Special deer season planned for youth

[Hamilton Reef]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 17 SEP 04
CONTACT: Rodney Clute, 517-373-1263

Special deer season planned for youth

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources encourages all young hunters age 12-16 to participate in the special youth firearm deer season scheduled statewide Sept. 25-26. Properly licensed youth may take a white-tailed deer with a firearm during this two-day hunt.

This is the fifth year for the youth-only hunt in Michigan. Last year, over 18,500 youngsters participated in the youth firearm deer season, harvesting more than 6,000 deer, about one percent of the total 2003 white-tailed deer harvest.

Youth-only hunts have been established across the U.S. in recent years in response to concerns about the declining national trend in hunter numbers. Such hunts are an opportunity to provide beginning hunters with training and mentoring, helping them develop interest, skills and firearm safety awareness.

"Mentoring is a vital component of the youth hunting program," said DNR Director Rebecca Humphries. "This special weekend hunt provides mentors the opportunity to teach, share experiences, and help instill in our young people a respect for animals and their habitat."

Young hunters, age 12 and 13, are restricted to using archery equipment to participate in the weekend hunt. Hunters age 14 to 16 may use a firearm or archery equipment to take a deer. Both public and private lands are open to the youth firearm season.

All young hunters participating in this special hunt must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age. The accompanying adult does not need a deer hunting license and is prohibited from carrying a firearm or bow during the special youth firearm deer season. Hunters may not use bait during this season. All youth hunters are required to wear hunter orange.

[Adam Waszak]

I thought this was on private only land! Public is much too dangerous in my opinion. For example I will be on public land pat and woodcock hunting. I thought it was private only there is way too much foliage on the trees to allow people to firearm hunt for deer when there is a potential squirrel hunter out there or a birdhunter with a dog running around. JMO

AW

[Neal]

if you are wearing your orange there should be no problem.

Neal

[Linda G.]

Very true, Neal, and so far, the youth deer hunt has been relatively safe, except for one very unfortunate fatality a couple of years ago that was self-inflicted, wearing orange on everyone's part undoubtedly helps.

But I am still concerned up north where kids can, and do, use high-powered rifles, shells from which can pass far further than most people can see orange in the forest with all the foliage.

I always, always, check my hunting areas thoroughly for other vehicles before hunting anything during the youth deer weekend. If I see any other vehicles at all, I go somewhere else, a couple of miles away, minimal. And I would not even consider hunting with a brown dog, or for that matter, even my white dog, on public land where people might come in on me.

There's lots of reports, every year, of safety and hunting violations during the youth deer season. Be careful out there.

I was a lot more comfortable when the youth deer hunt was only on private land. That was only for the first year of the hunt, I think, it's been open on public land ever since.

[Freestone]

I think it's a great opportunity for a parent to spend some one on one quality time with their son or daughter. I look forward to my son taking part in this in 8 or so years.

[Adam Waszak]

I support it do not get me wrong but on state land I think it is too dangerous with people running dogs for birds, hunting squirrels etc. And orange does nothing this time of year at least where I hunt because your visibility is nothing the leaves are barely changing. I think it is a bad idea for state land especially with all of the dogs running It is a recipe for disaster.

AW

[baydog2]

When on this hunt the adult should be right along side the youth :grouphug: , thus 2 set of eyes to identify the intended target. Heck some of these older guys I would want a younger set of eyes sitting along side during the regular deer season. :lol: I know the last 2 years when I took out my nephews I was right along side and he did not pull up till he got the ok. Every body should be on the right track and have the required orange on. If concerned about a dog they also make orange vest for them pretty resaonable. Its only two days out of the year if I was really concerned I would either fish, or sit and watch the boob tube or join them in the outdoors. Ever heard the saying when its your time to go, its your time to go. Being careful on your end is all that you can do no matter what or where you are doing anything. BAYDOG2

[Adam Waszak]

Baydog I understand but you need to understand that the opener for woodcock is this weekend as well and that means a lot of people out in the woods and the "visibility" is the problem here not the age of the hunters I have no problem with young hunters at all but I wouldn't want adults with high powered weopons on state land this weekend either because you just plain can't see the leaves are all up yet. You can identify your target but you cannot see beyond and that is the problem. I am just saying I wish it was private land where everyone knows who is there and who isn't thats all.

AW

[Adam Waszak]

I always, always, check my hunting areas thoroughly for other vehicles before hunting anything during the youth deer weekend. If I see any other vehicles at all, I go somewhere else, a couple of miles away, minimal. And I would not even consider hunting with a brown dog, or for that matter, even my white dog, on public land where people might come in on me.
I was a lot more comfortable when the youth deer hunt was only on private land. That was only for the first year of the hunt, I think, it's been open on public land ever since.


Well unfortunately most birddogs are white or brown or a combination of the two. That is a concern the woods this time of year are jam packed with people scoutng and setting up treestands as well as the hunting and in some areas people salmon fishing and trout fishing along the rmote river edges. I will have a beeper collar on the dog and I hope that helps but It still makes me a little uneasy but hey it is the opener and the dog must run.

AW

[grizzly]

What's the difference between a shotgun and a rifle?? yeah I know its about the range??? Know your target. I feel this hunt should be made available to all youth who have gone through hunters safety. I shotgun can be just as deadly as a rifle. And there's gonna be an adult right buy his or her side. It seems that it's just as dangerous either way. I guess im not getting the issue with the 12 and 13 year olds not being able to participate with a firearm. But yet they can use a shotgun just the week before to participate in the waterfowl hunt.

