NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — The deer season for those ages 11-15 opened up on Friday, and hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise and a half-hour after sunset.

Youth hunters need to have a license to hunt deer and must be supervised by an adult. However, that adult is not allowed to carry a weapon and leaders say the purpose of this season is for youngins to be able to harvest their own deer.

“I think if you are a youth that has never hunted, you are going to want to get with an adult well before the season and go through firearms safety, learn how to shoot the firearm you are going to use to hunt with before you go out. But I mean realistically when you are out there, if you are new, whether it is an adult one-time hunting or a youth in the youth season, ask questions, that is the only way you learn,” said Casey Anderson, a wildlife division chief for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

Experts say the most important thing before you head out is safety.

“The most important thing for all hunters and all firearm handlers at all times; doesn’t matter if we are transporting a firearm or actively using them during a hunting trip is to maintain positive muzzle control. And that prevents almost all accidents from ever occurring. I just really encourage people to drive that home with new hunters and current hunting buddies that you have been hunting with for a long time. There is a lot of different safety things we want people to focus on but the main one is to keep that muzzle in a safe direction,” said Brian Schaffer, hunter education coordinator for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

When it comes to hunter education, there’s what’s called the ten commandments, which helps instruct hunters on how to be safe.

According to Game and Fish, some of them include not drinking alcohol before or while shooting, identifying your target, and treating a firearm the same, whether it’s loaded or not.

“Because it is not something you learn one time it is a skill that needs to be developed over years and years and years. This youth season provides an opportunity for uninterrupted attention of that adult to be focused on that youngster and to really teach them what deer hunting in North Dakota is really about,” said Schaffer.

Experts say they want kids to be prepared before they go out which includes wearing orange so other hunters in the field can see them.

Also, let the youth do all the preparation so they can learn what they need.

Schaffer said it’s good to get kids outdoors and keep the hunting tradition going in North Dakota.

This season ends September 24.