No Age Limit

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Singing Bridge
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No Age Limit

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:38 am

We now have no age limit for deer hunting in Michigan, according to my local newspaper and other Michigan hunting publications. As long as the child is accompanied by an adult...

Not sure how I feel about this- I like the idea of young hunters being introduced to the sport. Especially if the adult is a responsible hunter. Some "adult" hunters worry me though... just being honest.

There are a number of states that have no minimum age either, but almost none of them have the hunting pressure Michigan has. Guess I'm still middle of the road on this idea...

Thoughts?


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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby G3s » Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:43 am

I think it is AWESOME! I agree with some less than stellar role models out there..but truth be told, those same people will be the role models at 7/8 or 12/13 yrs old... I for one will do everything I can to help get more kids out there and enjoying the sport of hunting. I am sure some will abuse it just like anything else and will "help" the kids shoot the animal...that sucks but generally kids are loose lipped and will help get those violators busted. I think overall this is a great move!
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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby dan » Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:47 am

G3s wrote:I think it is AWESOME! I agree with some less than stellar role models out there..but truth be told, those same people will be the role models at 7/8 or 12/13 yrs old... I for one will do everything I can to help get more kids out there and enjoying the sport of hunting. I am sure some will abuse it just like anything else and will "help" the kids shoot the animal...that sucks but generally kids are loose lipped and will help get those violators busted. I think overall this is a great move!

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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby U.P. MAN » Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:59 am

I think that its fantastic. My kids and I are pretty pumped. Like previously stated, im sure some will abuse it, but look at the states that have been doing it forever. I do agree MI overall has alot more hunting pressure, but her in the UP, its going to be alot of fun!
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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby PLB » Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:37 am

Some kids are just not mature enough to handle a firearm at say 8 or 9 years old. Hopefully their mentors are smart enough to recognize that?? Overall though I think it's a good thing!! Kids need to be outside, not playing video games, watching movies, cellphones, and all the other social media going on!!!!

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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:59 am

I'm not worried about a kid going hunting with someone from the "Beast". Overall, I think its a great idea. But what about the kids who will be led out onto heavy pressure public land and be subjected to a "verbal tirade" because someone got within a couple of hundred yards of someone else's bait pile- and truth be told there are much worse things that will happen to some.

Does the benefit of "very young" kids with responsible parents, which is likely the case with hunting the majority of the time, outweigh the impact a bad scene will have on a six year old with an irresponsible parent- are we obligated to protect them with this law and a minimum age? Was the ten year old minimum a bad thing? These are but a few of my concerns. Seatbelt laws are passed for children- because not all parents can be trusted to be responsible.

In my view, and it is nothing more than that- simply blowing sunshine at this new law is the easy way out. In the end, I may think it was a great idea... but I'm not there yet.
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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby Monster Raxx » Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:08 am

Minnesota changed the age a few years ago from 12 to 10. I took my 10 year old son and filmed him shoot his first buck during the youth early season. I do not think he would have been mature enough even one year before. Kids are going to be ready at different ages so hopefully the adult that takes them does it the right way. The only thing I did not like was they did not change the age for gun training. If you can hunt you should have to take the course in my opinion.
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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby Hodag Hunter » Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:04 pm

I think it's a great idea. Wish WI was this way.

All kids are different......my son was ready at 6 to hunt. My daughter is 4 now and though she tagged along last year on two hunts don't know when she will be ready. She target shoots her little bow but has no where near the fire my son had at that age.....and that's fine. She pops off the little red ryder bb gun at beer cans but doesn't want to shoot at furry things yet.

Ok with me if she never hunts, she did have fun watching the deer the times she did come out with me last fall. She loves watching deer and other critters from the deck and taking woods walks....ok with us killing deer....but unless things change don't know if she will want to kill her own.

Again, all kids are individuals and will progress at different ages, even in the same family.
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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby spring creek » Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:18 pm

All of you make great points. As for myself, I believe the parents should be the ones to make the call on whether the kid is old enough. I have seen some boys that had a ton of desire and acted with enough maturity. On the other hand, I know some grown men that lack sense enough to be in the woods with a weapon of any type.
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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby Hodag Hunter » Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:55 pm

I forgot to add that with a no age limit it should require to be with an adult at their side. Similar to WI's mentored law.

For kids to be out on their own and a firearm in their possession my opinion is a minimum age of 12 after a hunters saftey course.

Even at 12 years of age that is pretty young.....some kids would be ready but most may not be. My son will be 11 this hunting season and I can't see letting him go off on his own yet with a rifle and climb a tree to sit. During bow season, yeah, but gun season.....maybe 13 or 14 would be a better age. :? It's not that I wouldn't trust him.....it's the yahoo's that are out and about during gun season.
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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby JRM6868 » Wed Feb 22, 2012 2:09 pm

I like it. That's the way Ohio is. My son was 7 last year and he shot his first deer and turkey. Alot has to do with the adult taking them and teaching them the correct way to hunt and handle the weapon they are using. I would put my son up against alot of adults on gun safety. After every shot he puts the safety on he looks for things behind his target etc.
I think by 10 or 12 some parents may lose children to society through video games etc and would make it harder to get them into hunting. I'm all for getting the youth involved.

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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Wed Feb 22, 2012 2:13 pm

Good discussion. I have taken a lot of youths. It is easy to not get them a shot or stop it if you see fit, still good to get them out there and start their experience. 4 yrs ago I took my nephew at 10 he wasnt ready, but we went. The next year he progressed a bit and shot a turkey. Then I saw him take it up a notch. Now his younger bro is 12 and still not showing much interest.

Ellie is going to turn 8 and she has spent more time with me in the woods than either of these 2. She wants to go turkey this spring. I will know if it can happen and deter a shot if I choose. Overall it is a good thing to put it on the parents not the govt.
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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby Bigdaddy-yoyo » Wed Feb 22, 2012 4:16 pm

spring creek wrote:All of you make great points. As for myself, I believe the parents should be the ones to make the call on whether the kid is old enough. I have seen some boys that had a ton of desire and acted with enough maturity. On the other hand, I know some grown men that lack sense enough to be in the woods with a weapon of any type.





x 2....well said
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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby solocam88 » Wed Feb 22, 2012 4:35 pm

I think its good to get rid of the age limit. But a kid can still learn and grow as a sportsman even if they are not carrying a gun or pulling the trigger. Getting them involved when they are young regardless is key.

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Re: No Age Limit

Unread postby Scot » Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:35 am

With complete respect for everyone else's views and opinions here I personally think it is great to bring children in to the woods at any age to introduce them and to bring them along in their knowledge and appreciation. I struggle with what age is old enough to kill some thing age. I would like to think that they have a good understanding and respect for what it is they are doing. I am not sure at what age a child has that awareness. Depends upon the individual child certainly.


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