Youth only big game seasons

JimP · Jan 10, 2019

The youth hunts are a double edge sword. On one side it offers youth a great opportunity to draw a tag and get out and hunt with their parents. But it also places pressure on their parents to take time off from work to get their kids out when they don't have a tag themselves.

One of the problems is that once the youth is considered a adult they are thrown into that pool of hunters that have a hard time drawing a tag, weather the state has preference points, bonus points, or no points at all. I have seen where kids get out and hunt until this time and then hang it up because they can not draw a tag every year. They find out what life is all about real quick once they turn the adult age.

One state that I have watched is Utah on the youth tags. Over the last few years there have been around 3500 tags left over that are designated for deer archery that go unused for the youth. The reason could be a couple of different things. One kids don't want to archery hunt and another their parents don't archery hunt or don't want to support their kids in archery.

So to make a long post short I am really against youth hunts. You feed the kids full of sugar for a number of years and then cut them off cold turkey when they become adults.

CrimsonArrow · Jan 10, 2019

I think they’re ridiculous, whether it’s big game or waterfowl. I’m all for reduced license fees for kids, but if parents really want to take their kids hunting, do it during the normal season. I have 2 boys that love to hunt, and take them out every minute we can for every species we can. It cuts heavily into my own hunting time, but it’s time well spent, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

mallardsx2 · Jan 10, 2019

Dont take this the wrong way but this is my opinion.

I 100% feel that there should be a youth only season in every state to give kids the opportunity to get involved and hunt.

I also 100% feel this should be a doe only season.

I wont go on to post my tirades against youth buck seasons because most people will take it the wrong way.

And for the record I have a 7 year old and I am still only for the Youth DOE ONLY season.

Any way you skin it, I commend you for pursuing the topic with the state. I feel it is time well spent and I hope they hear your voice and take your opinion into consideration.

Tim McCoy · Jan 10, 2019

100% for them. You can easily accommodate youth hunts if you like. Units with depredation hunts, antlerless hunts, etc. are good places to start. Oregon does a good job with lower fees, a mentored program, actual youth hunts and a first time hunter tag guarantee. My oldest had some excellent youth hunts in OR, WA, NM and AZ. Recruiting new hunters and especially kids is important. Youth hunts tend to give an uncrowded experience on public land, a priceless experience imo. I’ll happily take a few less tags here and there for the kids.

mustang8 · Jan 10, 2019

Here in Wisconsin I am aware of at least 2 youth seasons that are offered (there may be more that I haven't found out about) but these are turkey and deer, the turkey is a spring hunt prior to any of the normal seasons in April, it is strictly a 2 day hunt, weather can be pretty iffy that time of year so it is a toss up (18" of snow last year), for deer season they get 2 days in October pre rut, to shoot either a doe or buck. I am all for youth seasons, I never had them as a child and at least it gives them a short taste of it, during THEIR OWN season. Just my 2 cents. Luke

Fink · Jan 10, 2019

I go back and forth on this. On one hand, I really don't think that a youth season has much, if any impact on actually getting more kids out hunting. I'd like to see a study that shows x number more kids got out because of it.. We didn't have a youth season when I was little, we just went with our dads during the regular season..
Part of me says that you're really not doing anyone any favors by setting aside special seasons and special tags for kids, and then at the age of 16, saying "just kidding, that's not how it works anymore." Another part of me says 'if it just gets a few more kids out there...."

I personally have taken quite a few kids out during the youth waterfowl seasons - far more than I've taken during the regular waterfowl season. Part of that is because we've worked with the local conservation department to open up areas that are not normally open to hunting, just for that youth weekend.

Another part of me knows how important just one good hunt can be.. When I was 12, my dad took me duck hunting (regular duck season, of course), We ended up being in the right spot at the right time, and shot a limit of mallards, one at a time, over the course of the morning. that hunt is forever etched into my brain, and probably the single most important reason I'm a duck hunter today. My brother never had that hunt, and my dad tried several times, before my brother gave up on the sport.

Another part of me says - I've seen a bunch of GIANT bucks get killed during the youth season, and I've got a sneaky suspicion it wasn't Jr. that did the killin.

All my ramblings aside, I don't really know. I guess I support them for the sole reason that the positives outweigh the negatives.

ando_31 · Jan 10, 2019

I'm all for youth seasons. ND has a youth season that runs well before regular rifle season. I'm not positive of the regs anymore, but I believe the season is 1 week long including the weekends on both sides of the week. Lets face it, youth typically need a little more action. Had my father taken me out fishing only for walleye and we struck out my first few times, I would have lost interest in fishing. I had to start off with fast action sunfish, then work my way towards the more sought after game fish. My introduction to hunting was very similar. I used to enjoy water foul hunting because of the action and almost certainty of bringing home birds. My youth deer season was difficult as deer numbers were very low that year, but I did get more time to learn the ropes and I was successful the last weekend of regular season.

