Honest concern with Youth Hunter bucks shot…

[northcedar]

What age range are you dads turning your kids loose in their own stand/blind? Even if you're only 100-200 yards away maybe. When I was 10, my dad walked with me in the dark the 1st few times and watched me get into the tree, and then he'd go to his stand. No phones, just a wrist watch and a meeting time. But without starting a whole new conversation, we try to be a little more cautious nowadays. Assuming the obvious, that the kid can load/unload safely and make good decisions, I'm just curious at what age are you guys parting ways. My 11 yr old doesn't have his own phone yet, but he could borrow one for texting.

 

[Daver]

What age range are you dads turning your kids loose in their own stand/blind? Even if you're only 100-200 yards away maybe. When I was 10, my dad walked with me in the dark the 1st few times and watched me get into the tree, and then he'd go to his stand. No phones, just a wrist watch and a meeting time. But without starting a whole new conversation, we try to be a little more cautious nowadays. Assuming the obvious, that the kid can load/unload safely and make good decisions, I'm just curious at what age are you guys parting ways. My 11 yr old doesn't have his own phone yet, but he could borrow one for texting.

I had my boys in the same tree with me, in separate stands, for at least one full year when they were around 11 as I recall. Then another year where I was in a stand separate from them, but within 50 to 150 yards...often I could see them in the stand. We had the luxury of being able to text each other, so I could check on them, etc. Safety lines and full body harnesses were, and still are, mandatory.

They were safe and I was comfortable that they were, etc. Both shot their first archery deer with me in the tree with them. By the time they were 13, they were free to go to a stand of their own and we would touch base via text. We had many memorable and enjoyable hunts "together" this way.

 

[CottonwoodCanyon]

I started joining in on deer hunting with my grandpa and uncle when I was 10, before that it was just small game and birds. I shot my first deer at 12 with them by my side. I think I started hunting by myself when I was 14. I don't have kids yet so I can't comment much on that, but I do cringe a bit when I see 5,, 6,, 7 year olds harvesting deer.

 

[Hardwood11]

If I was a Big Game Coordinator in Iowa or Minnesota. I would not open ANY deer season until October 1 and I’d end the season on December 31.

No exceptions! …just my opinion!

Many reasons for this, too many to mention!

 

[Windlooker]

I personally can’t stand watching youth hunts. The 5, 6 etc hunts are too young imo. I started at 12 and I think that’s about the proper age. I think it’s more about the environment at home, not how early one starts, that developes the next generation. Take a kid to Universal studios at 5 and they don’t remember, take em at 12 and it’s something they never forget.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

If I was a Big Game Coordinator in Iowa or Minnesota. I would not open ANY deer season until October 1 and I’d end the season on December 31.

No exceptions! …just my opinion!

Many reasons for this, too many to mention!

Ok, what's reasoning against MN archery season opening in mid-Sept? Doesn't even seem that earlier given many of the states I hunt open first day/week of sept.

 

[Hardwood11]

Ok, what's reasoning against MN archery season opening in mid-Sept? Doesn't even seem that earlier given many of the states I hunt open first day/week of sept.

Too hot, normally bugs. I’d cut back across the board to save bucks ! Oct 1- Dec 31 is 90 days to get it done !

 

[bluedog69]

What age range are you dads turning your kids loose in their own stand/blind? Even if you're only 100-200 yards away maybe. When I was 10, my dad walked with me in the dark the 1st few times and watched me get into the tree, and then he'd go to his stand. No phones, just a wrist watch and a meeting time. But without starting a whole new conversation, we try to be a little more cautious nowadays. Assuming the obvious, that the kid can load/unload safely and make good decisions, I'm just curious at what age are you guys parting ways. My 11 yr old doesn't have his own phone yet, but he could borrow one for texting.

In Missouri they have to be 11 and hunter certified to hunt alone. So we never broke that rule.
Phones do add a piece of mind to the situation. You can text when they get set up and do check ins frequently, even if you are 100 yards over the hill.

My kids all started tagging deer at 6 to 10 years old. They were also crazy good shots rested with a rifle.
That is the key to good youth hunting....the adult knows how to get the kid on a deer with an almost 100%
chance of a well placed bullet. Not a marginal shot but a solid double lung or heart shot.

It is also up to the parent to evaluate the kid. Some of my wife's brothers shot their first deer at 4 yrs old. We joke they are
the reason for the 6 yr old law in MO. But honestly, not all kids are mentally, emotionally, or physically ready to do that at 6.

Every one of my 4 daughters and 2 boys started dressing squirells, rabbits, and deer at about 3 years old.... with a butter knife.
Why? Because that was the only way to shut them up. They want to butcher.
None of them have a queesy bone in their body. My daughters have dug dead rotten calves out cows before.
Sometimes I think, " They just ain't right!" (a little off in the head)

Also where you are hunting with your 11 year old will make a difference. Private family farm? Good backstop for the shot? Review ALL the safety issues
EVERY hunt, and yes I would be close by. So I see no problem with your 11 year old hunting alone in the right situations. Stress the safety aspects all the time.

