Your opinion on youth hunts

[tuffbroadhead]

Yeap, Youth hunts are GREAT, as long as the Youth are doing the hunting!! I think most parents FORGET that its about the children and passing our hunting heritage along to them...The fellers you mentioned deserved to meet the area game warden so there child would learn what NOT TO DO!!

As far as the kids shooting your( using that term loosly) friends deer as long as its on public land and legal, I see no harm in it. Everytime I take a child hunting I loosen the harvest rules quite a bit to make the hunt as fun as possible, and want to make a great memories. Ones that they might pass to there children many years down the road.

[loserchumpandfool]

there is a proposal here in hoosierville to have a youth hunt for the first time on the last weekend of september.but the part i like is it would be doe only.that would give youths a chance without competing with adults and help control the population and balance the herd.i have emailed the DNR with total support for this proposal.it would help my 14 y/o son get his first deer and it would be great whenever my 9 y/o daughter gets big enough to hunt

[JerseyHunter]

Hey i think its great if you let the kid do his thing .

[midrivers]

yeah doe only is a pretty good idea, and here is the forgotten link, liquid lunch MMMMMM

www.missouriwhitetails.com/missouri_record_deer.htm

Kinda neat to see what counties record deer came from and when!

[rjet]

I didnt read all the replys to this thread yet but wanted to put my two cents in on this one.
Arkansas started allowing the youth to take any antlered buck last year while adults had to abide by the 3-point rule. All this was done to keep youth interest up and most people approved of this measure. I for one was not and am not sure that was the best thing to do. As a kid we had no antler restrictions and not many deer. I loved hunting no matter what and would have loved to be able to pop a doe. But it was illegal and my dad would have whooped my arse, though was ok in those days for camp meat. Now I hunted for around 6 or 7 years before that magic day happened where i got my first buck. Was awesome, many years spent in anticipation finally happened and I have been hooked on hunting 7 years before that day happened. Are we selling our kids short by giving the instant gratificactaion of any buck or special hunts??? Does failure not build character?? Problem with parents and youth today is they dont want to put the time or effort in to really enjoy the take of an accomplishment they worked really hard for. OK I am off my soapbox, ream me good if you see fit.

[2Poppa]

I remember taking my thirteen year old on his first youth hunt three years ago. At the end of the first evening we were relaxing in front of my vehicle waiting for the coyote's to start yelling.

Midway through the conversation Bo says," dad there's something moving by the pond." I thought he was joking. It was dark but the moon was out and he picks up his gun and tells me it is a huge buck. Look for yourself, dad. I stand up and look through the gun and it's the biggest buck I had ever seen, in a magazine or out of a magazine.

I walk back to the drivers side of the vehicle and unloaded the gun, realizing this is a teachable moment.
Looking through the scope Bo urges me to kill em' daddy, kill em'.

Hopefully I set the lad destined on the straight and narrow course. He said dad you did the right thing but I think you still should have shot it. He just mentioned that this moment.

I will teach Bo to count the cost of making wrong choices.

As a side note, that monster is still alive today. The youth hunt is October 8th and 9th.

[texasrack]

This is like many things that have the "right" idea and the right "goal" and then a few bad apples spoil the bunch.

I think youth hunts are fabulous but ONLY hunts that are MONITORED...by this I mean have some control so that an idiot parent or guardian cannot do something like this. Take the kid and his guardian/parent to the stand, but have a guide with them. This is the ONLY way to make sure rules are followed.

There is always someone out there ready to break a rule for personal gain, but we cannot stop the "ideas" because of the idiots. We just need to catch the idiots and make them sorry (financially speaking) that they ever broke the rules.

Kids should not suffer from loser parents. Not their fault.

[Phishy]

I think youth hunts are great. it's an opportunity to introduce youngsters to the world of hunting without so much pressure, it's easier to instill the desire to continue in the pursuit if it is enjoyable and successful, if hunting is a chore right off, then there might be some negative repercussions, I don't think giving too much success right off the get go is good either, but just a taste, something like seeing alot of deer or shooting a doe, enough to give some thing to strive for, if all that ever happens are long painful sits without seeing or shooting anything - were is the fun in that, but to shoot a trophy at the get go, then we're talking anticipated levels of success that rarely are duplicated

Of course there's going to be some individuals that abuse the system, but for the most part people are honest, it's the few that aren't that gets us all riled up

just an observation here, but the "jealousy" function seems to be a drive to some that are opposed to the youth hunt, (i don't think shooting trophy deer is the right way to introduce hunting to a new hunter, for reasons stated above), but just to add fuel to the fire, what if the trophy buck is taken during the regular season? what would you're feelings be then?

mine are similar to before, it's just setting up a sense of failure for future hunting, but in the same token, how do you tell a kid to pass on a great deer because it's too early in his or her career of hunting?

[ipscshooter]

I think it's important to get kids started fairly early. But, that father should get busted for shooting a buck during his kid's hunt. The hunt is supposed to be for the kids, not for their dad's to get a jump on hunting season. He's a poacher and he should lose his right to hunt for the next 10 years.

As for kids shooting a buck that's been feeding on soemone's clover patch... Was it public or private property? If private, there should have been some rules established for what the kid would be allowed to shoot. If the guy didn't want him taking that buck, he should have said, "only does are legal", or "only spikes", or "anything but a 10 point". If it was private land, and the kids didn't have permission to hunt there, then he could press charges for trespassing. If it's public land, then, that's too bad... not much he can do.

