[MERGANZER]

I would be in favor 100 percent if youth were exempt. Its good for the kids to experience some sort of success. With no success in this day and age they may lose interest and stop hunting. Keep the traditions alive and well and get more kids into the sport. Allow them to harvest anything 3 inches or over regardless what the rest of us have to do. Good for the sort imo.

Ganzer

 

[Lwapo]

IF you are going to limit points on a deer to improve the HEALTH or SIZE of the herd... hunter age should have nothing to do with it.

I agree that we should be helping our youth to get interested in our sport and I think that having a youth-only season where an adult does not have to give up their hunting oportunity to assist a minor creates a situation where there is less "Here's a gun, make sure it's a deer before you shoot" and creates a situation where you can do much more mentoring.

I think the season is poorly placed but this isn't the place for that discussion.

All of this being said, I do not support the APR's in lower michigan for any age group, young or old.

If an APR is necessary in the NLP/UP in order to let the herd rise to a healthy limit, then exceptions to that rule shouldn't be made just so we can hussle a few more dollars out of a younger generation.

It's about the health and population of the herd, not about "who can shoot what." IMO.

 

[swampbuck]

APR's have absolutely nothing to do with the health or herd density. Do the research.

 

[Red Arrow]

I don't support the youth hunt, not neccesary.

 

[Bowhunter30]

IF you are going to limit points on a deer to improve the HEALTH or SIZE of the herd... hunter age should have nothing to do with it.

I agree that we should be helping our youth to get interested in our sport and I think that having a youth-only season where an adult does not have to give up their hunting oportunity to assist a minor creates a situation where there is less "Here's a gun, make sure it's a deer before you shoot" and creates a situation where you can do much more mentoring.

I think the season is poorly placed but this isn't the place for that discussion.

All of this being said, I do not support the APR's in lower michigan for any age group, young or old.

If an APR is necessary in the NLP/UP in order to let the herd rise to a healthy limit, then exceptions to that rule shouldn't be made just so we can hussle a few more dollars out of a younger generation.

It's about the health and population of the herd, not about "who can shoot what." IMO.

I agree with part of this statement - mainly the first sentence.

Outside of that I think the youth hunt is a farce. Many of the members here claim it is a way to get youth involved in hunting, yet somehow all of us on this site were considered "youth at one time and still are very much into hunting. How on Earth did we stay interested in hunting without a youth hunt???!!! How could this be?? The only way a youth is going to be interested is by shooting a buck in September with a gun when the deer are used to absolutely no pressure.

I have seen some of the biggest bucks taken during this season and what does that teach the youth? They then embark on their hunting career and find out that hunting is nothing like the youth season, become greatly discouraged with the lack of deer and eventually quit hunting all together. But they do have one heck of a mount from the youth hunt!

The kids that do stay with hunting are the ones that would have stayed with hunting regardless of whether there was a youth hunt or not.

AR's should apply to anyone who steps into the woods, regardless of age or experience, period.

 

[Rut-N-Strut]

No, I think the youth season should be does only. I believe we are creating a whole new generation of buck hunters not as willing to shoot does than if youth season were does only.

 

[treeman]

Same rules for everyone regardless of season or weapon. Are you going to tell me I can't do something then let someone else do it so they can harvest a deer. What about all of you that say hunting is not about the harvest. Bull! Lots of reasons and times of year to go into the woods and commune with nature and see deer as well as other wildlife. Squirrel hunting will get you into the woods for all of the sappy reasons which are valid but not primary. The reason we hunt deer is to harvest a deer. The reason we fish is to harvest fish. Lets open a early camera only season for the youth and see what response you get. No special harvest regulations for youth.

 

[Neal]

On behalf of the APR Workgroup, M-S.com, and myself, thank you all for participating in these surveys. The information provided will be presented at today’s APR meeting. This forum will now be closed.

Neal