 

[Buckscrape]

Welcome to the world of instant gratification. No one has patience anymore. And I fear it's becoming a cultural thing and it's not going away anytime soon. I just hope there will always be passionate individuals like most of you on here that keep deer hunting about deer hunting and not some ego trip for Dads with little trigger pullers.

 

[wapsi-bottom-BP]

In Missouri they have to be 11 and hunter certified to hunt alone. So we never broke that rule.
Phones do add a piece of mind to the situation. You can text when they get set up and do check ins frequently, even if you are 100 yards over the hill.

My kids all started tagging deer at 6 to 10 years old. They were also crazy good shots rested with a rifle.
That is the key to good youth hunting....the adult knows how to get the kid on a deer with an almost 100%
chance of a well placed bullet. Not a marginal shot but a solid double lung or heart shot.

It is also up to the parent to evaluate the kid. Some of my wife's brothers shot their first deer at 4 yrs old. We joke they are
the reason for the 6 yr old law in MO. But honestly, not all kids are mentally, emotionally, or physically ready to do that at 6.

Every one of my 4 daughters and 2 boys started dressing squirells, rabbits, and deer at about 3 years old.... with a butter knife.
Why? Because that was the only way to shut them up. They want to butcher.
None of them have a queesy bone in their body. My daughters have dug dead rotten calves out cows before.
Sometimes I think, " They just ain't right!" (a little off in the head)

Also where you are hunting with your 11 year old will make a difference. Private family farm? Good backstop for the shot? Review ALL the safety issues
EVERY hunt, and yes I would be close by. So I see no problem with your 11 year old hunting alone in the right situations. Stress the safety aspects all the time.

I make All of my kids wait until 8-9yrs old to go on a deer hunt, they have been begging to go pretty much since they could walk n talk lol... they have been helping butcher deer, pheasant, squirrel, ect since they could walk/talk also.. started them squirrel n rabbit hunting at like 5-6.. pretty much make them wait until they can handle a 20ga and be fairly proficient at hitting the target before I let them deer hunt.. I have 2 going this yr, 14 n 8..

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[seven twenty]

YOUTH DEER SEASON

While hunting, youth hunters must be under direct supervision of an adult mentor who has a valid Hunting License and has paid the Habitat Fee, if the adult is normally required to have them to hunt. Only one youth hunter may accompany each adult mentor.


I don’t know where each of you are at, but I can guarantee that the local Officer does not consider sitting 50-150yds away “direct supervision”. I was basically told I had to be sitting within reach. Even during the shotgun season, I could not put them in a blind and push or walk two sides of a tree line/fence/ditch. And with 2 kids I had to get a buddy or relative to tag along or just take 1 at a time.

 

[Rjack]

YOUTH DEER SEASON

While hunting, youth hunters must be under direct supervision of an adult mentor who has a valid Hunting License and has paid the Habitat Fee, if the adult is normally required to have them to hunt. Only one youth hunter may accompany each adult mentor.


I don’t know where each of you are at, but I can guarantee that the local Officer does not consider sitting 50-150yds away “direct supervision”. I was basically told I had to be sitting within reach. Even during the shotgun season, I could not put them in a blind and push or walk two sides of a tree line/fence/ditch. And with 2 kids I had to get a buddy or relative to tag along or just take 1 at a time.

That is true on a youth tag. But, that isn't required if they get a regular bow or gun tag.

 

[Daver]

YOUTH DEER SEASON

While hunting, youth hunters must be under direct supervision of an adult mentor who has a valid Hunting License and has paid the Habitat Fee, if the adult is normally required to have them to hunt. Only one youth hunter may accompany each adult mentor.


I don’t know where each of you are at, but I can guarantee that the local Officer does not consider sitting 50-150yds away “direct supervision”. I was basically told I had to be sitting within reach. Even during the shotgun season, I could not put them in a blind and push or walk two sides of a tree line/fence/ditch. And with 2 kids I had to get a buddy or relative to tag along or just take 1 at a time.

If you are talking to me (your reference is almost exactly the same as one of my posts, so it seems that way) then you have made an assumption that my boys hunted with a youth tag. They never did. Regular tags only.

Edit to add...actually my youngest shot one deer on a youth tag...sitting about 18" from me. The other hunts I described were regular archery tags.

 

[Windlooker]

Sitting with the “Ute” , reference to My Cousin Vinny and my age , can also lead to who shot the deer. I’m not opening a can here but the Albia buck killed 20 years ago now had those very conversations. I had
a talk with a DNR officer who simply said, “ I can’t talk about it”. It’s not that prevalent imo but still an issue at times.

