Yeah all the ppl I hunt with on my uncles land have to sit with our dads until we are 14 and even then if he doesn't think we are mature enough will make us sit with them until we are or else we can't hunt on his land. I sat with my dad til i was 14 and honestly those were some of the best times i've had in the stand.

In tn you have to have went through the hunters safey course but I was hunting alone at 12. Most kids shouldn't hunt until later I guess, but when I was 12 I was ready to hun for sure on my own. My dad would put me in a good spot and then leave to go do drives and stuff. I think most kids aren't ready to hunt alone by the age of 12. I'd say 15 at least to be honest. BB

Times have changed. Used to be a time when everything you did was outside and physical. My teenage years where the 80 's a point that changed. Video games started getting introduced and T.V hifi speakers loud music was a huge huge hit among us kids.we still got exercise and could still make a meal. but not like my father and my forefathers before him. Now do the kids ever leave the house.Most don't even know how to make a sandwhich.And laws that where adequate maybe at one time like when kids had to hunt to provide food for the familly cause the father was away working eg my Grandfather and people like him and before him.Laws aren't being changed to modern day lifestyle. Where the kids are couch potatoes playing video games and on the weekend the parents scoop him up and drop him off on the side of the road with a gun some bullets and maybe maybe 24 hours of hunting training that he has forgotten half of already cause he came home and played video games.The kid can't cook for himself yet but the parents figure cause the law says they can they do.I'm afraid of them getting lost not knowing how to spend the night outdoors, I worried for them getting injured and not being able to get help. I am worried about how they control themselves in the field.It's different now. Not like 50 60 years ago and prior.

I counted the age group of 17 and under for the first ten pages.
I counted 18 self inflicted accidents for this age group I think 2 were same party member.Tells me that these young kids need better firearm and crossbow handling and need to be properly supervised..That is for the first ten pages ,didn't go any further but almost 100% of the 17 and under accidents, where because of self infliction.

I agree 100% Jeff the statics would indicate the need for better training. But did you notice they were very few 12 and 13 yr olds? Just my opinion but I think the parents are supervising their kids even though the law permits them to legally hunt by themselves.
Live it up! Doug

You can bowhunt at 10 in Michigan and gun hunt at 12. But you must be accompanied by an adult until age 17. The adult must be close enough to observe and communicate with you directly without any electronic device, although not necessarily sitting right alongside.

Here in utah you can take hunter safety at any age, but you cant hunt until your twelve and you have to have a guardian over eighteen with you.

This is new for Wis. this year.

Anyone under age 14 even with hunter education must still be accompanied by an adult
while hunting.
“Accompanied” for the purpose of accompanying a person at age 12 or 13 who has
completed hunter education means always being within Visual & Voice contact with the 12
or 13 year old hunter. Does not require remaining within arms reach and only one weapon.

[QUOTE=kswild;3703904]I agree 100% Jeff the statics would indicate the need for better training. But did you notice they were very few 12 and 13 yr olds? Just my opinion but I think the parents are supervising their kids even though the law permits them to legally hunt by themselves.
Live it up! Doug[/QUOTE
Oh yeah I saw that. And I agree that most are supervised even though the law says otherwise.

12 with an adult 16 without, im 15 and feel that i can go out alone and handle it