An early season is a way to increase the odds of finding less pressured animals, hunt in warmer climates (at least in ND), and keep the field a little less busy which should decrease accidents. It increases the chances of a young hunter having the time to make an ethical shot since the deer aren't as alert.

As for lowering the price...the youth using the tag likely doesn't pay for it anyways. I believe the tag should still be full price.

dirtclod Az. · Jan 10, 2019

Anytime a youth is mentored and can hunt is a plus to us all.Keep it up guys!

go_deep · Jan 10, 2019

Hilltop said:
My home state of Nebraska doesn't currently have any youth only big game seasons or hunts. In researching other states, I was able to find that Nebraska and Nevada are the only two states that do not offer some form of a youth only big game hunt. Some states offer state wide options for a period of days while others offer only specific species/areas for a few days. I am in communication with the Nebraska Game and Parks big game director trying to convince him to consider starting a hunt here in Nebraska.

I'm hoping to get some feedback from some of you guys in other states. In your opinion, are these hunts a good idea? Any positive/negative things to consider? I can't personally see a down side but I have had some objection from a few local hunters who don't want to give up a couple of days during our 100 day bow season.

Thanks for any feedback guys.

Wyoming doesn't allow big game hunting till the age of 12, even though we do have some youth only seasons. I took my 10 year old son across the state line to Nebraska so he could hunt deer with a muzzle loader this past year in Nebraska. Even though it was late in the season in sub-par weather conditions, with a 20 year old smoke pole, on the 4th day of hunting he knocked down his first deer ever. Wyoming has a youth only season, but Nebraska lets kids hunt earlier, with cheaper tags, and significantly longer seasons. Personally I think Nebraska already does a great job with youth opportunity.

sneakypete · Jan 10, 2019

Research Montana, I know they have a two day youth hunt before the general season opens and there tags are discounted. The two day season I believe is only for deer!

Eberle · Jan 10, 2019

Hilltop,

I think what you are doing is great. I'm 110% for youth hunts, here in Oklahoma our youth season is during fall break when kids our out of school. In Kansas it is the first season of the year, which gives the youth first chance. I think every state should have them. If you want to start a petition, I will gladly sign it.

go_deep · Jan 11, 2019

Hilltop said:
I agree- they are doing better than some states but my goal isn't to provide an opportunity to kids who will in one way or another already get to go with dad at some point. I'm looking for ways to get kids involved who normally wouldn't go at all. For instance, I took one young man out a few years ago who doesn't have hunting parents or any of the gear. He honestly had never considered going but my son talked him into it- and I had the free time. He shot a doe deer and was hooked forever. His dad stepped up and bought him some gear and now has him lined up with a hunting family member.

The real issue in Nebraska is this- we have a 9 day firearm season. That is 4 days available to take a kid and for adults to hunt themselves if they have a job. Add in kids activities, and the window gets very short. We do have a muzzleloader season but there is only a small percentage of adults in the state participating. If an adult doesn't hunt that way themselves, they surly aren't going to be a good mentor. My thought is if there was a special youth firearm season, more experienced hunters would be willing to take kids out and get them involved while not having to sacrifice their already short season.

There's also a 15 day doe only rifle season from January 1-15th also. 4 days in November, 8-17 days in December with Christmas break for the kids, and another 4 days in January. That gives you between 16 to 25 days to deer hunt over 3 months with the existing season without a day missed of school.

Guess as parents and advocates for the hunting community we need to decide, am I willing to give up my opportunity every once and a while, and inconvenience myself with taking a youth during hunting season, or is my opportunity to take a deer more important?

kidoggy · Jan 11, 2019

in Idaho many of the general deer seasons are open for youth only doe hunts . I think this is an awesome opportunity for the kids to get involved in hunting.

easy enough hunts they don't get burned out before they get hooked.. plus they get a sense of pride by helping contribute to their families meals.

I don't see a downside to these hunts.

go_deep · Jan 11, 2019

Hilltop said:
I understand your point but how many non-hunting kids are going to get excited about hunting in single digit weather in January? The 8-17 days during December are muzzleloader or archery only- again it will be rare for the casual community to take someone out during these seasons. I took my son opening day, Jan 1st, and the windchill that day was -21F. People like you and I make it happen and give a big effort to get kids involved. My question is how do we get people who aren't so committed to get kids out there. In my opinion, you make it convenient to go during a time of year that is a lot more comfortable for first time hunters. You seem to oppose so I ask, what would a youth only season earlier in the year hurt?

Personally I think that it would be a great thing, and a early October weekend is more likely to get okay'ed by the bow hunters for them to loss a weekend. The one thing I would add if your able to gain any traction on this would be to add that anyone who has never bought a big game license regardless of age would be allowed to hunt also. So this would include for example, an adult who has never hunted, but would allow them to be mentored once, without interfering with someone else's hunting time. I'm not knocking your idea, Nebraska just has a lot more opportunity, and I mean a lot more than most any other states, but things can all ways get tweaked, and get better too.
Good luck!

Youth only big game seasons

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