The rifle deer season starts Saturday, and it’s not too late for people who never hunted before to try the sport.

Sure, there’s not much time left to enroll in and complete a six-hour class hunter safety course required before buying a license.

But novice hunters have a choice. They can hunt with a mentor.

Pennsylvania offers mentored hunting programs for children and adults.

Children up to age 17 pay $2.90 for their permit. Their adult mentor has to be at least 21, a licensed hunter, and carry their gun.

When a deer or other game that they are hunting in season comes into view, the youth can take the gun to fire from a stationary position.

Adults pay $20.90. Their mentors also must be 21 and licensed to hunt. Mentors have to stay close enough to see and talk to the adults they are mentoring.

Mentors can only oversee one novice hunter at a time.

For other requirements, consult the Hunting and Trapping Digest for this year at http://read.nxtbook.com/pgc/huntingtrapping/20192020/cover.html

Mentored youth hunters can take a doe or a buck, using tags transferred from their adult mentors.

Adults hunted in the mentored program can take a doe, but not a buck, with a tag transferred from their mentor.

Maybe they can split the venison afterwards.