Youth Season has went to the dogs...

[Schu72]

I hope this doesnt' totally get the thread off track, but do you guys that live in the more rural areas of the state still have schools that either close or schedule parent/teacher conferneces during the first few days of gun season? When I grew up that was the case in rural Belmont county. That is not the case where I currently live. In my twisted mind, this is another reason I personally like the youth season. When I was young I could hunt when the deer weren't scared to death and nocturnal by the time the weekend rolled around.

Lundy..you touched on the being in school thing while I was typing.

 

[bowhunter1023]

What about all of the kids and parents that do it the right way? Are they the minority? I don't think so, but that's just me.

Aren't slob hunters going to be slob hunters no matter when they hunt. Won't they teach their kids the same bad habits no matter when they hunt?

I do not believe the ones who do it right are in the minority. However while the ones who do it wrong are indeed the minority, they are the most visible segment of youth season for me. I see it all around me every year and it seems to get worse with each season. Bad news travels at a much faster rate than good news and I think that correlates well to what I am seeing with youth season. And yes, slobs will always be slobs and pass that one. As it stands now, the slobs have two more days to do that...

The first deer I ever shot at was on a drive. But I grew up with uncles who knew how to drive deer on the land we hunted. I was always placed in an area where deer would stop and for years, I had chances to shoot deer on drives and never once was a deer moving when I pulled the trigger. In the years since then, I have done a ton of brush busting for youths during the regular gun season. Any time I have pushed deer for a kid, they had an adult with them that made sure they were safe, the drivers were safe, and the kids took high percentage shots. I have no issues with driving deer. What I have issues with is when deer drives are done with little regards to safety and presenting quality shots...

 

[Beentown]

We were "allowed" to take off gun week but were expected to get out work done. I didn't deer hunt back then so I never took it. Man I should have started younger!

 

[bowhunter1023]

My school district has given the first day of gun off for as long as I can remember. They did away with it one year, my sophomore year, and threatened to give ISS to everyone who skipped school. They decided against putting 60 some kids in ISS and the next year, we had it off again...

 

[Gern186]

I agree. Not trying to make any members with young children mad, but I do not think you should be able to deer hunt until you are twelve, Maybe 10. Kids are just not mature enough to "Get it" at younger ages..

Evidently you don't have kids, huh? It really depends on the kid and the adults in question. Every individual is different and matures at different ages. I know a lot of people in their 20's that aren't "mature" enough to get it either.

 

[Gern186]

I think each kid is different. Honestly, starting my son last year was probably a mistake. At 7 he was too young and not only did he have trouble sitting still, he just couldn't process what we were doing. This year was much different. I had an absolute blast with him. Sitting in the blind talking about what he should be looking and listening for was great. Watching squirells and chicmunks. L:aughing about the cows that came through.

Do I expect him to recall everything...no. But I think the experience taught him something. Youth season gave me the opportunity to make the hunt all about him and not even consider myself. I had no gun, I never left his side. I made sure we were taking ethical shots and making good choices. Don't blame the kids or claim its wrong just because you didn't get to do it. If adults are abusing the system it's on them. They are the same ones poaching and breaking every other rule. Times have changed, life is much busier than it ever was. Kids need parent to get involved. Sorry there are a bunch of a-holes out there screwing things up. Turn them in, call the sherrif do what you have to do.

Good call Schu. I feel the same way and have had the same experiences with my son.

 

[Gern186]

I think this is broken and not really a good way to fix it. I too heard shooting from drives on Sunday morning. I heard the same gun go off 5 times in ten minutes, each time it went off there was two shots fired. I figure it was probably minnenites as thee are some in the area of where I was hunting on Sunday morning. I was thinking to myself wouldn't you even try and see if you shot the deer before trying to shot another one? Geesh!!!

I know I am preaching to the chior here on this point, but all in all if you really want to get your youth involved in deer hunting then get them a crossbow and then you have a youth season that starts the last weekend of Sept. all the way to the first weekend of Feb. There is no better way to teach hunting than through archery. It force you to hunt the animal not just pop off shots.

