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Hunters can apply for special youth deer hunt permits through Aug. 18. The number of permits for each hunt is limited. Individual hunts will be held in several state parks, and in the Rydell National Wildlife Refuge, on various dates in the fall. Adults must accompany youth during these hunts. These firearms hunts are for youth ages 12-15 at the time of the hunt.

Youth archery hunters in Sand Prairie Wildlife Management Area in Sherburne County can be ages 10-17.

Special youth deer hunts are different from the statewide youth deer season, which takes place Oct. 19-22 and does not require an application. More information is available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/hunting/deer/special-deer-hunts.html).

In most instances, hunters may only possess and use nontoxic ammunition when participating in a special hunt in a Minnesota state park; however, nontoxic ammunition requirements do not apply to youth special hunts in the shotgun-use area if hunters remove all parts of harvested deer, including the entrails.

Nontoxic ammunition includes steel, copper-plated, nickel-plated, zinc-plated and other projectiles made from a nontoxic material approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A full list is available in the Code of Federal Regulations (ecfr.gov) and can be found by typing “hunting methods” in the search box and clicking “What hunting methods are illegal?”