What Should I Do?
 

Heres the deal my son is going to hunt this year but he is only 14. In NY you have to be with an adult that had thier bowhunting lisence for 2 years. I just got my first one. My son does not need anyone with him to take a deer. Should I let him go out hunting by himslef after school sometimes with a cell phone or should I make him wait till hes older?

RE: What Should I Do?
 

You would clearing be violating a law, so NO. What does that teach him, is okay to break the law? You both could learn together for the next year by practicing together, scouting etc...take the whole season to learn and next year you'll both be ready.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

More than likely he is mature enough to go by himself, but I dont think it is a great idea. If he had a friend to hunt with it would be a different story but that's just my opinion for safety reasons. It's always best to hunt with someone til you get a little more experience.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

Yeah it would send a wrong message but think of it like this he may not like hunting if he has to wait longer to hunt. I think that if it keeps him intersesting in hunting then what could happen?

RE: What Should I Do?
 

He might like hunting at night, too. Think you ought to let him?

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I raised my kids with some ethics.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

My question was meant to "sound" sensational.....but how sensational was it? Do you let him hunt on Sundays if it's illegal? Hunt a week before the season begins? Hunt with a particular weapon out of season?

What he does (and I have a 15 yr old son) is what you say he can do. You tell him it's "OK" to ignore a law.....and it's sending him the worng message. I can't be any clearer than that.

Good luck.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

Well i have prolly one of the better prespectives on this issue cause im 17..... DONT LET HIM HUNT WITH ONE OF HIS FRIENDS atleast not by themselfs, that takes a bad situation and makes it worse, ive seen it, my neighbor josh was allowed to do basically whatever he wanted, to and his friend david lived right up the road from me, anyhow, they got arrested for shooting deer out of the window and bed of davids truck. yeah, not too swift, they were 16 &17 at the time. There still paying for it, if i was you id take him and sit him with you. What the heck dont give him a gun or anything, just get him out there for the experience... When your that age everything seems like it would be fun and have no conciquences.

Just my .02 take it for what its worth,
Ryan.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

To me thats kind of a dumb law, but you don't want his first experience to be him giving information to a game warden as he writes him a ticket. People are getting too protective of their kids and babying them too much. My dad would tell me something once and if I didn't listen and got hurt he wouldn't act like he felt sorry for me at all. I learned from my mistake and wouldn't do it again.
I enjoy going to a store and seeing a kid pick something up and seeing the mom/dad say no you can't have that. The kid throws a fit, which would have caused me to get my butt beat, and the parents give in a get them the toy. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but how are some of these kids going to turn out?

RE: What Should I Do?
 

Same in PA, I believe it's 14 and under, might be 16...must be within ear shot of an adult!

RE: What Should I Do?
 

both of you go hunting any way , and if you get stopped by the game commision tell them , that its retarded to have to wait 2 yrs to go hunting with your 14yr old son that can go by himself , if thats the case why not let a 12 yr old that just got there hunting license go out in the woods with a gun by themselves , duhh it dont make sense . but if you live close to pennsylvania you can purchase a bow and license and go hunting that year during that season together , but if you mean the age where he can hunt by himself its 16 here , however if you dont have a hunters safety course i would advise taking it even though its not manditory , here as long as you have a drivers license or state id card you can purchase a license

RE: What Should I Do?
 

Wait until you can go with him. If he goes out after school by himself I can see the woods getting lots of stink in them. Take him out weekends or maybe a night or two a week when the weathers right. It depends where you live too. If you're way out in no mans land it's one thing, if suburbia, another. I grew up in rural NY and wasn't allowed to go to the woods by myself with the gun until I was 8.[8D] That was then(55 years ago), this is now. Sharp broadheads, treestands, all sorts of things make it a dangerous place for a newbie to be alone. As far as you having to have had a bow license for 2 years, well that's plain stupid. You're an adult, he's your kid, you passed the hunter safety course. It doesn't say on you license how long you've had one. I don't see som CO checking with Albany to see if dad has had a license for 1 or 2 or 6 years. You've been hunting for years and know the deal.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

NY is sure a pain in the ass. Tell them to kiss yours and hunt out of state. Guy just posted a big buck from Maryland. St. Marys county. I say do some research and head there. It's a big world.