Grizzly. A bit on the confused side on this one. :bash:

[Adam Waszak]

Grizzly, I am with you on the age. the 12 and 13 year olds should be able to hunt as well with a firearm. My beef is that is should not be on public land with the leaves up and the woods being full of people the opener of woodcock season and the week before the opening day of bow season a lot of people are out there and the visibility is too low for high powered rifles etc. as I said above i think it should be for private land only.

AW

[baydog2]

Ok Adam I agree with your concern to an extent, but its like any season if you don,t know what's behind your target you should not shoot. I've been in some aspen thickets in November with no leaves that was just as thick and shots should not be taken because you could not see past twenty yards. You say private land only ok, does everybody know what is going on in there neighbors property and also private land butts right up to state land in every county. I'm just saying it does not matter if private or state land, safety should have no boundries when you are teaching the youth how to hunt with proper ethics. Why punish the youth who does not have family or contacts with property to hunt on. Hopefully everybody has an safe season, BAYDOG2

[perchslamer]

I'll be out there. First year I can use a gun.

[baydog2]

Perchslamer, good luck on the hunt and wait for a nice one. Be safe and post your results of the weekend. BAYDOG2

[Neal]

Good luck Perch!!!!!

Neal

[perchslamer]

Very disapointed with myself this weekend. Saturday afternoon, went out arround 4 and sat, the first deer that showed itself was an 8 point buck 40 yards away I thought to myself cool I can end this hunt early. well I was wrong, I shot missed. At first I thought I hit it because you see in the hunting shows you see them jump in the air when they get hit, it did just that. Boy I was mad at myself. Later on that evning a doe stepped out of the corn one step and looked right at me for about 15 min., then it turned away and walked into a dich. My reaction I followed it. when I got to where it went down I saw it arround 30 yards away. I shot and once again missed. Then I was really mad. I went in. Then the next morning (sunday) I went out arround 6:30. Sat for an hour then the Pheasants went to work stright my way. And there is a woods about 100 yds. south of me. 4 does were out there. About every pheasant came 10 feet away from me and decided to flush. Every time the things flew off the deer would look until they went in the woods. The the birds quit and about 20 deer come out the woods. 7 in witch were great bucks. They decided to run down the side of the woods and to a fence line and ran down that. I got mad then I went in. I was done. While I was walking back I heard a gun shot were them deer went so hopefuly another youth hunter did better than I did.
Perchslamer :bash:

[Linda G.]

Did you follow up on those deer by looking for signs of fur, blood, etc.,?

Did you have an adult with you, someone with experience that could help you determine whether or not you actually might have hit those deer?

And because that's the law...?

"2 sets of eyes on the intended target..."

:eek:

[Adam Waszak]

I agree Linda :yikes: Sounds like a dead 8 point going to waste out there as we speak. Deer don't jump up in the air like that at a miss. Too bad to heck been a long time since I had the opportunity at a nice 8 pointer. I hope he missed but i really don't think that was possible. Why there is a need for an adult near by one which hopefully has some experience and knowledge regarding these situations.

AW

[PITBULL]

If a 12-13 year old cant hunt with a gun then why do they need a rifle or combo licence to hunt the youth hunt???? is it so the state can collect a extra $7.00?? I think just a bow licence should be ok if thats what they are hunting with. Perchslamer were you using a bow or gun?

[baydog2]

Perchslammer hope an adult was with you and you guys/gals did follow up on the shot. Nephews hunt went pretty close to the same as yours. It started Sat. nite with us seeing about 12 deer out in the field about 200 yds out nothing close though. Sun. morning we went out behind his house and had a doe and button buck up close. Doe was doing the head bob and foot stomping routine till she got within 10 yds. That is when the nephew lost it and started busting a gut snickering :lol: and that is all it took they was out of there. :yikes: Sun. nite we hit the field again and he had a 4 pt. come out about 20 yds he was unsure weather to take him or not. This because of his first 2 deer taken have been an 8 and an 10 pt. :rolleyes: sure beats uncle record all to heck. ;) Well 4 pt. gets out to about 40 yds and he decides to take him. At the shot the deer rear legs kicks up and back and he goes about 10 yds and stops. Nephew fires again and the deer runs to the woodline and stops just inside and starts to browse and look around. He does this for about 20 minutes all the time the tail flickering and feeding. Buck finally takes off down one of the runways white tail high and waiving. Went and looked for any sign of a hit at the point of first shot al the way past where deer was last seen and then some. We had marked a tree he fed by about 5 minutes and no sign there also, last resort was a fan of the woods with no results. Sign of a hit by deer body language can be what they are not, both reactions at the shot looked like good hits but wasn't. We saw about 15 deer total for the evening with 3 other bucks that was just too far out in the field. Nephew was not disappointed he said he had a great weekend, ditto for me also. Baydog2

[perchslamer]

I had my grampa out there with me at all times. I obey laws. Yes I did look arround for a long time with my grandpa fallowed its intire path. And sadly I was Useing a gun and still missed no blood of anything.
perchslamer

[Hamilton Reef]

Special youth hunting season a hit with families

Steven Popma couldn't quite believe his eyes when he took a 75-yard shot last weekend and downed a handsome, 8-point whitetail buck.

The 14-year-old hunter was out for his first hunt with a firearm. He had stalked the deer for a distance to assure a good shot.

http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/grpress/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/10967123369890.xml