Found this to be a terrific article...some of my most memorable days afield were not neccassarily based around the trophy I killed but around the company I was with.A great mentor,teacher,hunter,and friend is my dad...a word of advice "take your kids to the woods...
Good News About Youth Hunting

While young hunter Carson Torhorst didn't connect with a gobbler on his first turkey hunt, the time he spent in the woods this spring allowed him to connect with something far more important. Seven-year-old Carson and his father, Bill, were able to spend two weeks together they'll treasure forever, thanks to a new provision in the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource's Learn to Hunt program.

"I was thrilled to be able to hunt with Carson. We had so much fun. It was awesome," said Bill Torhorst, volunteer for the National Wild Turkey Federation. "Carson may only be 7 years old. However, as his father, I know he's ready and mature enough to hunt with me. Not only did this experience allow us to spend time together, hunting is also a great way to teach what it means to be responsible."

Dr. Randal Eaton, evolutionary psychologist, agrees that hunting does have a positive influence on youth development.

"Hunting itself teaches universal virtues ranging from patience and generosity to courage and humility, and the taking of life engenders respect, responsibility and compassion. It opens hearts," Eaton said in an article published in The Outdoor Edge.

While hunting allows for that American ideal, quality family time, and experts believe that mentoring youth in hunting teaches respect for life and responsibility, not every state offers young people the opportunity to hunt.

States with a minimum age requirement to hunt big game


Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Idaho
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New York
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Utah
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Currently, 23 states restrict the age a person can hunt big game, a classification that often includes the wild turkey. Sixteen states require youth to be at least 12 years old before they can participate in big game hunting. New York, which is the most restrictive, prevents youth under 16 years of age from hunting big game with a firearm.

"Clinging to the tradition of not allowing young people to hunt until they've turned 12 or 13 causes us to miss an important window of opportunity," said Rob Keck, CEO of the NWTF. "The window for recruiting new hunters is when they're between 6 and 15 years old. If they're not allowed to hunt until they're 12 or older, we're missing the chance to share this time honored tradition with our children and grandchildren."

Concerns about the safety record of young hunters may be unfounded. The Hunter Incident Clearinghouse database shows that in 2002, junior hunters age 11 and younger accounted for only 28 incidents, 3 percent of the 849 total incidents occurring that year.

States that have opened the door to young hunters are finding that it's a positive and safe experience. The Missouri Department of Conservation initiated a special youth turkey hunt in spring 2001 and then started the youth firearms deer hunt in the fall of the same year. These special seasons allow youth ages 6 to 15 years to purchase a permit where they can hunt with an adult who has passed a hunter safety course.

Hunting is a safe activity for all ages
Hunting is actually a safe activity for all ages with only 6.1 incidents per 100,000 hunters. As of 2001, turkey hunting incidents nationwide have been reduced to 2.95 per 100,000 from a high of 8.1 per 100,000 in 1991. This reduction is due in part to the National Turkey Hunting Task Force's efforts to bring safety to the forefront.

"There's been a lot of public support for the youth hunts," said Bill Heatherly, wildlife programs supervisor for Missouri Department of Conservation. "And there have been no hunting incidents during either of Missouri's youth hunting seasons since their inception."

Ohio Division of Wildlife has found their youth hunting seasons have generated great public support. Their youth hunt program provides special seasons for hunters 17 years of age and younger accompanied by an adult who is not hunting.

"Our first ever youth deer hunting season, held in 2003, was a big success with 15,000 to 20,000 youth participating. We received rave reviews from parents along with lots of photos of happy youngsters," said Steve Gray, chief of the Ohio Division of Wildlife. "And by expanding our youth turkey season this year from just public lands to all lands statewide, we involved over 6,500 youth."

While Ohio's youth deer and turkey seasons are new, the Division of Wildlife has offered special youth rabbit, pheasant, quail and waterfowl seasons for years. Since 1999, only 5 nonfatal incidents, out of thousands of participants, can be attributed to junior hunters.

"Adult supervision is a critical part of hunter safety. The combination of a young person with an experienced adult creates the safest hunters out there," said Keck. "Today's hunters need to understand they are the key to our future because it takes a hunter willing to serve as a mentor to make another hunter."

With a good track record when it comes to safety and the quality time it offers families in today's busy, demanding world, some people wonder why more states aren't working to offer youth hunting.

"Parents and grandparents in states that don't allow youth hunting are really missing something, Torhorst said. "Not only did I get to hunt with Carson, he got to help call in the very first turkey his mother has ever taken. His 19-year-old sister Cassie also hunted with Carson, my wife and me. It really was a family affair this year. We all shared some very magical, very special moments this spring."
Heres a fall trip with grandpa and grandson...