(b) No more than 15% of the antlerless deer permits issued in any one district or in any one zone may be issued to nonresident and alien hunters.

(5) An antlerless deer permit system adopted by the commissioner pursuant to this section may include a provision giving special consideration to landowners who keep their lands open to hunting by the public. Any 2 or more areas of land owned by the same person that are open for hunting and that would be contiguous except for being divided by one or more roads are considered contiguous for the purposes of determining landowner eligibility for special consideration under this subparagraph.

A junior hunter may apply for an antlerless deer permit. A junior hunter or a person 65 years of age or older may take an antlerless deer, if a person who holds a valid antlerless deer permit transfers the permit to the junior hunter or person 65 years of age or older by identifying the name, age and address of the transferee on the permit as well as any other information reasonably requested by the commissioner and then returns the permit to the department prior to the start of the firearm season on deer. The commissioner shall record the transfer and return the permit to the junior hunter or person 65 years of age or older. A valid permit must be in the possession of the transferee in order for the transferee to take an antlerless deer. If the person transfers the permit to the junior hunter or person 65 years of age or older, that person is prohibited from taking an antlerless deer.

SUMMARY

This bill allows a junior hunter to apply for a junior hunting license before the junior hunter's 10th birthday, if the junior hunter will be 10 years of age by the first day of hunting season. It also allows a junior hunter to apply for an antlerless deer permit.