To encourage the recruitment of persons as responsible hunters:

1. (1) The certificate of completion requirement may be waived for one license year if a person obtains an apprentice hunting license, and a person may receive such a waiver only one time. An apprentice hunting license may be issued if the applicant:

   1. (a) is at least sixteen years of age and otherwise required to obtain a certificate of completion to obtain a hunting license;
   2. (b) has not been convicted of or received deferred adjudication for violation of the hunter education requirement in this State; and
   3. (c) has not been convicted of a hunting violation.

2. (2) While afield, the apprentice hunter must be accompanied by a licensed hunter who:

   1. (a) has attained the age of twenty-one years;
   2. (b) is not licensed as an apprentice hunter; and
   3. (c) stays within a distance that enables uninterrupted, unaided, visual, and oral communication with the apprentice hunter and provides adequate direction to the apprentice.
3. (3) If the holder of an apprentice hunting license obtains a certificate of completion prior to the expiration date of his apprentice hunting license, his apprentice hunting license will be used as his statewide hunting license; provided, the licensee must have the certificate of completion in his possession while hunting.
4. (4) In addition to obtaining the apprentice hunting license, an apprentice license holder must obtain any other license, permit, receipt, stamp, and tag required to participate in a specific hunting activity.

HISTORY: 2010 Act No. 233, Section 7, eff July 1, 2010; 2012 Act No. 257, Section 11, eff June 18, 2012; 2013 Act No. 94, Section 4, eff July 1, 2013.