This is a good idea also Steve.

 

[cotty16]

First off, I don't really think the youth season is necessary, but it is nice if done properly. The question was raised about school's giving Monday of gun week off. Mine did when I was in school, but hasn't in my 13 years of teaching. Two of the neighbroing districts do, but ours doesn't. So, in a sense, it is nice to have that weekend before the deer are run ragged.
I just think a little tweaking needs done and it could be a good thing.
Like I said earlier, drives should be a no no.

As far as kids being too young, it depends on the kids. My boys enjoy being out and we are primarily after a buck. So, that means we are careful what we are shooting. Most guys on this site are the same. However, I'm sure there kids that 12-16 that were alone on drives and just slinging lead around. What happens? Accidents and wounded deer.

Put restrictions on it and it can be a positive learning experience.

 

[epe]

Evidently you don't have kids, huh? It really depends on the kid and the adults in question. Every individual is different and matures at different ages. I know a lot of people in their 20's that aren't "mature" enough to get it either.

Pretty much helped raise my ex's son from age three to 13. Taught him how to shoot. Bought him his first gun. Took him squirrel and waterfowl hunting for the first time. So yeah I think I am qualified to speak on it from both sides.

 

[aholdren]

I think this is broken and not really a good way to fix it. I too heard shooting from drives on Sunday morning. I heard the same gun go off 5 times in ten minutes, each time it went off there was two shots fired. I figure it was probably minnenites as thee are some in the area of where I was hunting on Sunday morning. I was thinking to myself wouldn't you even try and see if you shot the deer before trying to shot another one? Geesh!!!

I know I am preaching to the chior here on this point, but all in all if you really want to get your youth involved in deer hunting then get them a crossbow and then you have a youth season that starts the last weekend of Sept. all the way to the first weekend of Feb. There is no better way to teach hunting than through archery. It force you to hunt the animal not just pop off shots.

This is the route I am taking with my kids. Very good point Steve.

 

[Jackalope]

I think we need to keep this in perspective... 99.99% of us here are not the people we're talking about... it's the 99.999999% of them out there that we're discussing... Believe it or not we here on sites like these are the cream of the crop. We have taken a hobby to most and made an neverending year round quest for knowledge.. To us, hunting is a craft. That vast vast majority of the hunting public are not "like us"...

With that being said... Youth season, hell any gun season in Southern Ohio is nothing but drive drive drive push push push.... A couple years ago at camp for gun season we the bowhunters decided we we're all going to sit the first couple days. There are 6 of us out of 28 members... The gun only Hunter's were PISSED... They got all kind of mad saying you guys sat in stands all bow season, it's time to drive! I'm not sitting in the F'n woods! We need to get them moving, You guys already have them locked down" Many left the cabin the night before gun season cussing mad that for the first two days of gun we we're not going to do drives... Just 2 days! not even all of gun season.. Maybe that's why they still call gun season "deer season".. Uhmmm no.. Deer season has been in for 2 months bud.

It's not a tactic in So, it's a way of life.. That's deer season... Walk around and jump shoot running deer like rabbits..

 

[Beentown]

So Joe you are saying they are the 99%

OVC

Occupy Vinton County

 

[dante322]

I commented on this in my log last night. It's become a way for dad to get a crack at a booner, with a gun, in the middle of the rut, and with a half priced tag. Drives should be illegal during youth saeson, period. It'll never happen but I also feel you should have to get a special permit to conduct one during regular gun season, just so there can be a little more control on a dangerous activity.

 

[Jackalope]

So Joe you are saying they are the 99%

OVC

Occupy Vinton County

No.. But if tonk doesn't get his head out of his ass there is a nice little park in the quad by his office... What do you think? 750,000 hunters in this state.. 1% of them outside in the quad would be 7,500 camped out rednecks... And believe me... I think we know how to camp way better than stinky hippies.. Us rednecks know how to camp for the long haul with all the comforts of home.. lmao

 

[moundhill]

First off, I don't really think the youth season is necessary, but it is nice if done properly. The question was raised about school's giving Monday of gun week off. Mine did when I was in school, but hasn't in my 13 years of teaching. Two of the neighbroing districts do, but ours doesn't. So, in a sense, it is nice to have that weekend before the deer are run ragged.
I just think a little tweaking needs done and it could be a good thing.
Like I said earlier, drives should be a no no.

