Age for youth hunting
09-26-2007, 11:37 AM
#12
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 6,764
RE: Age for youth hunting
ORIGINAL: retrieverman
Not to be elusive, but it depends on the kid. Both my sons killed their first deer when they were 6, but my youngest son was "ready" at 5. As far as taking kids to the woods just to watch, I believe the sooner the better.
In my opinion, it is best to get kids interested in hunting and outdoor activities before they get hooked on video games and TV.
Not to be elusive, but it depends on the kid. Both my sons killed their first deer when they were 6, but my youngest son was "ready" at 5. As far as taking kids to the woods just to watch, I believe the sooner the better.
In my opinion, it is best to get kids interested in hunting and outdoor activities before they get hooked on video games and TV.
I teach Hunter's Ed and I can tell you I've seen some who were mid teens and I would not pass them. They were either too agressive for a kill and not wanting to obey the laws or they were just too inexperienced to proceed alone.
I do know this; if WE (all hunters/fishermen/outdoorsmen) don't get these kids involved NOW, we are looking at a grey foggy future.
And with regards to state's who won't allow kids to go on SUPERVISED hunts with adults at earlier ages; they are full of bologne. Who got up on their high horse in that state and said, "Here's the cutoff; all kids are ready at age XX." Please. Every kid is different and every kid is ready at his/her own time.
If you take kids outdoors you must have a lot of patience. Sometimes you go and they want to leave in 5 minutes. You should leave then.
Sometimes they'll stayall day long if you let them.
Never make them stay for your own satisfaction or you'll burn them.
09-27-2007, 05:11 PM
#13
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 460
RE: Age for youth hunting
Depends on the kid and where you hunt. I could put mine when they were 5 in a blind on a plot, but going into the outback to run a buck over the ridges even my 12 year old cannot do and my 15 year old is just getting good at it.
09-28-2007, 10:34 PM
#15
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Camden,MO
Posts: 2,546
RE: Age for youth hunting
I think all states should have a youth program. Here in Missouri we have a youth only season. children can participate at the age of 6 with a liscensed adult. There is a youth season for fall firearms deer and spring turkey. and missouri is goiing to allow teenagers to get tags for 2 consectutive seasons only with a liscensed adult. I think youth programs are needed now more than ever.
As to your question I say to slowly introduce them to see how they react to the idea of it all. I started early with my daughter and now at 2 years old she can point out and recognize deer, bows, and gunsin almost any picture i show her. Of course every guy in camo she thinks is daddy but thats ok.
As to your question I say to slowly introduce them to see how they react to the idea of it all. I started early with my daughter and now at 2 years old she can point out and recognize deer, bows, and gunsin almost any picture i show her. Of course every guy in camo she thinks is daddy but thats ok.
09-29-2007, 04:03 AM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 4,264
RE: Age for youth hunting
I agree with retrieverman on the first page, it depends on the kid.
I myself didn't start 'till I was 13, when I got my hunter's safety course, but wasn't able to hunt till I turned since I hadn't any opportunities.
The main reason for this was because I grew up as a missionary kid, who spent most of the time overseas, and really didn't know much about hunting, other than what my uncle taught me,and he's really the guy who got me into hunting.
I had always liked going to the shooting range whenever we were back in America, 'cause I liked the whole "gun" thing, and it's cool to shoot, but on a couple occasions I showed terrible gun handling, and somy uncle mentioned, "Man, you need a hunter's safety course!", and I had never heard of such a thing, but it revived old sparks of interest in hunting from when I was a toddler, and so I asked dad how he shot his first buck, and it was an exciting story, so I felt like I wanted to do it, too.
So, when I got back to the 'states again, after not having shown interest in hunting for a very long time, out of the blue I asked my uncle to find a hunter's safety course for me, and he must've been the most excited guy in the world at that moment, seeing that his nephew finally wanted to hunt, and since he only had one two-year old boy at the time, he figured it'd be awhile till he'll be able to go hunting withhis son, so he got me in a hunter's safety course, and I reallyloved it, learned alot, and was pumped!
Then, Istarted saving up fora rifle, and after 9 months of taking out the trash, and getting "donations" from family for my "gun fund", which was all I asked for Christmas,Igot a rifle,and stillhad to paydebt to my dad for 6 months afterward,it was nice of him to let me get it with justa "down payment",and, like I just said, paying it later, which I did.
