PA DropTine

NorthJeff

Good point.

I pass on anything smaller than a basket 8 in hopes of seeing it again the following year. Additionally, there are a lot of hunters who have never shot a buck [especially kids] that if given the chance would jump at the chance at that small 8 point. Because of my personal QDM goals... I don't have a problem letting them walk. Trophy hunter? Not really... but I have shot my share of small bucks. Would that instantly make me an outcast from the forum if I said, &quot;Yes&quot;? Who cares? Is it such a bad thing to let the small ones walk? I think not. It's a personal decision that I don't try to force anyone to digest. Heck... answering a question like this [in this forum] can get a guy labled as an ALTITE!<img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle> Whatever!
For kids... hunting has a completely different meaning than some of us that have been hunting for 20+ years.

If they choose to practie QDM when the time comes... then so be it. If not... so be it. As long as she follows the law to a &quot;T&quot; her decisions are just that... her decisions. I will encourage QDM at some point... even when it becomes law before I have a chance... but heck... let them be kids. To paraphrase a fellow board member, &quot;They have the rest of their lives to become trophy hunters, if they want to.&quot;

You asked how would kids react? I know my daugher will say, &quot;Are we gonna go and get me a doe today, Daddy?&quot;

Lord knows I bring home 3-4 doe every year. By the time she starts hunting... she might not remember what a buck looks like.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Kidding aside... I will encourage her to take the first deer that she see's because a year is a long time to wait for another opportunity. I don't mean that to sound wrong... but everyone knows kids can't sit still for extended periods... or even sit in the cold for extended periods. Also... I don't mean to imply that killing a deer equals success in the field... but try to remember being 10 or 12. Can you imagine waiting all day on your only day to hunt... and then being told to let a deer walk because your Daddy didn't want you to shoot it because it was too small? Yeah, right.
The ultimate goal for my daughters first hunt is for her to enjoy herself... not to mention the safety and educational aspect. However, if a doe walks up on us... thwaaaak. If a legal buck walks up on us... thwaaaak.

-DT






Edited by - PA DropTine on 01/31/2002 15:21:47

NorthJeff

PA,
I remember my first deer like it was yesterday-it was actually 16 years ago. It was a button buck and I was so green, that I had to unfold an Outdoorlife page I had ripped out that had 10 easy steps to field dressing a whitetail on it. When I was attempting to gut it my 14 year old brother was dry-heaving, and the entire time the feeling I had was, well, it was magical.

Sure, I would have been thrilled with a 12 point, but I think I would have been just as proud with that BB, and wouldn't have appreciated that 12 point. I think every kid should start off with a doe, and if they aren't proud of it, someone needs to slap their dad upside the head, and the youngster need to keep playing his video games instead.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan.

pabuckhunter

My son got an 8 point his first year but up our way we usally take what ever comes out first and that was the first buck we saw that day .This year it was doe and buck on the first day we got two does the first day we have four kids we just like to put meat in the freezer and i let the boys shoot first i love to watch them get excited. Im proud of them no matter what happens just glad they are willing to go with me and get off the video games and computer. P.S. take a youngster hunting keep hunting alive<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

ARO

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>and if they aren't proud of it, someone needs to slap their dad upside the head, and the youngster need to keep playing his video games instead.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

jeff,
you hit the nail right on the head, it all starts with the childs biggest hunting influence. whether that be there dad, mom, uncle or guy next door.

ARO

huntal

I LET MY SON SHOOT THE FIRST DEER HE WANTED I DID NOT CARE IF IT WAS A BUCK OR DOE. HE MISSED A FEW OF BOTH THEN SHOT A BIG DEER THOUGTH TO BE A DOE BUT WAS A BUCK THAT LOST IT'S RACK. I AGREE LET THE KIDS BE KIDS. BUT KEEP THEM HUNTING.