ME: Jr Hunter & Bow Question

[PhotoBiker]

My son & I are taking the Firearm Hunter's safety course starting next week for Maine. I've never hunted before and will be starting this Spring Wild Turkey season along with my son.

In Maine, Turkeys can only be taken with a 10 - 20 Gauge shotgun. My son is a small 12 and can't accurately wield a 20 Gauge yet so we want to use his bow (a decked out Craze). I will be using my Remington 870, I don't own a bow. I am trying to make sense of the Maine laws and am a little confused. I see references of having to take an Archery course to obtain an Archery license, however, we are taking the firearm course.

I found a reference out at this site:
Archery & Crossbow Laws | Maine Hunting & Trapping Guide | eRegulations.com

"

Junior hunters (at least 10 years of age and under 16) who hold a valid Junior Hunting License are allowed to hunt with bow and arrow when accompanied by their parent or an adult 18 years of age or older​

"

Does anyone know if this means that my son can hunt [Wild Turkey] with his bow, provided he has a Junior Hunting license and is accompanied by me?

If we have to take the Archery Hunter Safety course in addition to the Firearms, there is still time for us to sign up for it.

Thanks,

 

[PhotoBiker]

I was able to break away today and get in touch with a game warden. Turns out my son (children aged 10 - 16) don't even have to take the hunter's safety course (but he will take it) as they can only hunt with adult hunters. The Maine Junior Hunter permit is pretty nice too, he can hunt with bow or firearm. Once he turns 16, then he has to show proof of training for the method of hunting.

The long and short of it is, we are in the right course.

 

[OIFer]

Good luck with the hunt, i think 12 is a pretty good age to strt shooting, i would work on the 20 guage with him, i bet if he got used to shooting some light loads ( try # 8s for example, or 'club' loads for skeet) out of the 20 he would get accustomed to it pretty quickly.

i wouldnt even try the turkey loads with a kid, because the turkey loads are EXTRA powerful and kick quite a bit - a kid would surely be turned off by the recoil on a turkey load.

 

[OIFer]

btw, when i say try light loads, i mean at the range and not for hunting. use 4s or whatever maine reuires for turkey hunting to be in complience w the hunting laws