Novice and Youth turkey hunters get a head start April 24-25, the weekend before opening day of the spring turkey season May 1.
To participate novice and youth hunters must be 16 years of age or older and have successfully completed a Hunter Education Course. Hunter Education Courses from other states are accepted.
Young hunters are advised to plan ahead when purchasing your first hunting or combination license which must be purchased within one year of the first day of the Novice Turkey Hunting Weekend. The one-year requirement must be met for both days of the Novice/Youth season. Keep the dates in mind, because depending on the date of purchase, a person may qualify for just one day of the two-day Novice season.
Novice hunters also are required to hold a valid Vermont resident hunting or combination license and a turkey hunting license, or a Vermont non-resident hunting or combination license and a turkey hunting license. A Novice Turkey Hunting Weekend tag is also required and is available wherever licenses are sold, or from the department’s online system.
Youth must be accompanied by an unarmed adult (18 years of age or older) who also holds a valid Vermont resident hunting or combination license or Vermont nonresident hunting or combination license. The adult hunter can accompany no more than two novice hunters at one time. Landowner license exception does not apply to novice deer hunting weekend.
Prior permission from the landowner is required for those who plan to hunt on private land.
Shooting hours for the weekend are one-half hour before sunrise to 5 p.m.; the limit is one bearded turkey, and the harvest must be reported within 48 hours.
See Vermont Fish & Wildlife Regulations for specific rules about turkey hunting.