Sorry for your troubles. I really am.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

I know it sucks to make him wait but its something that has to be done. If you stand up for what is right and show him what a responsible, ethical, and most importantly, law abiding hunter is, than he will remember that for the rest of his life. My dad taught me to follow the laws even if I thought they were stupid. And I KNOW that I am a better person (much less a better hunter) because of it. If all hunters acted this way than the anti's would have ALOT less amunition.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

Your dad did right by you.:)

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Doing the right thing may not always be easy, but it will always be right.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

Exactly right!!!

This law is ignorant, but it is the law.Ahunter's saftey course I could see, but telling a dad he can't take his son hunting is outright stupid. It sounds like you need to take some action with your wildlife department and legislators to get this changed. We've had alot of luck in our state fixing issues like this. It may take a year, but they often get fixed.Good Luck!!!!

RE: What Should I Do?
 

You obviously don't know the laws or undertand what he said. His son cannot hunt by himself at 14, same as PA and HE cannot take his son because he has not held a archery license for 2 years. I'm appauled that you support them breaking the law.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

If you take him hunting he will remember that more than if he goes by himself. Remember how excited you were when you got your first deer. Imagine the look on his face when he see's thepride on your's. Plus i have to agree with everyone else. If you teach them wrong now you can not teach them right later.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

Ok I guess I'm confused people are saying to take him hunting with you because its not right to break the law? They say you will be teaching him the difference between right and wrong?If you read his post you will see that it is illegal for his son to go with him because he has not had his license for 2 years. For the record I think its a stupid law and I would break it like I said earlier. If I got caught I would pay the price, but I just can't make myself do something I don't believe in.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

From the DEC Website:

[*]
Junior Archery
[*]Age:
[*]14-15 Years[/ul][*]Qualifications:
[*]1. Hunter Ed Certificate, OR
2. Previous Hunting License
PLUS
1. Bowhunter Ed. Certificate, OR
2. Previous Jr. Archery License
PLUS
Birth Certificate for 1st time applicants[/ul][*]Privileges:
[*]Hunt deer and bear with bow during the special archery season or the regular season, accompanied by parent or an adult over 18 with written permission from parent/legal guardian. Accompanier must have current bowhunting privileges and one year's experience.[/ul][*]Cost:
[*]$9.00[/ul][/ul]

RE: What Should I Do?
 

Like every states laws, there is ALWAYS a "dumb" law or rule. You SHOULD be alowed to hunt with your own son regardless if you haven't had your lics. for 2 years or not. Very stupid law. Just my opinion. Our "bonehead" law in the Pennsylvania hunting regulations is if you kill a buck with your bow (archery season) you can't gun/rifle hunt......STUPID. Good luck hunting

RE: What Should I Do?
 

I would not let my son go by himself as a newbie bowhunter or with another young friend who may/may notalso be a newbie, however, I would not feel one bit bad about taking him (and letting him hunt) with me, as his parent, even if I did not have the "one year's experience" required by the law, whether it showed up on my license or not.

My only concern would be YOUR competence in safety issues surrounding bowhunting. If you feel confident in them and trust yourself to make sure he is safe, then I think it's ok.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

You cannot let him go hunting by himself..that's irresponsible, in my opinion.

However, if you 2 went together and hunted without being seperatedand the onlylaw you were breaking is the fact that you (the adult) did not have a bowhunting license last year. I'd be hunting with my son!

Now if I did this (first of all I wouldn't admit it on a public board) and someone were totake the next step with meand say it's the same as hunting at night..or killing someone..etc.

Then, me andthem wouldsquare off!! That "leap" is out of bounds!

RE: What Should I Do?
 

The last thing I would tell my kids is its ok to break SOME laws. Just take himwith you and you guys can sit together and if all works out he will get to see Dad get a deer.That would give him something to look forward to next year and something he will never forget Im sure.

RE: What Should I Do?
 

[/align]Stay legal. Stay ethical. Keep hunting without getting into trouble. Do the first 2 and you won't need to worry about the latter.