youth season in Texas

[loco_cacahuate]

A little setup,
Texas has a "youth weekend" so that children 14 & under can hunt with a gun. It's the weekend before general season opens and the last of bow season. A few years ago TPWD approved draw locks on bows, so young ones wouldnt have to draw them and start bowhunting at an earlier age. Last year they did away with the 40# minimum draw weight.

Now there is a proposal to make entire bow season "youth" season too, Which means kids can hunt with guns during archery season.

I'm all for kids getting to hunt gun or bow but I think they should leave archery season alone and just keep the special youth hunt one weekend as it is.
Any opinions?

[vermonster13]

We have youth season here this weekend also(I am taking a neighbors boy our myself), but archery has been closed for two weeks and general season doesn't open for another week yet. I like it that way, the kids get the woods to themselves and it is safer for all concerned on some levels. I'm 100% for youth seasons, but they need to be safe for all and respect others hunting times also.

During our youth season a 15 or under child can take a deer of either sex and are allowed to take spikehorns which isn't allowed at any other time so they are given every chance to get that first kill.

[Bonebuster]

The youth hunt here in Michigan quickly became my FAVORITE part of the entire season. That being said, I agree, that it should be limited and not included in the regular archery season.

A am amazed at how many people are opposed to the youth hunt here, and have often wondered how it is in other states.

[Danny Rowan]

Wes,

I agree, keep the youth season as it is. You need to let your state agency know how you feel and get the Trad Archer's Assoc and Texas Bowhunter's Assoc involved. If no one speaks up it will happen.

I am all for kids hunting but do not want to be in the woods with a youngun with a gun.

Danny

[ib4elk]

Just my two cents but opening up the entire (or any) bow only season to ANY rifle season is a bad idea.  We (as bow hunters) are fully camouflaged and covered up and easily could be within 15-40 yards of deer, elk, etc., at any time and then have a rifle hunter out there seeing that animal at over 100 yards and start shooting...  I expect you get the idea.  Kids definitely need to learn to hunt ethically, fully know their target and not just start shooting at movement or "I think I see something..."  but to try and emphasize that when you have people running around hidden all over the place is not the time.  We don't want to have to start wearing blaze orange while out bowhunting.

[texbow2]

The vast majority of deer hunting here in Texas is all on private land so I don't think we have the safety issue that other states might have but I am concerned that extending the youth season will open it up to other things including crossbows. Access is the main limiting factor here for kids and the kids that already have access have a long season to start with here. I'm not sure what extending an already long season accomplishes.

[Steve D]

Dont care for youth seasons'many are helped by good  ole Dad to fill the tag.let em earn it and they will appreciate it more,  the whole experience should be centered on being out there not just the kill,if they want to hunt there's small game  seasons.

[Cory Mattson]

they stole some of our bow season here in NC too - same excuse - give the last day of bow season to gun hunters and more kids would be able to go???????? No kidding - I was there - and could not believe it. This after creating a muzzleloader season with days - then a week of bow season (rather than days from gun season) - Kid programs are a pathetic joke - EVERY day is a kids hunting day at my house - and way before it became the new trendy excuse!!!!!!!!
Hey 3 of my buddies started their 10 to 12 year olds this year - all 3 kids have taken a total of TEN Deer so far with recurve bows!!!!!!! My daughter too - killed a wild hog with a longbow when she was 11!!!!!!! I do not understand this pattern of trying to make it easier - or to substitute guns - so kids can kill stuff during bow season. Any kid that is too lazy to practice with a bow can stay in front of the computer for all I care - or wait for Gun Season.
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[longarrow]

Loco
If you signed the partition at TPWD you need to!! Take a look all the new items they want to do!! Some are good some are bad, but we need your input ASAP. We have a good Youth season, if they want to add more time do it in general season or at the end of the General season. KEEP in mind adding youth (gun) to our bowhunting season will cause a safety concern for us bowhunters!!  KEEP in mind during the youth season, they must have an adult with them...same as in the general season!!! So what's the differents in those two seasons???

[loco_cacahuate]

longarrow, I was #46 on the petition.
The president of the Lone Star Bowhunters Assoc. has met with one of the TPWD board members and voiced our concerns. There will be a lot of Texas bowhunters at the January meeting.