As far as kids being too young, it depends on the kids. My boys enjoy being out and we are primarily after a buck. So, that means we are careful what we are shooting. Most guys on this site are the same. However, I'm sure there kids that 12-16 that were alone on drives and just slinging lead around. What happens? Accidents and wounded deer.

Put restrictions on it and it can be a positive learning experience.

I agree with those 2 points 100%. I shake my head at 99% of the stories i hear from kids at school. Diablo and I's generation is a bunch of idiots, that if not brought up right are just plain ignorant. Now there definitly are good kids that are good ethical hunters, but the number of idiots that go out and just shoot at anything and everything is far higher. I think it all starts with the parenting, which some kids of course can't help. But 9 times out of 10 kids see their dad's crossing property lines and being unsafe, and they instinctively think that's ok. Now i'll admit, i have done drives on youth season and gun season but i can honestly say it was never a drive of more than 5 people and it was definitly controlled, we knew where we couldnt shoot and knew our lines. But i'll be completely satisfied if i never take part in a drive again. Their unsafe and there's really no reward in them. BTW, we get next monday off for deer season.

 

[Gern186]

Pretty much helped raise my ex's son from age three to 13. Taught him how to shoot. Bought him his first gun. Took him squirrel and waterfowl hunting for the first time. So yeah I think I am qualified to speak on it from both sides.

Like I said it depends on the individual in question. Driving deer is not teaching the true positive aspects of hunting, and that is what the youth season is supposed to be about.....getting kids involved in the outdoors and teaching them the right way to do things. With that being said, deer driving should be outlawed during the youth season. In my area I would say it's 50/50 on the guys that sit with their kids and actually hunt compared to the other 50% that can't sit still and have to push deer. This correlates directly to what type of hunter the adult is......if he is a bowhunter, then most likely he will sit with his kid and wait for a deer. If he is a weekend warrior 2 day per year gun hunter then I guarantee they will be pushing deer.

 

[finelyshedded]

I'm in the group that thinks deer driving in youth season should be outlawed before someone gets killed. I also like Steves idea of focusing on archery using a crossbow till they grasp ahold of how dangerous it is toting a shotgun. By law, the adults are suppose to be with the youth and clearly that isn't happening in some circles. Outlaw it and enforce it and the slob hunters should get the message. It's a damn shame in what's going on right now!

 

[Hortontoter]

I've been involved in two youth hunts, both including my grandsons. I took my 14 year old grandson turkey hunting in the youth season a few years ago. We got all settled in our spot just at daylight. He laid down and I told him to set up and watch for a gobbler. He said "Dad lets me sleep and wakes me up when he sees somthing". I promptly stood up and him and I headed to the truck. I told him when he was really interested in hunting I'd be glad to take him again.

The second scenario involved youth deer season and my stepsons two boys. He wanted to bring his two boys to my property to hunt. I asked him if he thought they were capable of shooting well enough to cleanly kill a deer. He thought I had asked a stupid question. We sat up a target with an 8" bullseye at 30 yards. Five shots later by both boys and neither one had even hit the cardboard that I had taped the target to. I told my stepson that after he took the time to teach them to shoot they could come and hunt anytime.

I am a firm believer in the fact that many kids are forced to hunt by their parent. The kids that are really interested show it. My dad tells me I am way to tough on my grandsons when it comes to hunting. I am just trying to teach them a little respect for the animal that they intend to pursue.

 

[epe]

You are not being too hard with them hortonhunter. Most kids are not brought up the way we were.

 

[finelyshedded]

Wish we had more mentors like you HT! Well done sir!:smiley_clap: