Your opinion on youth hunts

[bigj1975]

The Michigan firearm youth hunt was this past weekend. Kids the ages of 12 through 16 has one weekend a year before bowseason to hunt with a firearm as long as they are accompanied by an adult. I must admit I have mixed thoughts on it. The purpose of this hunt is to get younger people involved with hunting. In theory I don't see a problem with it but the fact that this hunt can be abused.

I "had" a friend that had his son go through hunters safety and they bought a license for the youth hunt. The thing that really ticked me off is his son didn't have any interest in hunting and his dad pretty much forced him to go. Well his dad shot a buck while the kid just sat there. He was so proud of himself I could've strangled him. I haven't talked to him since that day. I work with a guy that said somebody he knew did the exact same thing.............what a shame.

A guy I work with told me today that a 10 pointer that had been feeding on his clover patch all summer was shot by a 15 year old on saturday. Then he told me that an 8 pointer that also fed on his clovers was shot sunday by his 16 year old brother. He is not a very happy camper right now I can tell you that. I must admit I'd be a little upset if I was him too.

This is quite a debate in this state but I think 99% of the complaints are because of jealousy. I'm probably a little jealous as well. Wish they had it when I was that age.

[stackenem]

There is a lot of debate on this subject. I know people that use this hunt as an excuse to shoot deer with their kids just sitting there also. They also use it as an excuse to bait early even thro it is still to early to bait but they say they have to bait to make sure their kids see deer. What ever happened to hunting. Baiting is not hunting in my opinion. But that is a totally different subject.

[arkansasdon]

quoteThis is quite a debate in this state but I think 99% of the complaints are because of jealousy. I'm probably a little jealous as well. Wish they had it when I was that age.

yeah, I could see that , bein jealous. I remember my first deer, I was 12 yrs old when I passed Hunters Safety, 13 yrs old when I got my huntin license, 13 yr old takin my first buck under a huge walnut tree , spike fork Blacktail with a 32 Winchester Special. Didnt have no early youth hunt.
Its a drag that a father has to force a hunt to a son or daughter, I wasn,t it stuck with me and the tradition was carried on, my daughter took her first deer at 14 yrs old, with the same gun I took my deer with. But as she got older she lost interest in it and took up "Boys", youth hunts are important to me , cause it helps the first timers and second timers to get aquainted to the so much love of huntin. Deer are deer, they dont belong to us, there game and fishes deer, the states deer, I dont get pissed or T'ed if someone bust down a buck that I seen on my land, used too, but my good friend Roger straightin me out on that, he's "Arkansas Game & Fish Inforcement Officer", Now for the dad donin what he did, "Elegally" I have no respect for a "Outlaw", even if he done it for the first time. I consider him an "Outlaw" he knew he was doin wrong, and lucky he didnt get caught, but if someone snitches him off well then he will be in hot water, and will get what was deserved to him.
I like the youth hunts , I get all excited over a youngin takin game big or small, that good warm fuzzy feelin

[midrivers]

We have a youth hunt in Missouri, it falls the weekend before our Firearms season. November 6th or so every year. I could see where the deer (esp. the Bigger bucks) would not have a chance having a rifle season that early. I hear you about the Dads shooting deer and it is unfortunate and wrong. However, the kids that get the opportunity to hunt because of this season is worth it I think. It is safer, the conditions are much better (maybe why Michigan has their season so much earlier) and alot more Dads will take the time to get hte kids out when they cannot hunt anyway. I think the little rats have it pretty good here in MO because the youth season falls during the "chase" portion of the rut, by the timeour rilfe season opens the bucks are tending does and not running as crazy! Alot of really BIG deer are taken by youngsters every year here! And you can tell who shot the deer, the kids are proud as hell of even a doe! They get really excited!

[mrjbigfoot]

Ohio has started youth hunts for deer, turkey & even pheasants. Obviously the intent is for kids to have a chance to get out there & be successful prior to the masses pounding the crap out of everything. I'm ok with the idea from that standpoint & considering that we'll have almost 2 months of bow season before the youth deer/gun hunt, there's plently of time for a bow hunter to pursue that big buck before you turn the kids loose. If all you did was gun hunt, I could see where you might be concerned if there was going to be kids hunting with guns on the property you hunt, the week before you get to. And, I guess it would be the same concern for turkey hunters. Judging by Ohio's numbers that they recorded for the youth deer hunt, it really didn't look like any significant quantity of deer were killed. From a food for thought standpoint, it might be worth an argument to try & limit youth hunts to state owned & managed properties where the game wardens could keep a better eye on who's doing what. That would help keep it from being an opportunity for less than ethical folks to take a deer & put their kids tag on it.

