey tag may not occur until after the mentored youth or mentored adult has harvested the fall turkey, but before tagging the carcass. A mentored youth or mentored adult may not receive by transfer more than one fall turkey tag each license year.

(i) Transfer of a Deer Management Assistance Program harvest permit. Notwithstanding the prohibitions in § 147.676(2) and (3) (relating to unlawful acts), mentors are authorized to transfer Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) harvest permits issued to them to an eligible mentored youth or mentored adult. The DMAP harvest permit must be valid and in the possession of the mentor at all times while hunting antlerless deer. The transfer of the DMAP harvest permit may not occur until after the mentored youth or mentored adult has harvested the antlerless deer, but before tagging the carcass. A mentored youth or mentored adult may not receive by transfer more than one DMAP harvest permit each license year. Mentored youth and mentored adults are ineligible to make direct application for a DMAP harvest permit.

(j) Transfer of an antlered deer harvest tag. Notwithstanding the prohibitions in section 2711(a)(3) and (5) of the act, mentors are authorized to transfer antlered deer harvest tags issued to them to a mentored youth who was under 7 years of age at the time of application. The antlered deer harvest tag shall be valid and in the possession of the mentor at all times while hunting antlered deer. The transfer of the antlered deer harvest tag may not occur until after the mentored youth has harvested the antlered deer, but before tagging the carcass. A mentored youth may not receive by transfer more than one antlered deer harvest tag each license year.

(k) Transfer of a spring turkey harvest tag. Notwithstanding the prohibitions in section 2711(a)(3) and (5) of the act, mentors are authorized to transfer spring turkey harvest tags issued to them to a mentored youth who was under 7 years of age at the time of application. The spring turkey harvest tag shall be valid and in the possession of the mentor at all times while hunting spring turkey. The transfer of the spring turkey harvest tag may not occur until after the mentored youth has harvested the spring turkey, but before tagging the carcass. A mentored youth may not receive by transfer more than one spring turkey harvest tag each license year.

The provisions of this § 147.804 amended August 12, 2011, effective August 13, 2011, 41 Pa.B. 4419; amended June 22, 2012, effective June 23, 2012, 42 Pa.B. 3594; corrected July 6, 2012, effective June 23, 2012, 42 Pa.B. 4305; amended April 26, 2013, effective April 27, 2013, 43 Pa.B. 2311; amended May 23, 2014, effective May 24, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 3102; amended May 29, 2015, effective May 30, 2015, 45 Pa.B. 2608; amended November 6, 2015, effective November 7, 2015, 45 Pa.B. 6503. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (376947) to (376948).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 147.804 amended under the Game and Wildlife Code, 34 Pa.C.S. § § 2102(a), 2701(a), 2722(g) and 2901(b).