[loserchumpandfool]

sent a card in today for a youth hunt for my son at BIG OAKS NWR.i hope he gets drawn this year

[bbbh]

Youth Hunts are a great idea. My nephew who's father is a worthless SOB got his first deer a small doe this past Saturday during KY's youth hunt. Do I like the youth hunts? Hell yes I do. It's there time to hunt let THEM hunt. I remember last year I always took my nephew with me during muzzel loader hunts he got sick right before we were getting ready to walk out to the stand. I had to drive him back to cincy and missed the opening morning hunt . As far as these so called DADS killing bucks during youth season goes its our responsibilities as avid sportsman and hunters to report these people to the proper authorities. Ohio has a TIP (Turn In a Poacher) program where you can call a 1-800 number and give them the info without leaving your name. These are the guys who give us real hunters a bad name!!!

[timhicks]

I had to refresh this topic to say something.Do I believe in bringing kids to shoot deer yes 100 percent!! My problem is this , not jealousy first off but management. I work doing hog hunts with the owner of the land I hunt , I also mow plow feed fill feeders and take care of the hunters. This pays for my hunting but also some cash. I am proud for anyone that takes a child hunting, it what we need to do. BUT here is the but!! I watch deer through the year, I am the only bowhunter this year so lets use this for an example, I have seen 3 good bucks yes they are shooters scores ranging 130 maybe to 150. I didnt have a shot but didnt try either. The guys that hunt on my place dont have to do chit except show up and hunt. I worked planned and managed these deer. I do have a hard time with letting a ,say 12 year old a shot on a great big buck because hes out for a youth weekend. To get a kid in the woods and shoot a deer , to I would say letting him shoot a 12 or 14 point that the owner and I have let go for 3 years yes. The child would lose interest after the next year after seeing smaller deer and not seeing what he saw the last year. I was raised to hunt , My dad taught me how and where to shoot to make a good clean kill. Bottom line is what do we teach our children?? How do you raise a child to hunt and want to be outside and do this.?? I think it comes from upbringing. Lauren is almost 3 and wants to go and get hogs with dad . Yes I take her but Would I let her shoot a 14 point deer at the place I hunt if she was old enough no. Kids need to learn hunting, what comes with it and what happens if you dont do certain things. Scouting ,reading, sounds scents and stuff like that. I want more children to hunt and learn. Yes If I went down to the type2 land here that if you have a permit and hunt you can go shoot a deer and a quality deer walked out when Laurens old enough ..No I wouldnt stop her i would be proud. But would it ruin her, I dont know . Maybe I am talking circles for guys that hunt on state land or family owned stuff. I just feel that there is alot more to deer hunting then getting up and going to a stand and shooting. Maybe I get to personal from just my hunting area.Its hard to say. I did however have a supposedly friend take his boy out to my place shoot a great buck thinking they missed let it go didnt look for it. Game Wardens and calls later discovered the boy made the shot and it was a 160 class deer that was wasted because the dad thought that he missed. Also seen a father at opur lease out of my bowstand shoot a spike for his son.. Tim

[mrjbigfoot]

I hear ya Tim! I was thinking that the little six pointer I passed on, opening day weekend, would be perfect for my son Chris. I'm not going to take him out & put him in a stand where the biggest buck is but I'd definitely go set him up & sit with him where he could get that 6 point because it would be a good 1st deer for him. I'd just assume let the little ones go so they can grow up but there's plenty of little ones running around where I hunt & I'd be really excited for Chris to take that 6 point. It's not like he's to the point that he's earned the ability to shoot something bigger & I don't think he'd care anyways. He'd be excited to get a 1st buck even if it was just a 6 point.

[Mobe]

Youth hunts are good if used as intended. The guy who was miffed about the kids shooting "his" deer sounds like jealousy to me.
Iowa youth hunts state that the adult is NOT allowed to handle the firearm at all.
Any person who uses a kid so the adult can hunt the big bucks before the regular season is not much different than any other poacher in the world. It's still illegal.

[timhicks]

Ok here it straight out and blunt. I feel a person who is trying to manage or select shoot, a certain deer, one who worked his ass off, One who sweated and did the homework!! A youth hunt to shoot this type of deer should not be allowed to shoot this deer. Now if the kid was helping put food out ,planting ,food plots, hanging stands or studying and learning with his parent, I dont have a problem.. These people who have alot more money than me, who have to seem to drag the child to the outdoors, then Heck no..Hell to the no on this!! I love youth hunts but have seen a few guys seasons get wrecked because a child who had never hunted or learned to appreciate what he has ,earned a spot so it may be called. I have had to work all my life for what I have, I am not a lucky child though I am super blessed now. My dad Taught me how to shut a gate when it was closed, how to mend a fence, how to respect people and what they do. I just know here in Texas, it can change in many ways in a day. I didnt get to hunt on the places I hunt because I went out with my dad at 12 and shot a 170 class deer. I got these places, because my father taught me resposibility, respect and more than anything to appreciate what I earned. What is the main thing we need to teach our children??To be resposible and to respect others..So ??Jealousy Heck NO!! I am not jealous because a young adult got a bigger deer than me.If he earned it and learned what hunting is for and why we do it.I guess maybe in Texas things are a bit different. Would I knowing a 16 point is coming out on a food plot every afternnon at 4 bring my 12 year old nephew..No I wouldnt because i am jealous no. Because thats whats wrong with our country right now some people teach thier children to take and not give or respect things that God gave us.. This may get my coals burning but I hope that the reason I say this is not because I am Jealous. If this all happened on a State or goverment place I wouldnt care as much.. Matter of fact I would probably go the other way. But being on a management kinda of place yes this does bother me. I have a few nice deer they may not be as big as some but I am proud i got them. They were earned and not shot off my friends stand or food plot. As far as youth hunts I am all for it bottom line if the parent is teaching thier child ,what nature and how things go. Resposibility and respect.. I guess I could be byass on this but I have gotten burned. But this is why we have this great forum.!!