All this work, andI was finally able to hunt deer, in the late season, in January, and after two days of hard hunting, seeing nothing, I learned, that no matter what a good place you hunt in, hunting, isn't called hunting, and not "shooting" for nothing, you HUNT. And on the third day, I had a shot on a doe at 250 yards, and in the excitement, forgot to put the reticle on the deer's back, to compensate bullet drop, even though our friend who was hunting with us told me to do so only seconds before, so I just nicked the doe under the vitals, in the area where there's white fur, so, needless to say, it clotted, and the deer is still out there,alive and well, I guess.
Looking back, though, I am glad I started as late as I did, since my circumstances put me behind, and too, I'm able to savor the experiance and enjoy different aspects of hunting, since I'm older, and able to think differently when I became a teen.
So, I've just said too much, just to agree with retrieverman, but, what the heck.
I myself didn't start 'till I was 13, when I got my hunter's safety course, but wasn't able to hunt till I turned since I hadn't any opportunities.
The main reason for this was because I grew up as a missionary kid, who spent most of the time overseas, and really didn't know much about hunting, other than what my uncle taught me,and he's really the guy who got me into hunting.
I had always liked going to the shooting range whenever we were back in America, 'cause I liked the whole "gun" thing, and it's cool to shoot, but on a couple occasions I showed terrible gun handling, and somy uncle mentioned, "Man, you need a hunter's safety course!", and I had never heard of such a thing, but it revived old sparks of interest in hunting from when I was a toddler, and so I asked dad how he shot his first buck, and it was an exciting story, so I felt like I wanted to do it, too.
So, when I got back to the 'states again, after not having shown interest in hunting for a very long time, out of the blue I asked my uncle to find a hunter's safety course for me, and he must've been the most excited guy in the world at that moment, seeing that his nephew finally wanted to hunt, and since he only had one two-year old boy at the time, he figured it'd be awhile till he'll be able to go hunting withhis son, so he got me in a hunter's safety course, and I reallyloved it, learned alot, and was pumped!
Then, Istarted saving up fora rifle, and after 9 months of taking out the trash, and getting "donations" from family for my "gun fund", which was all I asked for Christmas,Igot a rifle,and stillhad to paydebt to my dad for 6 months afterward,it was nice of him to let me get it with justa "down payment",and, like I just said, paying it later, which I did.
All this work, andI was finally able to hunt deer, in the late season, in January, and after two days of hard hunting, seeing nothing, I learned, that no matter what a good place you hunt in, hunting, isn't called hunting, and not "shooting" for nothing, you HUNT. And on the third day, I had a shot on a doe at 250 yards, and in the excitement, forgot to put the reticle on the deer's back, to compensate bullet drop, even though our friend who was hunting with us told me to do so only seconds before, so I just nicked the doe under the vitals, in the area where there's white fur, so, needless to say, it clotted, and the deer is still out there,alive and well, I guess.
Looking back, though, I am glad I started as late as I did, since my circumstances put me behind, and too, I'm able to savor the experiance and enjoy different aspects of hunting, since I'm older, and able to think differently when I became a teen.
So, I've just said too much, just to agree with retrieverman, but, what the heck.
09-29-2007, 05:08 AM
#17
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 6
RE: Age for youth hunting
I have three children. My daughter (13) is likely to become and anti! She is not a fan of my hunting and she gets that from my wife.
My middle child (10) started hunting with me when he was 5. He shot is first tree rat at 6, a coyote at 7, and his first deer at 8.
My youngest (8) is hoping to shoot his first deer this year.
Ccobbett, my middle son has the same rifle set-up as your son. THe H&R (NEF) single action (in .243) great rifle for youth!
My middle child (10) started hunting with me when he was 5. He shot is first tree rat at 6, a coyote at 7, and his first deer at 8.
My youngest (8) is hoping to shoot his first deer this year.
Ccobbett, my middle son has the same rifle set-up as your son. THe H&R (NEF) single action (in .243) great rifle for youth!
10-16-2007, 04:31 PM
#19
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: queens,new york!!
Posts: 186
RE: Age for youth hunting
in new york its horrible, you have to be 16 years of age to just hunt with a person over 18 and has a legall hunting license but my dad took me along when i was only 12 years old,i am 14 and still havent shot at a deer because it good enough just to tag along with my dad, but to shoot a deer i need 2 more years to go... its F******* annoying because i know that there are young kids like 10 yeard old and 6 years old that shot a couple of deer legally, and im going illegally with my dad and im 14 without shooting at a deer.... New york is unabelievable!!!! they think were ganna do something stupid....... o well i still go and i enjoy it... i cant wait until im 16 and then ima go LEGALLY with my dad
