MARQUETTE -- With hunting season coming up, the Department of Natural Resources wants everyone to know about some new hunting regulations for this year. 

Youth hunters will see the biggest change.  Ten and eleven year olds can now hunt for deer with a firearm as long as they're hunting on private land.  In the past, they've been limited to using archery to hunt.  All youth hunters aged 10 to 16 have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian while hunting.

One TV6 Facebook fan asked:  "Do you have to have had hunter's safety to legally hunt if you're older than 18?"

All hunters born after January 1, 1960 have to go through hunter's safety class.

"Hunter's safety, of course, goes through a lot of firearm safety, like how to safely handle a gun," said Debbie Munson Badini of the DNR.  "But, also the ethics of hunting, like how to take a good shot and what to do with your game after you've harvested it.  So, it's just something that we really encourage everyone to do.  If they want to try apprentice hunting first if they're not sure they want to commit to it or not, that's fine.  But, hunter's safety is great no matter what your age."

Apprentice licenses will allow kids to hunt for two years without hunter's safety, but they will still have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian that has gone through hunter's safety and has a hunting license.

The youth deer hunt, taking place this weekend, is a chance for kids ages 10 to 16 to hunt for deer.  Ten to 13 year olds may hunt on private property with a firearm or on public property with a bow or crossbow.  Youth hunters ages 14-16 may hunt on private or public land with a firearm.

The state legislature has passed a law that will eliminate the minimum hunting age in 2012 and establish a mentored hunting program   For more information, visit the DNR's facebook page.