Regulation changes or just misinformed friends got me bummed.

[Warchild]

I can assure you that Oklahoma does not have nearly the hunter numbers that Michigan has. I don't care what anyone says 10 years old is too young to hunt with a gun. You don't have to agree if you don't want to. I can tell you that the last thing Mich needs is MORE hunters, we also don't need an early gun season forcing animals to become nocturnal before bow season even starts. I am a bow hunter first and foremost. Let me say that for decades the gun hunting age was 14 and it was a good fit, gave you something to look forward to. Now they allow these kids to get a crack at a summer pattern buck with a gun once again relaying the message that easy and quick are much more important than hard and earned. I will agree with one thing that you said BigCountry, you don't know what the hunting environment is here in Michigan.

[David Dumke]

Originally posted by Warchild:
I can assure you that Oklahoma does not have nearly the hunter numbers that Michigan has. I don't care what anyone says 10 years old is too young to hunt with a gun. You don't have to agree if you don't want to. I can tell you that the last thing Mich needs is MORE hunters, we also don't need an early gun season forcing animals to become nocturnal before bow season even starts. I am a bow hunter first and foremost. Let me say that for decades the gun hunting age was 14 and it was a good fit, gave you something to look forward to. Now they allow these kids to get a crack at a summer pattern buck with a gun once again relaying the message that easy and quick are much more important than hard and earned. I will agree with one thing that you said BigCountry, you don't know what the hunting environment is here in Michigan.

I agree with you that 10 may be a little young but I also think my opinion would be different if it weren't for the early season. My brother, a die hard rifle hunter because of his raising by my grandfather, thinks the opposite way that we do. He thinks it's not fair that bows get first go. I told him it's much harder to harvest with a bow compound or not than it is a rifle. He still believes that it doesn't matter what you use, rifle still gets the leftovers of what bowhunters harvest. I guess we'll just never agree.

I personally think 10 might be too young but I like the idea of younger kids being introduced in to hunting. But I refuse to think it's fair to let adults take their children out early season so the kids can "fill their tags". How often do you think parents will abuse that system? The ethics of hunting around here are get what you can and get it however you can. Many rifle hunters fill their tags, then have the wife buy tags and fill those as well.

I'm not aware of too many public areas to hunt around here and was blessed when a local farmer allowed me to hunt his land. I'm lucky my grandparents and family have been hunting it through the generations or I probably wouldn't even be hunting this year.

[LimBender]

I know some states (like LA) exempt veterans or those serving in the military, and I believe some law enforcement from hunter ed.  Not sure of details or if many states have this, but just passing it on for anybody that may be in a bind.

[BigCountryOK]

Originally posted by Warchild:
I will agree with one thing that you said BigCountry, you don't know what the hunting environment is here in Michigan.

I once read a article where by an author that hunted in Michigan.  He said that he had never killed a deer over 3.5yrs that didn't have some form of previous wound from being shot by bow or rifle. So I can only imagine.

[BigCountryOK]

Originally posted by Warchild:
I don't care what anyone says 10 years old is too young to hunt with a gun. You don't have to agree if you don't want to.

And I don't agree, but its all good.  Why should the government dictate when I can allow my child to hunt.  All kids are different.  With proper supervision and training 10 is not too young to hunt.  I've been in the field with 10yr olds that I was more comfortable with than most adults.

 

Originally posted by BigCountryOK:

Originally posted by Warchild:
[qb] I will agree with one thing that you said BigCountry, you don't know what the hunting environment is here in Michigan. [/b]

I once read a article by an author that hunted in Michigan.  He said that he had never killed a deer over 3.5yrs that didn't have some form of previous wound from being shot by bow or rifle. So I can only imagine.

Hope you have a great season!!

[J-dog]

You'll have to have it to go to many out of states hunts as well - the bowhunters ed course too --- it is good info and a fun class anyhow.

I am have to dis - agree with the 10yrs old too young idea, respectfully of course. My daughter will be shooting long before 10yrs old, what I really want is her to be zapping squirrels with a trad bow before then!. Just two different views is all.

[b.glass]

I've taken it about 5 times myself. With each child,(twice with one) and with a nephew. I've also taken the bowhunter's class. They were all pretty cool really. Take the course!

[hvyhitter]

Take the course and the bowhunters course. It makes it much easier to get tags sometimes when hunting in other states or Canada....... BTW.....My first hunting licence was 1969 and I was 8, hunting squirrels and rabbits with a single shot 22 or 410. My grandfather was always within 10 feet and didnt let me load until I was ready to shoot. Hunting safty drilled in constantly for my first 3 yrs..........

[Bladepeek]

Michigan, in its typical confusing manner has changed the rules for youth hunters to allow apprentice opportunities before the kid has to take hunter safety. To my knowledge, they have not changed the requirement for everyone above the "youth" catagory born after a certain date to take hunter safety. It's usually a "no charge" class (at least in my gun club) and usually a 2-evening class plus range work on a Saturday. The quote below is from an e-mail I received recently from the MI DNR.

"Hopefully this information will help clarify the new changes for the 10 and 11 year old hunters. The change is already in effect and impacts those young hunters for this year!

 
Youth 10 – 13 can hunt for deer and bear with archery and crossbow equipment on both public and private lands.
 
Youth 10 – 13 can hunt for deer, bear, and elk with a firearm but only on private land or Commercial Forest Act (CFA) lands. They cannot hunt with a firearm on public land.
 
Youth 10 – 13 can hunt for elk with archery or crossbow but only on private land or CFA lands. They cannot hunt for elk on public land.
 

Youth 10 – 16 can hunt with a firearm license, junior combination license or antlerless license.
 

Youth 10 – 16 must have hunter safety or have an apprentice license and must be with an adult (18 or older if they had hunter education; 21 or older with an apprentice license).
 

Youth 14 – 16 can hunt for deer, bear, and elk with archery, crossbow, and firearm on public and private lands."

[lpcjon2]

Take the class its worth the knowledge you may learn and the example you will set for the future hunters around you and the ones in the class.