i was 16...i'll never forget my first hunt alone...asked dad if i could skip school the first monday of spring gobbler season...just turned 16 that march...(legal age to hunt alone is 16 in PA) he said sure if your not missing anything important..i walked 2 blocks down the road to the woods and walked back out with my first ever spring long beard!! dad was proud as could be when i woke him up(he worked 3rd shift that night)