[midrivers]

They would howl from the rafters here in Missouri, but we are in a different situation than alot of states around us. They are into population control mode at this point. I can legally kill as many deer as I desire in potions of my state (northern half). At some level I think the MDC is turning their back on a bit of wrongdoing just hoping to get the population under control. i also think we have a heavier impact in our youth season than maybe you states do.

I did a little checking and came up with a very interesting page

mdc.mo.gov/hunt/deer/deerhunt/

[shaman]

I've got one that's been in the Yute Hunt for three years. In KY, they set the date early in October. I thought it was great-- the kids get to hunt when the weather is not too cold, and it's before the time change, so they can go out later in the morning. I've got to tell you, when Mooseboy first climbed up in a treestand in the dark, he was scared. Compound that with shots going off every which way, and a normal opening day is now time to have a kid out on his first hunt.

I can't see what's not to like about Yute Hunting. One thing is for sure, if one of mine scores on Yute Hunt weekend, that means ol' Dad has an extra weekend to hunt with his rifle come Grownup Season.

[Win Mag]

I think it's great that they give the youth an opportunity to hunt.But the DRN should asked the little hunter some questions to see if he or she did really do the shooting.
That kind of abuse will result in doing away with the youth hunts.

[mrjbigfoot]

Hey MI, I checked out those stats & your youth hunt is a relatively small percentage of the total kill as well. But what I really noted, is that you need to get some permission & take me hunting in Benton or Callaway County...

Man that's a bunch of deer that they're killing in those 2 counties!

[midrivers]

it is a small percentage of the overall kill, but it is still a 10,00 deer weekend. lets assume that 30% are sucessful that is still 30,000 kids hunting all over the state, pretty cool I think.

People are killing big deer out of season all the time, why gripe about a group of people who are taking their time to introduce a way of life we love to the youngsters. I really want my boy and my friends boys to grow up hunting together just like me and my friends did. They really slay them in the early turkey season here, birds are still gobbling and horny as hell! They ocme in to nails on a chalkboard early seasonhere!

[midrivers]

Hey biggie, check out this link, then tell me where you would really like to hunt.

So you guys have similar pages to this in Ohio, I would love to see them for alot of different states.

[mrjbigfoot]

midrivers said:

Hey biggie, check out this link, then tell me where you would really like to hunt.

So you guys have similar pages to this in Ohio, I would love to see them for alot of different states.

Where's the link??? Are you starting to get oldtimers or did you drink your lunch today???

[timhicks]

This a great subject. It brings out alot of different and outspoken views, Should a state have a youth season.. ? Yes in my opinion. But what does my opinion count for.Should a parent shoot a deer for his child. No what is this teaching his child. I thought hunting teaches responsibility, respect and follwing and teaching a child how to obey the law. What good does it do for a father to take his child hunting and shoot a deer for him or her. If they were on my lease I would call the law, The reason we have youth hunts is to teach our children our heritage and how to hunt, and hope they want to follow in our footsteps. WHAT GOOD does it do for them to shoot a 10 point off someones clover?? That that person watched study and grow.??The father should have let that walk. This is pissing me off as I type. What kind of respect or ,morals are we theaching children today?? I am not an expert on children Lord knows that. But why couldnt you start a young hunter off with a spike or cull deer and let the people that pay money time and effort for the big one. Whats that going to teach the kids to shoot a deer that they didnt work or study or try for years for. Hmm my idea is get a big buck like that they will never top it and then hunting wont mean chit to them.>>>.... Thats what youth hunts are for. What really disturbs me is the dad shooting the deer., He is breaking the law. I am not going to lie , I have done things as a younger person that I shouldnt do but cCHILREN LEARN FROM THIER PARENTS............. I am ticked off now.. Why teach your children what isnt right!!! Teach them VALUES!! TEACH THEM MORALS AND TEACH THEM ETHICS!! T

[turk2di]

I think it's great!

[bigj1975]

If the hunt is used correctly I think it's great for the kids. I know if I had a kid that was in that age group I'd take full advantage of it. The percentage of deer that are killed is not that much in the overall picture but remember this is only one weekend.........not 3 months With the youth season so early the success rate of this hunt is really good in Michigan. The deer are really caught off guard in that they are not used to being hunted with firearms until mid November.

Tim I agree with what you said. The guy I work with spent the last couple years watching these deer develop into the mature bucks they did.

These circumstances are pretty few and far between I think and far more good comes out of it than bad. Anyway parents can interact and share time with their kids is great as long as it's the proper way.