MA Youth Hunt Tags

[RDG]

So I know there are a couple guys here really familiar with the Youth Hunt Regs in MA... I'm trying to make sense of the Youth Tag system

For the Turkey Youth hunt, my 12 year old son got three tags.. Two Spring bearded birds Tags and one Fall either sex Tag.

Now obviously the Fall Tag is good during the fall and not on the Youth Turkey hunt day.. and the Spring tags were dated till the last date of the normal spring young 05/20/2023.
I assumed the Spring tags were good for the entire Normal hunting season and Mass Wildlife verified this. Basically we could shoot 4 birds in the spring between the two of us. Sweet

So last week I got his Youth Deer Tag.. the Tag reads Either-Sex Deer Tag valid until 12/30/2023.. the last legal day of Muzzleloaders. So I was kind of excited.. Figured if he didn't harvest a deer on the Sept 30th deer hunt then he had all season to try and harvest one.
Contacted two individuals at Mass Wildlife (including the deer biologist.) and both told me the same thing.. Either Sex deer tag he got is only valid on Sept 30 during the youth hunt.. even though it reads valid until 12/30!!

Does this make any sense to anyone... why would his turkey tags be good all season but his deer tag is only valid for one day???
I did try the EPO Dispatch number but they send me to hunter safety at MassWildlife.

 

[Mark from MA]

So I know there are a couple guys here really familiar with the Youth Hunt Regs in MA... I'm trying to make sense of the Youth Tag system

For the Turkey Youth hunt, my 12 year old son got three tags.. Two Spring bearded birds Tags and one Fall either sex Tag.

Now obviously the Fall Tag is good during the fall and not on the Youth Turkey hunt day.. and the Spring tags were dated till the last date of the normal spring young 05/20/2023.
I assumed the Spring tags were good for the entire Normal hunting season and Mass Wildlife verified this. Basically we could shoot 4 birds in the spring between the two of us. Sweet

So last week I got his Youth Deer Tag.. the Tag reads Either-Sex Deer Tag valid until 12/30/2023.. the last legal day of Muzzleloaders. So I was kind of excited.. Figured if he didn't harvest a deer on the Sept 30th deer hunt then he had all season to try and harvest one.
Contacted two individuals at Mass Wildlife (including the deer biologist.) and both told me the same thing.. Either Sex deer tag he got is only valid on Sept 30 during the youth hunt.. even though it reads valid until 12/30!!

Does this make any sense to anyone... why would his turkey tags be good all season but his deer tag is only valid for one day???
I did try the EPO Dispatch number but they send me to hunter safety at MassWildlife.

I'm not sure why this is a big deal even if you can't use the tag for deer hunting all year? Its only one tag.

He can come with you all season long, are sharing a weapon, and he can kill a deer using your tags. You have 2 buck tags and assuming you get a doe permit another doe tag. Which is 3 tags. If you live/hunt in the eastern zones, doe tags are pretty much unlimited. So unlimited tags on does and two bucks.

When my son hunted with me, I just let him use my tags......3 deer per year is way more than enough for us.

 

[RDG]

I'm not sure why this is a big deal even if you can't use the tag for deer hunting all year? Its only one tag.

He can come with you all season long, are sharing a weapon, and he can kill a deer using your tags. You have 2 buck tags and assuming you get a doe permit another doe tag. Which is 3 tags. If you live/hunt in the eastern zones, doe tags are pretty much unlimited. So unlimited tags on does and two bucks.

When my son hunted with me, I just let him use my tags......3 deer per year is way more than enough for us.

I didn't get a doe tag... hard to get in 4S.

That either sex tag being valid all season opens up a whole bunch of deer for him.
I have no problem with him using my two tags... but that either sex tag really improves his odds.

 

[ddeck]

It clearly says on page 25 of the book that the license and tag is only good for that one day:



And same page has this for turkey:



Does it make sense? It's Mass I'm guessing that for the reasons you mention on being able to get a doe permit through the youth day but not in the regular season is the driving force.

 

[Mark from MA]

I didn't get a doe tag... hard to get in 4S.

That either sex tag being valid all season opens up a whole bunch of deer for him.
I have no problem with him using my two tags... but that either sex tag really improves his odds.

Well the deer hunting sucks in 5 as well.........

I just ended up taking him to CT where he could get a real opportunity.

Take him out east where the tags are unlimited and there must be vast herds of easy to kill does. Having a kid in tow that wants to take his first deer does get you some help when asking for permission.