SteveK

That same kid may very well be dressing and dragging a deer for his father/mother/mentor years later when they have bad knees or back. When a kid is mature enough is really something only a parent can know. My friends daughter will finally be old enough to hunt here (NY) this year at 14 and she's been mature enough for years. My ex shot her first deer last season, I field dressed it and had no problem doing so. She also was a huge help tracking my poorly hit archery buck earlier in the season. She actually found it (what was left by the damn coyotes anyway) after 600yd tough tracking job.

Being a part of someones first deer is the best experience you can have deer hunting.

DeppedyDogg

I won't pass judgement on others' choices.

I have taken both of my sons hunting with me. Made camp with them, taught them how to find your way, how to survive, how to shoot, how to be responsible. Long before I would have let them carry, they watched how it was done. I taught them how to do it when they were ready for it.

As an outdoorsman parent, we each have the responsibility to pass on our knowledge and foster personal growth.

Each had had their choice to include themselves or not.

My eldest hasn't taken up a hunting implement yet but now at 24, seems interested. My 12 YO is very interested in taking one for himself but when he's ready, I will know. I will allow him to be as involved as his nature and character permit.

The differences among us serve to highlight what's best, and worst about us as a group. Take the best, learn from the worst and apply what you have learned.

That's all anyone can ask.

For myself, I trust my 12YO carrying his own firearm more than some other outdoorsmen I've had the displeasure of knowing.

My $.02

iowa whitetail

Yes i think young kids should kill a deer if they want. The parent field dressing and dragging it out is just being a parent. You feed your kid although they dont work to buy the food you give them a bath and brush there teeth you change there pants these are all things they cant do.Its called teaching make them help drag it and field dress it its just as big of a deal to them to help at that age as if they was big enough to do it them selves.The earlier you get them going on something the more they will learn and they will respect it more with age.

Thunderchicken217

With the thought process of the guy who started this post I guess that would go for older people to. Maybe I should tell my Grandfather who taught me this great sport that since your too old to drag a deer back to the truck that you don't get to hunt anymore. I am just so sick and tired of people throwing their personal beliefs out there about EVERYTHING. If its not this its baiting or hunting deer with dogs or whatever the hell it will be the next time. You don't wanna take your kids at a young age then don't but why do people think everyone else wants to know how you feel about it. In a declining population of hunters it still amazes me how many of them are more worried about stopping people from hunting a certain way or at a certain age or whatever rather than banning together like they should to try to preserve this great sport for the ones you so strongly disagree with being out there. Its a kid for gods sake and if his Dad/Mom or whomever is at least teaching them this sport then let it alone. So sorry they aren't teaching the way you feel they should be. Its opinions like yours that will ultimately be the demise of this great sport as your more worried about your own personal opinions than the big picture which is we need every person possible involved in this sport. Its people with opinions about things such as this that somehow feel they are preserving the ethics and heriatge of the sport but rather all you are doing is harming it and giving all the animal rights people exactly what they want which is a divided population of hunters. The next time someone feels the urge to force their personal beliefs on us maybe they should stop and think about what it is your really accomplishing here. As far as I'm concerned let the parents decide whats right for their own kids and maybe give em a little support for at least getting up off of the damn couch and doing something with their kids. I took my kids hunting at a young age just as I was taken and glad I did and glad I had someone to take me. As far as wether or not they can drag or gut a deer or not I really dont give a you know what because in the end when I'm too damn old to drag a deer anymore, guess who is gonna be there helping me just as I done for them. Yea that awful kid that was out there having his dad drag a deer for him. Wake up dude.

Topgun 3006

What amazes me is some people making statements about a certain age being illegal to hunt deer like the one gent here in Michigan who said it's 14 years old to hunt deer with a gun. FYI buddy the age was lowered to 10 several years ago!!! I'm also glad a lot of these chaps were'nt my Dad as I was shooting small game with a rifle and shotgun at six years old. It's too bad we didn't have any deer to hunt until I moved up to MI when I was 15 or I'd have been shooting them at an early age too. In fact, many states have lowered the ages for kids to hunt now with or without a HE course for the first couple years. It is, after all, the parent that is out there with the kid and should know when he/she is mature enough to do certain things as long as they are legal.

sachiko

It's hard for me to understand how one could think it wrong to teach your kids a sport that you yourself enjoy. Our older daughter, Miriam, (age 5) was with us when I took my muzzleloader deer last December. She completely understands what it's all about.

She's anxious to be old enough to hunt herself. She'll be supervised of course.

nodog

You got a good point.

Psylocide

How so?

My baby can't go fill her own bottle and feed herself, might as well let her starve. Because, damn it, if she can't do it herself, how is she learning the basics?

Derp.

sachiko

Although I'm an adult, I'm too small to drag a deer very far by myself. Does that mean I shouldn't be allowed to hunt?

MZS

We all know our own kids. Some are ready at a young age and some never take to it. I only take them out if they want to hunt. 2 of my 5 kids are hunters, one of which is my youngest daughter. More than anything, I want them to stay safe. A gun is assumed to be loaded no matter what - until I feel they fully accept that assumption I am not allowing them to hunt whether they are 10 or 17.