gonewest

Me and my friend had this chat yesterday about how old should a kid be before he can hunt deer with a gun or rifle? I just read a thread from another site about a guy wanting to know what was a good load for his 9 yr. old son to use for whitetail that didn't kick that much. I thought maybe just maybe he is a little young to be shooting a high powered rifle anyways and if he's scared of recoil now he will only most likely develope bad habits squeezing the trigger and that is very hard to break. In my day you graduated from one gun to another. When I was 9 I had a .22 and didn't get a shotgun till I was almost 12 and that was a 20 guage. We couldn't deer hunt till we were 14 yrs old. I think that law was some what of a saftey issue as well. I learned just as much about hunting tagging alng with my dad before I was able to hunt and it made it more special when I could. I think the kids now aday have everything handed to them. It took me 3 yrs to get my first buck. We didn't have the youth hunt. We didn't have coumpound bows with 75% letoff. Now in this state they canuse a crossbow and before long they will be pushing 1000fps. I just think you learn to be a way better hunter and woodsman by the school of old hard knocks and not the "new and everything simplified method" for the youth. Just a little vent. But what do you guys think about how old you should be and how old was it for you when you started deer hunting? Happy New Year.

JakeGrice

Here in Michigan it is 10 with bow and 12 with a gun. Technically your not supposed to hunt on your own until your 17 but im not sure how much they enforce that.

WV Hunter

I think it really depends on the kid.
My son killed his first with a .243 at 8. He handled it like a champ, and loved it. He had been hunting with me for several years prior, and shot guns for several years as well before I ever let him shoot at one himself. He shot the deer in my avatar at 11, with a .280 at 125yds. He just turned 13 this year and I'd take him as a hunting partner over MANY adults that I know.

My daughter is 10, and to me has not been ready yet so I have not let her shoot yet. She will probably be ready next season. I know some kids that aren't close to being ready at 12 or 13 or 14. I don't like the laws that some states have in place regarding age, I think it should really be up to the parents.

Jeff Ovington

Personally I was packed around, and tagged along with my Dad, on duck and grouse hunts and with my uncles since I was 2 or 3. Started shooting .22 at the age of 7 got my first rifle a 30-30 at 9 and .410 at that age as well. I got my 12 guage and 3006 in Grade 8 I remember that.I was 12 just turning 13. and hunted but my Dad and my uncle always carried and had control the weapon until I was in Grade 8.I shot game grouse ducks a couple of bucks between 9 and 12 but my dad my Grandpa my uncles always had control of that rifle at all times until I was ready to shoot.I had my own binos , my favorite Swedish blade red handle knives, knew how to gut,I knew how to shoot targets, but that niether hear nor there.You can't take back a life.
If your confident your kid knows gun handling skills at a young age and won't make a mistake, and you will are willing to let him and you face whatever consequences or actions or a retalition on something you and your
child are suppose to prevent at all costs than let that's the age you let them
carry a rifle and hunt. All I know is this, I am very very protective of my
familly and myself.I have children and a wife to live for and support.I want to see my children get married and have Grandchildren. If I get shot at by any hunter of any gender or of any age,they better have killed me cause I won't hesitate to kill them, if my life is in danger.You can't take a life back,
and I have lots of living to do.Series mistakes equal serious conseqences.
Eye for an Eye..

Backwoods7

Well I myself started shooting a 22 at about 4 but my dad was always at my side at 7 he got me my first gun a single barrel 410 that I made my first kill with a grey squeal. At 8 he got me a 16ga pump Stevens at 10 I was packin a 357 model 19 and a savage 30-06 and killed my first deer and at 13 dad cut me loose to hunt by myself but I had to prove to him I was ready able and mature enough. I think it has alot to do with the kid I think that there's some 12 year olds that are better/safer hunters than alot of adults.

SteveBNy

When the PARENT decides the child is old enough.

GTOHunter

I think a lot depends on the Size and Maturity of the Youth going Hunting?Some kids have been going out with their Parents for several years and learning the safety of handling a gun and how to shoot the Guns properly at a very early age.Here in MO. the Youths are allowed to go hunting with adult Supervision at 6 years old...some Kids are way to small or Young in my opinion to go out that young...yet there are others youngsters I've seen that are capable of doing that!My Girls went out with me at an early age,just to go along and enjoy the outdoors,I finally took them Deer Hunting when they turned 11 years old,which was 3 years apart,I started my oldest out with my Browning .243 Rifle and it was just too big for her to handle,I ended up getting her a Rossi Youth Gun and we hunted from a 2-man ladder stand with a shooting rail which helped a lot.She got Her first Doe after hunting for 2 years.,when she reached 16 years old She has to hunt the regular Adult Rifle seasons.

skinnnner

legaly,youd have to look in your state or provinces guide book.that being said...it depends on the child,some are 20 going on 8 and some are 8 going on 20.

halfbakedi420

in texas, as long as your with a parent it dont matter, 16 to hunt alone..
as fer my daughters, my 7 year old daughter shoots a bb gun and a 22lr...my 12 y/o daughter started with a 223 at 8 y/o, and hunting at 9...it was 2 years later before she used her 1st tag...
i think its up to the parent, as lots and lots of safety should be taught 1st.
it will depend on the teacher, and the student, as to how long it will be before young grasshoppa is ready.

Master Chief

The first time I went deer hunting with my dad I was probably 3 or 4. I didn't tag along but one time when I was that young because I was a little too imapatient lol. I started shooting guns when I was 6 or 7. Usually .22's. Then when I was 8 we bought a .243 that could be turned into a 20 gauge and I practiced with it some. The next season we went hunting and I killed 2 or 3 doe and then when I was 10 I got my first buck.