A youth-only pheasant hunt is planned for Friday through Sunday on Yellowtail Wildlife Habitat Management Area near Lovell. During these three days, pheasant hunting is restricted to youth only on all lands within the Yellowtail Wildlife Habitat Management Area north of the Shoshone River.

In previous years, the hunt has been limited to one day per season. However, “by reconfiguring the dates of the youth hunt, birds brought in and released from the Sheridan Bird Farm will be more available to youth hunters and should provide a better opportunity for youth to harvest birds over a three-day period, versus only Saturday, as it was before,” said Lovell Game Warden Dillon Herman.

A youth is defined as anyone 17 years of age or younger. To participate, youth hunters must have a pheasant special management permit and have successfully completed a hunter education course or be enrolled in Wyoming’s hunter mentor program prior to hunting during the youth hunt. In addition, youth over the age of 14 years must possess a valid game bird license, and conservation stamp. An adult must accompany hunters under the age of 14; adults may not take any pheasants on the Yellowtail area north of the Shoshone River during youth hunt days.   

“A youth-only hunt on Yellowtail is a fantastic way to get new hunters started in the field. There should be ample opportunity to put up multiple birds in a day and favorable chances for youngsters to shoulder their shotgun and pull the trigger,” Herman said. “I believe this kind of experience in a youth’s early years of hunting can help make hunting a lifelong endeavor.”  

All pheasant hunters are required to wear one article of fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink clothing (hat, shirt, sweater, jacket, vest, or coat) while hunting pheasants on Yellowtail Wildlife Management Area. For more information regarding youth-only hunts, contact Game and Fish or visit wgfd.wyo.gov.