My 2 cents on the Junior Hunt.....

[blackford]

Before I start I want to clear up what some of you are going to think. I was able to get my deer this year. Infact in our group we are fine for deer for a season and a half. Thats with us going to the elders in the community and giving the hunters that are to elderly to hunt some deer to enjoy. My parents brought me up the right way...


Ok. So I hope I don't ruffle to many feathers here. I know I am going to get a back lash on this but from the hunters I spoke to this year so far - they agree with me. The open youth season in region 8 has got to stop. Plain and simple. When I started hunting about 15 years ago we had a lot more deer. Infact my first deer was shot with my dad no further than 100 yards away. We didn't need a "open youth season" and we all seemed to do ok. I learned how to clean a deer and I was instantly hooked on the sport. I didn't need a youth season to get me going.

Before I even start - I have yet to hear of any youth that went hunting and missed a deer. No matter how young or old they are. No matter how big the deer was or if it was moving or to far... they always seem to hit it. Infact I have been out for bow season and see kids in pyjamas in the truck. What I am getting at is that I am willing to bet Dad is taking the shot a high percentage of the time. You can't tell me otherwise. How is a youth who has never possibly shot at an animal before get out of the truck and shoot a deer first try... cmon ladies and gents....


Secondly the length of time the season is open. Sept 1 -Sept 30 and then it open for everyone else for any buck. I went this year and I got my buck... I hunted off the beaten path. I can tell you that every single buck I saw was moving pretty quick. Chances are they have been shot at ( from the kids doing it right) or they have heard the bullets fly towards other deer. This is ridiculous..... I have 1 week a year to dedicate to hunting. By the kids going out and shooting and eliminating a lot of deer from the mix, it makes it harder for me to get my deer. I contribute just like the parents of the kids do and I think I am entitled as much as they are to bagging my deer.


Thirdly- Jesus Christ- now even open for birds... every year I limited out on grouse. This year I came nowhere close... wonder why..?

Lastly, we have new regulations saying we can take only one deer from selected regions. This is because deer counts are down ( I guess). If this is the case then why are we letting dads in with the kids to shoot deer before the other hunters can. Lets make it fair for everyone.

My thoughts is if the youth draw was to continue we make it like a limited entry. Give a certain amount of spikes, 2 point, 3 point and larger for the youths. This will have dad.... I mean the youth have to count the points before shooting... It will teach them good habits and it will make the sustainability of the sport go further.

This is the only sport we give a break to the youths. Can youths fish the Fraser when its closed..

I am going to go hide under a rock because I am sure this will get some people upset but this needs to stop. And if we are going to open it up for the youth... Then why not open it up for the seniors.... they can't go on a 10 km hike to the alpine to get a deer.

In my eyes its all done wrong

[eatram]

Let me be the first to congratulate you on being willing to stick your neck out and voice your opinion. Especially when you know that you will be crucified for this. I wish that we as Canadians would be willing to be so bold as to voice our opinions even though we know that there may be backlash. I am going to stop writing now and get a bag of popcorn...

[two-feet]

Let me be the first to congratulate you on being willing to stick your neck out and voice your opinion. Especially when you know that you will be crucified for this. I wish that we as Canadians would be willing to be so bold as to voice our opinions even though we know that there may be backlash. I am going to stop writing now and get a bag of popcorn...

pop some for me, and bring beer

[srupp]

Hmmm lol..we need to recruit new hunters..get them away from their gameboys...computers.
Im all for anything to help these young hunters in the field and help them with success...
I didnt have this system..im all for helping them get started..
Give em a break..
Cheers
Steven

[blackford]

Let me be clear here. I want the next generations of hunters to thrive but..... maybe a shorter season and maybe closely regulated so dads are eating the aforementioned popcorn when junior is pulling the trigger . Also why not a draw system

[Danny_29]

Last time I checked a kid in school doesn't get a week off to go hunting?

[Big Lew]

It won't happen 'blackford'...it's been hashed through before. I'm a bow hunter and can see
the writing on the wall in relation to crossbows being involved. I'm not saying that crossbows
shouldn't be included in the bow season, only that they are now so well developed that the high
end ones are as accurate as a rifle out to 100 yards in the right hands. Then consider that even
compound bows are much more accurate and capable out to ranges almost double to what they
were when the rules were changed to make special bow only seasons. Add these modern weapons
in with the youth season, especially now that that youth season is extended, and it doesn't take
a rocket scientist to realize the early deer slaughter isn't sustainable the way it is now. About the
only way I can see maintaining this 'special' season for both youth and archery is to make it 3 points
or better. We all know that during the first week or so in September the young bucks, spikes and
2 points, are very easy to find and kill, especially by road hunters. If not, it will not be long before
that season is eliminated, or like in some regions, all hunting with the use of a vehicle will not be
allowed before 10 am.

[Islander30]

Your logic is strange to me. You say you started hunting 15 years ago, when there was a lot more deer around, and you shot your first deer no more than a 100yds with your dad....so you say that proves you didn't need a youth season to get your deer ??? Sounds like you didnt need a youth season because there was A LOT MORE deer around, as you just said yourself.

Secondly if you hear of a Dad taking the shot for a kid then report them to RAPP, it's illegal and not the intention of the youth season at all. If like you say it happens all the time start reporting these poacher Dads that are running around taking hunts away from their own kids !!! But why should the honest be punished anyways ? With that logic its like saying all hunting should be closed because of a few poachers !

You also defend senior hunts by saying they can't do 10 km hikes ??? Again your logic baffles me, did it occur to you that although seniors may not be able to hike as much THEY CAN HUNT EVERY DAY OF THE SEASON !!! Kids just like you ( who apparently can only hunt one week a season) have to go to school !

And by the way my son missed his first whitetail and got scoped in the nose for his consultation prize just last week, he's 11.....it was a nice buck and I had plenty of time to shoot it for him, but that would have been wrong....it was not even a youth season so I COULD have shot the buck for him and cut my tag, but I didnt..that's not how to teach him to improve, it's better the buck walks.

Hunting doesn't have to be a selfish sport. Think of others sometimes, put yourself in their shoes. Like SRUPP said it's not easy to get a kid into hunting these days....certainly none of their friends hunt, not unless it's on Xbox or PS4. So ya youth hunts give kids an advantage, but we're in a time when the whole sport of hunting is danger of extintiction. So whatever little advantage helps a kid get into hunting I applaud....who knows maybe one day that kid will stand up and be the voice that saves hunting !

[Wild one]

Youth season when the youth is the shooter I am ok with. But I have posted about the abuse of the season years ago and most don’t care. Calling a CO some say well unless you have video of the father being the shooter it’s going nowhere

As a father I like the principal of it but idiots wreck it

Timing of the season I am not a fan of and don’t believe it should be during archery season. But this is BC where bow hunting makes you an evil elitist and archery seasons just steal opportunity from others lol

Nope you won’t see much love when it comes to youth season related issues

[Wild one]

Last time I checked a kid in school doesn't get a week off to go hunting?

Its called being your school work on the hunt just like any other vacation. It works out great did it every year as a kid and usually for 10-14days not 7

I have 2 kids and can tell you there is no lack of pro D days and holidays in school as well