If you’re a hunter, it will pay to be a kid this weekend

In keeping with tradition, youngsters in Missouri and Kansas will get first shot at game this fall.

Wildlife departments in both states set special youth hunts years ago to introduce kids, accompanied by adults, to hunting in a comfortable setting. In all of the hunts, the adults can provide advice but cannot shoot.

Youth has its privileges.

For kids, the fun starts this weekend and continues for several weeks.

▪ Youth waterfowl seasons will take place Saturday and Sunday in the Missouri North Zone and the Kansas Low Plains Late Zone.

In both states, children ages 15 and younger accompanied by an adult 18 or older can shoot ducks and geese. Daily limits are the same as in the regular season.

▪ In Missouri, youngsters will also be the first to hunt pheasants and quail. The youth season takes place Saturday and Sunday.

Kids ages 6 to 15 will be eligible. Those who have not received their hunter-education certification must hunt in the immediate presence of an adult with proper hunting licenses. That adult cannot pull the trigger, however.

▪ Youth waterfowl seasons are coming up in other zones in Missouri and Kansas.

In Missouri, the season will be Oct. 31-Nov. 1 in the Middle Zone and Nov. 21-22 in the South Zone. In Kansas, the youth season will be Nov. 7-8 in the Southeast Zone.

▪ The Missouri youth deer season will be Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and Jan. 2-3.

Youngsters ages 6 to 15 can hunt. Those who have not passed their hunter education course must hunt under the supervision of an adult.

▪ The Kansas upland-gamebird youth season also will take place Nov. 7-8.

Youth ages 6 to 15, accompanied by an adult, can participate. Daily bag limits are two rooster pheasants and four quail, half of the bag limits during the regular season.

Kansas catfish tournament Saturday

The big channel cats are hitting at John Redmond Reservoir in Kansas.

So, here’s your chance to catch a few big fish and win some money, too. The Virgil Brown Memorial Catfish Tournament will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. It will be based at the boat ramp at the dam.

The entry fee is $50 per boat. For more information, call Ty Wolf at 620-341-2129.

Cabela’s to set up deer camp

You won’t have to go to the woods to set up deer camp Oct. 31.

The Cabela’s Outfitters store in Kansas City, Kan., will have one right in its urban setting.

The special day will feature a live deer-processing demonstration, where hunters will be able to see a field-dressed deer go from being field-dressed to freezer bags.

Seminars will include an introduction to field dressing at 10 a.m., wild-game processing at 11 a.m., layering for hunting and camouflage options at 1 p.m., and scents, calls and attractants at 2 p.m.

This story was originally published October 22, 2015 at 6:35 PM with the headline "If you’re a hunter, it will pay to be a kid this weekend."