 

[Marty Edwards]

We live in a microwave society…the masses want instant gratification. I will say this, I never told my boys “no” you can’t shoot that buck if he comes by as they were starting their hunting careers (we lived in Nebraska at the time and they couldn’t legally hunt big game until 12 years old). That said, we were bow hunting exclusively (real bows, not crossguns) and they practiced constantly and were incredibly proficient. Scoped AR’s at rifle ranges during late summer was not a thing. Their first several years as bow hunters it was mostly does and some dink bucks, neither killed anything big until their late teens. So, yes, I mostly agree with the idea that it’s probably not a good thing, for a variety of reasons, in many instances. That said, if you believe like I do, that “you endorse what you allow” then it’s fair to say that the state of Iowa endorses youth hunters using rifles to kill mature bucks before the “of age” hunters have a chance at them. So…playing devils advocate, who am I to say what another hunter, young or old, should or shouldn’t legally kill? What if it’s a thousand acre family farm and they’ve grown that monster over several years and he was a resident of the interior of their farm? Different situation? For some of the many reasons we don’t like it, yes…but there are still many reasons it’s no bueno. How about this scenario, it’s a 180” 6 year old buck on public ground and a 9 year old kid whacks it at 100 yards from a “locked in place” tripod rifle rest that his dad fully set up for him? Different situation? I think so, but they aren’t breaking any laws, they’re doing exactly what the “smart guys” that make the laws want them to do. Ha, the “smart guys”.

If we MUST have a special youth season, maybe it’s antlerless only??? Doesn’t that make much more sense from a herd management perspective? The answer is obviously, “yes”. Ok then…that must not be the goal of youth season. So is the goal, hunter recruitment? Maybe, but as has been stated, the kid kills a monster his first year, the bar is set, then what?? He/she will lose interest fast if that’s not the standard every year.

Lastly, I’ll say this. I’m blessed to own some private. My boys are grown and gone and I’ve got toddler grandsons now. God willing, they’ll be hunters…specifically bow hunters. When I get the chance to teach them the ropes, the way I did with my boys, if they’re pulling 40# and can hit a softball sized target 9/10 times at 15 yards we’ll be in a tree or blind together. If an old doe walks by, perfect. If it’s an old, big buck, I won’t say “no”. But I can honestly say this, there won’t be any bucks on my farm getting killed by a kid with a scoped rifle, on a locked tripod rest, over green beans in late freakin’ summer. Ain’t gonna happen. It’s just stupid.

End of rant ;-)

 

[seven twenty]

That is true on a youth tag. But, that isn't required if they get a regular bow or gun tag.

You are correct. Because of the way it was explained, we never hunted a youth season, always waited until December.

 

[seven twenty]

If you are talking to me (your reference is almost exactly the same as one of my posts, so it seems that way) then you have made an assumption that my boys hunted with a youth tag. They never did. Regular tags only.

Edit to add...actually my youngest shot one deer on a youth tag...sitting about 18" from me. The other hunts I described were regular archery tags.

It wasn’t directed directly at you Daver, just used your #’s as others also stated there was a degree of separation between them. I did make the assumption that everyone was using youth tags because that is what generated the thread and youth is still open. Nobody that said they were separating specified they weren’t hunting the youth season. The reason for my assumption. (We all know what assuming does I guess) I’ve never purchased a youth tag because of the stipulations explained to me. I was also told that using the youth tag during gun season, I couldn’t carry nor could we hunt with anyone else. Youth season rules applied. Hence, we’ve always hunted the Dec seasons also.

 

[newfarmer]

I’ve said it before- I have known youth who hunt with gun all year because “it’s a youth tag”…(yes I’ve called DNR unfortunately). I think like everything, you keep honest people honest, and others just do…. That’s the reason I am against floating tags. I get the getting youth involved and spending time- but dang it- my family only comes in July and I want to spend time time them, so let’s have deer season then! I mean- once the gates start moving, it’s harder and harder to stop. Especially when the youth of today, could be changing laws in 15-20 possibly.

 

[Obsessed]

1. Iowa Youth tags could be changed to antlerless only.
2. Iowa Youth tags could be changed to only apply to Youth Season (last 2 weeks of September).

Enact one or both of these changes, and I predict youth tag sales and possibly / probably overall youth deer hunting participation would immediately drop by more than 50%. That's the exact opposite of what 'we' or the state wants.

I love my kids and enjoy providing opportunities for them.

Realistically however, I'm just not going to buy a youth tag, put $60 worth of fuel in my truck (every hunt), make the trek to the stand through unpicked fields, etc., and endure the bugs, humidity, and 90+ degree weather just for my kid to have an opportunity to possibly harvest a doe within a 2 week window. Buying a youth tag just wouldn't be worth it. There are better and longer season non-youth tag options available. The difference being that there's a lot more hunters / competition in the woods during non-youth seasons.

 

[cchadww]

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