what deer for first and what age
 

what do you think should be a kids first deer. doe management buck or muy grande. In my family every one must shoot a doe for their first deer. It shows that you aren't out there for horns but for meat. We also weren't able to hunt until we were able to take the Texas Hunters Safety course. Not to dog anyone but when I see a four year old kid with a monster buck he or she just shot it makes me sick. They will never the trill of seeing a low scoring buck and being able to shoot it. From then on they will just look at the horns of a deer and not the meat that could be eaten by them or donated to Hunters feeding the Hungry. Let me hear your input in this subject.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

Got my first one this year. Was dying and passed up a few bucks during bow.. Muzzleloader and first shotgun week here. Finally took a doe last Friday of shotgun.

Again, taking a buck would have been great but took a doe to "manage our herd" and put meat in the freezer.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

Lets say you're out hunting with your 8 or 9 year old kid, and a bigger deer than you had ever seen walked through the woods offering your child a shot. Would you not be the happiest person in the world after your child harvested such a magnificent animal?? I dont understand how you can ask what SHOULD be their first deer, when you have no way at all of predicting exactly what kind of animal is going to walk through those woods at any given time. I started hunting when I was 9 years old, I shot the first deer that i saw, which happened to be a doe. Shot a little 7 point the next weekend. The next year, only a doe.. but the 3rd year i was hunting with my dad, and I had the opportunity to harvest a nice deer, about 140 b&c.. at 11 years old. My father was more happy for me than I was, and to this day i don't shoot deer i don'tplan to eat,and Ishoot does, andnothing but trophy bucks.If the mentor a young person has teaches them the rights and wrongs of the woods, and an ethical way of hunting it makes no difference what kind of deer they harvest.. and if they dont, then it doesnt matter either way. Maybe you should focus on the life of our heritage, and not somuch the type of deer Joe Blow's son just shot??

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

I was told to shoot the first legal deer. And to this day, I still preach that of first time/new hunters. It is of my opinion that any club/property guidelines(if in place, meaning antler restricions, not LAW))be put on hold for new hunters untill some expirience is built up. Make sure they can seal the deal, and actually like doing it. Get a few under your belt, then maybe get selective.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

I take a lot of kids out for their first deer. They are allowed to take whatever they want, legally.
I wouldn't want to limit them and would rather them make their own decision on what to take.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

I agree with farmcntry. It's a personal choice up to the kids on what they shoot or don't shoot. It's thier tag, and its thier choice to pull the trigger or not.

Chief

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

I got my first one at age 15. I was sitting around tossing down some cold ones with some buddies while we were shooting across a residential road with .300 win mags, saw the little button buck come by and shot him in the left eye from 50 yards. ;)

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

I say let the kid/first timer take what ever comes by first and is legal,if they want.My first deer was a spike and i was more happier with that spike than i was this past season killing my best buck a 10pt.and im with TNbowhunter you just dont know what is going to walk through the woods at any given moment.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

Have you seen any four year olds hunt? I think that is way too young. I'm sure there are some exceptions as far as age but I would in no way take a kid that young unless I brought a roll of duct tape for his/her mouth, feet, and hands . I'm hoping your just saying that as a example. Come on.... It's their first deer. IMHO take a kid hunting. Let them shoot whatever comes along, button buck, spike, doe, king of the woods, anything. If you try and tell them not to shoot that nice 10pt I feel it might turn them off to hunting. Just my opinion.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

You gots to be 12 in MN to hunt deer.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

Their first should be the first deer that walks past. My first deer was an eight point but not because I was waiting for a buck. It just happened to work out that way.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

im with farmcntry

i got my first deer this year, a doe. i made the choice to take it, i could have taken one of two 2 1/2 y/o spikes on the field, but i opted to wait for the doe to come back. when she did, i took her.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

I can see the point in having them take a doe first, but I also agree that there's nothing wrong with hunting for a buck for the first deer either. Just depends on the situation. Once again, comes down to opinion as much as anything.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

yup... take what comes along but people that take them down just to peel a rack of them make me sick.... but ya... get the young ones out there and get going!

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

My first deer was a little doe when I was 12. The coolest part was sharing the experience with my dad, the guy who taught me everything I know about hunting.

Looking back at the pics of her, she was small but meant the world to me. My dad was happier for me than he ever has been for himself with any deer buck or doe and I was happier about that little doe than I was with my 13pt in 2005!

My dad didn't tell me this until a few years ago (I'm 24 now), he had a shot at the deer I got from less than 20 yards but didn't take it because he thought there was a decent chance that she was headed toward my stand. This is hard to do hunting a woods where between the 2 of us we were lucky to get a deer a year!

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

when ou look at it this way, who cares what they shoot, if anything? the important thing is that you are passing on a love for the outdoors to the next generation

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

you all have good points. i should of been more clear on what i wanted to say. i see taking a management buck or a spike, but i wouldn't let them shoot a huge buck until they learned that its not the size of the rack you bring home but the meat and good time you have out there. I hunted a long time and the biggest buck that i shoot so far has been a spike. and its because i watch the big ones walk because to me my day will come when i will shoot a big buck. all i'm saying is that i won't pay the money for a little kid shoot a 180 class deer.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

I say let a kid shoot whatever legal animal they can/want to. My first deer was the third I saw on my youth day hunt when I was 12. The first two saw me move and ran off. It was 81 lb button buck with a belly full of corn at 7:45 am. You always remember your first, regardless of what it is. My second, at 14, was a 4 point that dressed out at 130lbs. Those are the deer that mean the most. I think with the few numbers of kids actually getting into hunting, we shouldn't be limiting them. So what if a kid gets a Booner on their first try. So what if in the beginning, they're more about antlers than the joy of being in the woods, or hunting for meat. That'll come with time. But it's far more important to get them hunting. Just my take on it.

RE: what deer for first and what age
 

Yep its a loaded quetion, Because it depends on alot of factors, where are you hunting? Here in Mi if you told a kid he had to wait for a book deer that kid will be fishing next year, but if you are in ILL or IA you might want to wait alittle bit and teach paitence. What if you were in the woods that first day and a 150 class walked up your dad was going to tell you no you have to wait?? I vote personal choice if a doe makesthe kidhappy and that is whats there go for it if its a spike or 180 go for it.. Walt