There's been a few changes here in MI in recent years with regard to hunting ages and licensing. Some I agree with, some I'm notyet convinced are an all around good idea.
My son is now 13 and will be joining me for his first hunt, with a bow. He could have been afield with me with a bow hunting deer when he was 10. However I felt his archery skills, strength to draw what I considered to be sufficient weight to take a deer, and just flat out too young held me to allow a few years to go by before I would allow him to hunt.
This, from the MI DNR's rule books explain more about youth hunts.
Quote:
2006 Youth Firearm Deer Season
There will be a youth firearm deer season on September 23-24, 2006, on all lands in Michigan. Youths 10-16 years of age may take one deer during this special two-day season. Youths 10 and 11 cannot hunt deer with a firearm and are restricted to archery-only hunting. Youths 12 and 13 may hunt with firearms on private lands only.
A firearm, combination or antlerless license or Deer Management Assistance (DMA) permit authorizing the youth to take a deer with a firearm, may be used if issued for the area/land upon which hunting. Archery and junior archery licenses are not valid during this season. The kind of deer which may be taken is the same as during hte regular November firearm deer season. All youth hunters are required to wear Hunter Orange. The youth must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age or older. An adult accompanying a youth firearm deer hunter cannot possess or carry a firearm or bow and arrow and does not need a deer hunting license. It is unlawful to use bait during this season.
Quote:
Apprentice hunting license
A person who does not have a hunter safety certificate may purchase an apprentice hunting license. An apprentice hunter may purchase this license for two license years before he or she must successfully complete a hunter safety course. The apprentice hunting license is available to residents and nonresidents. Apprentice hunters under age 17, when afield, must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or someone 21 or older designated by their parent or guardian.
This individual must possess a valid, regular hunting license to hunt the same game as the apprentice hunter. "Accompanied by" requires the adult to be able to come to the immediate aid of the other person and staying within a distance from the other person that permits uninterrupted, unaided visual and verbal contact.
Apprentice hunters 17 and older, when afield, must be accompanied by someone 21 or older, who possesses a valid, regular hunting license to hunt the same game as the apprentice hunter.
A person may accompany no more than two apprentice hunters while hunting
I support the apprentice idea, however I'm torn when it comes to the age a kid is allowed to hunt with a bow or a gun. My gut says that at age 12, a kid is too young to be afield with a firearm and at age 10 a kid is too young to be afield with a bow.
Since our commie governor Jennifer Granholm has supported these efforts, I have to step back and ask why. Are they waiting for a tragic accident to point fingers and get the anti's honed in? Not sure. Maybe I'm off on this and am looking for opinions.
What's your thoughts?
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There is no age requirement for children to hunt with a licensed hunter *age 16 orolder*here in NC. You must be 16, completed the hunters ed course, and have legal license to hunt alone.
My personal opinion is they need to be 16 to hunt alone and if younger need to be with a licensed adult of at least 18 years of age.
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My adopted son will never be old enough to hunt. There are 2 ages to consider...
1. Chronological Age ..which is the age you are all talking about. My oldest was ready at 5
2. Mental Age. My adopted son is 15 and woe is me if I ever teach him how to shoot a gun. He is currently under strict adult suppervision until he is 18.Police say he has the ability to be a psycho killer.
Chuck is right. The proper age for a kid to be in the woods with a weapon varies from kid to kid.
In Tennessee, there is no minimum age for kids to hunt, as long as they have an adult (age 21 or older) with them. Our "youth only" hunts are open for kids ages 6-16. Once a kid reaches age 10, he/she can hunt alone without adult supervision. Our regulations work out well.
I was hunting rabbits and squirrels at age 7. At age 10, I was hunting deer.
