§ 4256. Mentored hunting licenses

(a) An individual who holds a mentored hunting license shall be entitled to hunt only when accompanied by an individual, 21 years of age or older, who holds a valid hunting license under subsection 4254(b) of this title. A resident or nonresident mentored hunting license may be issued to any person who has not taken a hunter safety course as required under subdivisions 4254(b)(1) and (2) of this title, provided that:

(1) A mentored hunting license shall only be issued twice to any one individual, and each license shall last until December 31 of the year for which the license was issued.

(2) A mentored hunting license shall not be issued to any individual who has held a valid hunting license under subsection 4254(b) of this title or an equivalent license in any other state.

(3) The mentored hunting license shall not be issued to a person under 16 years of age without the written consent of the applicant's parent or legal guardian given in the presence of the agent issuing the license.

(b) Having held a valid mentored hunting license does not exempt an individual from meeting all the requirements for a hunting license under subsection 4254(b) of this title.

(c) At the time of licensing, the Department shall provide each mentored hunter a document to explain the details of the mentored hunting license program and to educate the mentored hunter about hunting safety and responsibility. The applicant shall certify, according to Department procedure, that he or she has read the document. The Department shall provide copies of this document to all locations authorized to sell licenses pursuant to subsection 4254(e) of this title.

(d) As used in this section, "accompany," "accompanied," or "accompanying" means that the mentored hunter is in the direct control and supervision of the licensed hunter and is within 15 feet of the licensed hunter. While hunting, an individual who holds a valid hunting license under subsection 4254(b) of this title shall accompany only one mentored hunter at a time.

(e) An individual who holds a mentored hunting license is not eligible to hunt moose pursuant to subsection 4254(b) of this title.

(f) An individual who holds a mentored hunting license shall be subject to the bag limit of the fully licensed accompanying hunter. When game is taken by a mentored hunter, it shall be deemed taken by the fully licensed accompanying hunter.

(g) Notwithstanding subdivision 5101(a)(1) of this title, after tagging and reporting game pursuant to fish and wildlife regulations, a person who holds a mentored hunting license may, unaccompanied by the fully licensed accompanying hunter, transport game the mentored hunter has taken.

(h) The scheduled amount of a fine under section 4555 of this title shall be doubled for a violation of this section, and the fine shall be assessed against the licensed adult accompanying the mentored hunter.

(i) On demand of a game warden or other officer authorized by law to make arrests, or of the owner of the land on which a person is hunting, the individual who holds a mentored hunting license shall exhibit the license. (Added 2009, No. 120 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; amended 2015, No. 61, § 6, eff. Jan. 1, 2016.)