With all the talk about ethics lately i was thinking about youth hunting. in michigan you can start bow hunting at 10 years of age. so my question is. Can a 10 year old effectively and quickly kill a deer with a bow. Do the bows they use possess the nessecary power to penetrate and possibly pass through to the vitals and kill the animal?

ABSOLUTELY,they just need to go back to the basics of equipment with heavier arrows because momentum will be the only thing helping with penetration,not much speed and ke to speak of.Unless they are big for their age.[8D]

Cut on contact heads and parents that are willing to teach and make sure they take shots within their effective range.

What is not ethical is to not get them involved.

In Ky,their are NO restrictions on age or equipment for that matter,they want to get the kids out there.They do have to pass a hunter safety course when they are 12 but nothing untill that point is required.

range,practice, and supervision, put all that together and yes. I wasn't much bigger at 12 and thats what happend with me.

Depends on the kid I suppose?
In NH there's a minimum bow weight of 45 lbs. for compound and 40 lbs for recurve.
I'm not sure about an age regulation?

For myself, trying to remember back 30 years,
I remember playing with my buddies recurve @ age 13 that was a 30lb. pull and am not sure I could have pulled 40 plus pounds.
I think the kid would have to be Arnolds son to pull a bow back in my state?

Sure they can with all of the above- Around here there are no limits on pounds so it up to the parent/other to make sure they are ready. I shot my first deer at 30 pounds and the little guy around here shot his first deer at the age of 8 with 32 pounds at 12 yards it blew clear through him. He put a great shot on him and only went about 50 yards.

I think most states have a minimum pull on bows for big game/deer. I think here in IL is may be 40lbs. a modern 40# compound can do more than probably a 60 or 70# recurve, more velocity/energy. I'd just stick to those minimums, if a son or daughter can pull that legal requirement comfortably, do it up! If not, waiting a couple years til they can, its part of being a kid, when you're bigger.....haha. I tell you my attitude on hunting being a man vs a boy has changed quite a bit, not so much attitude, but outlook. Maybe it's wisdom, strength, mental toughness, put it all together, I just feel like I've taken a huge step forward in my hunting skills than I have just a few years ago, and hopefully I'll continue to take steps forward, though I suspect they won't be as large of steps. I think alot of times kids are pushed to hunt too aggressively or too quickly, a nudge I think is ok, or some hellpe, but when a kid's scared to death to shoot that .270 cause of the kick, he either needs a smaller caliber, or a few more years under his belt til he's ready.