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My son killed his first Muzzleloader deer at age 9.He was killing rabbits and squirrels with a pellet gun, then a .22 from the ages of 7 and 8.Last year he killed his first goose and went on his first pheasant hunt at age 10.Hes going shotgun hunting next week at age 11 during Iowas youth season.I was with him for all of it and will be for several more years before he can go alone.Hes more carefull with firearms then most adults I know and has a real passion for hunting.Hes been following mein duck blinds, ground blinds, and small game hunting with me since he was 3, and shooting since he was 5 with a little red rider.
Ive seen other kids in his age bracket I wouldnt let carry a toothpick.Theyre hyperactive, pay little attention to whats going on, and careless with almost everything they touch.My youngest son will be 3 next year, I had the oldest one out with me at that age, but the little one theres not a chance in hell of tagging along till hes older.Two entirely different personalities.
States setting ages for kids to hunt is IMOa waste of time.Kids like my oldestwould miss a lot of oppurtunities and memories if forced to stay home.Kids like my youngest need more time and putting a 12 yr old age limit on thems not going to mean theyre ready at 12, they might never be, who knows.All the state can do is try to make it a happy medium and hope the parents use thier best discretion as to the childs ability to hunt safely.
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RE: What age is too young to hunt?
I view it the same as driving licenses. Hunting like driving is not a child's past time but an adult privilege. Some children have the judgment and maturity at an early age to make adult decisions. Most states mandate a minimum of 16 years old to legally drive without supervision. I am sure there are some farm kids that can drive when they are 10 but the rules are set on the high end to ensure the best chance of safety. My vote would be to have Hunters Ed mandatory and then age 16 as a minimum for unsupervised hunting. Not all 16 year olds are mature enough to make decisions but then again some adults aren't either. I have seen many 12 year olds in the woods that were well schooled and safety minded but I would err on the safe side. I wouldn't want to be driving with a 12 year old driving alone coming at me in the other laneand I don't want to be hunting in an area where there is a 12 year old hunting alone trying to get a deer.
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Too busy with fishing to spend much time here.
got my first gun when I was 5, started hunting the next year
-Travis-
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"Jesus answered and said unto him; Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God" John 3:3
Ban Canned Hunting. If you don't speak up against it you are part of the problem.
got my first gun when I was 5, started hunting the next year
Do you remember how you felt about that, Travis?
When I ripped off the wrapping of the wooden box that my rifle was in, as soon as I opened it, my heart was in my throught. I took to it fast, with the watchfull eye and great pointers from my grandfather of cource,and instantly had a passion for shooting. When I started to hunt, I fell in love with the outdoors. So to answer your question, it was the most amazing feeling that I have ever experienced in my life
-Travis-
__________________
"Jesus answered and said unto him; Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God" John 3:3
Ban Canned Hunting. If you don't speak up against it you are part of the problem.
I view it the same as driving licenses. Hunting like driving is not a child's past time but an adult privilege. Some children have the judgment and maturity at an early age to make adult decisions. Most states mandate a minimum of 16 years old to legally drive without supervision. I am sure there are some farm kids that can drive when they are 10 but the rules are set on the high end to ensure the best chance of safety. My vote would be to have Hunters Ed mandatory and then age 16 as a minimum for unsupervised hunting. Not all 16 year olds are mature enough to make decisions but then again some adults aren't either. I have seen many 12 year olds in the woods that were well schooled and safety minded but I would err on the safe side. I wouldn't want to be driving with a 12 year old driving alone coming at me in the other laneÂ*and I don't want to be hunting in an area where there is a 12 year old hunting alone trying to get a deer.
16 is too old. That isn't to say that every kid will be ready to hunt unsupervised before age 16. Most, IMHO, are. But we're waging a war for our sport's survival, and if you look at the numbers, you'll see that where we're failing is getting kids into the woods. We need to be loosening restrictions on youth hunters as long as we can do it without negatively impacting the safety aspect of hunting. We certainly don't need to be tightening the restrictions. In fact, if you look at the states where the fewest number of youths are getting involved in hunting, it is the states that have the strictest regulations regarding youth hunting.
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What age is too young to hunt?
