2017 Deer Gun Season

[Yoby]

I agree and disagree with some of the comments here. I have 3 boys. the oldest is going to be 6 this year. A couple weeks ago, my second boy (turned 3) had a birthday and got those helium balloons. So we had a pair and said each can shoot a balloon. The 3yr old was anxious to put his finger on the trigger (normal as the 5yr old was the same way). A little coaching and he wouldn't touch it till I told him. Had no ability to line up his shot, again understandable. But I had the 17 sighted and could look past his head and line it up for him. 5 shots and 4 hit. The 5yr old didn't want me to help him aim. He also took 5 shots @ the 75rd balloon. He took his time aimed, and didn't pull or even touch the trigger till I told him. He connected on the 5th shot. I believe at this point my oldest will be ready at 10, but the second may be longer.

My 5yr old has gone on a couple dove hunts, a pheasant hunt and even was in the ground blind when I shot a doe. He is absolutely hooked. I am hoping to take my 3yr old out this fall. We will see what happens.

In the end, it will be me telling them if they are ready, not a law. If the second boy needs an extra year, he is getting an extra year. I have been out with people that are irresponsible with guns as adults. MY BOYS WON'T BE OR THEY WON'T HUNT.

I have been pepper by shot gun, I have heard bullets wiz by, and yes I was young and dumb and took a shot or 2 that looking back, was just plain stupid and not worth taking. It is no longer about killing and that is what I am trying to instill in my boys.

 

[Kentucky Windage]

There's a difference between "ready to hunt" and "ready to deer hunt". A poor shot complicates the latter more. Plenty of opportunities for youngsters to get to experience and become addicted to (upland, waterfowl, rodents, etc).

 

[Kurtr]

Some kids are ready. Some kids aren't. I think G&F giving parents more freedom to decide what time is right for their children to begin deer hunting is a good thing.

i agree it should be the parents making the call

I agree. There are plenty of smaller game to get youngsters started on before moving to high caliber deer rifles. They should have left it at 14 IMO.

My kid has been shooting high power rifle since he was 7 at 10 and 11 shot a doe each year and now he is 12 and will be able to get tags for both west and east river. All kids a different and it should be parents choice. He has always been big for his age and now at 12 he is 6' and 155 pounds handling a rifle is not an issue for him.

 

[NDSportsman]

i agree it should be the parents making the call




My kid has been shooting high power rifle since he was 7 at 10 and 11 shot a doe each year and now he is 12 and will be able to get tags for both west and east river. All kids a different and it should be parents choice. He has always been big for his age and now at 12 he is 6' and 155 pounds handling a rifle is not an issue for him.

Well that settles it. Maybe we should just eliminate the age restriction and allow little johnnie to sling the ole .270 at 4 or 5! It's deer killin time ya know! Guessin your boy may as well start bar hopping too since he's big for his age and all. Parents choice on that too maybe.

 

[fly2cast]

Well that settles it. Maybe we should just eliminate the age restriction and allow little johnnie to sling the ole .270 at 4 or 5! It's deer killin time ya know! Guessin your boy may as well start bar hopping too since he's big for his age and all. Parents choice on that too maybe.

Why do you need to take it to the extreme? Nobody is advocating a 10 year old to sling a .270 in the field unsupervised. The rules state that the kids need to be under direct supervision of an adult. For me, I am two steps behind my kids without my gun when they are in the field. Accidents can happen with anybody and if I had to guess, I think that a child under the direct supervision of an adult is just as safe (by percent of hunters) as anybody else in the field. I would say probably even safer than many hunters because they are a little bit scared of the gun and treat it with respect.

 

[Kurtr]

Some kids are ready. Some kids aren't. I think G&F giving parents more freedom to decide what time is right for their children to begin deer hunting is a good thing.

Well that settles it. Maybe we should just eliminate the age restriction and allow little johnnie to sling the ole .270 at 4 or 5! It's deer killin time ya know! Guessin your boy may as well start bar hopping too since he's big for his age and all. Parents choice on that too maybe.

I have been sitting right beside him on both deer cant even carry a gun in Sodak as the ADULT supervision. Kids down south have been killing deer alot of years with no age restriction. Just because you struggle with comprehending the fact that at 14 or 12 or what ever age YOU think kids are ready to hunt it is all dependent on the kid and that is where being a parent and knowing how your kid. Sorry for putting the pressure on and making you have to think a little.........

2015

2016

He hits with the 6.5 creedmoor at 500 with ease but in a hunting situation both deer were under 100 yards another decision i made as a parent......

 

[guywhofishes]

Kentucky Windage is a trouble maker!

 

[NDSportsman]

So as long as the parent is sitting next to his 8 year old and thinks he is capable of driving the car then he should have the right to?

 

[Kurtr]

So as long as the parent is sitting next to his 8 year old and thinks he is capable of driving the car then he should have the right to?

Your a dumb fuck. Keep searching for a clue. It's easy don't let your kid hunt. You are one of those people who are worried some kid might get a tag you want

 

[NDSportsman]

Your a dumb fuck. Keep searching for a clue. It's easy don't let your kid hunt. You are one of those people who are worried some kid might get a tag you want

So you have no reasonable answer than to start cussing? Classy. Just the kind of person I would want someone mentoring our youth during deer season. :::

 

[db-2]

Sportsman:

I do not know about today but in my youth days when we had A or B JD or M or H IH there were kids driving them at 8. Biggest problem was reaching the steering wheel, pedals on the floor board at the same time or at any times. Some had no fenders and all had no cabs on so life could be short in a rough hayfield raking. And Dad was no were to be found. Once off if the tire did not get you what you were pulling would.
I imagine before that kids knee high were on horses doing farm work. I had to lead the horse next to a stand to get on it and legs never did reach the stirups.

I know what your saying sportsman and a lot of times the kid has a gun cause its a big think for papa. Each kid and parent to their own but for the most part I can not imagine a kid under 10 shooting or at least shooting something big, but the parents can and will tell all about their kid.
For me I had a Red Ryder at that age. Many a sparrows and black birds with the free roaming cats as my bird dog. It was great. Had a twine for a snare at that time for the gophers. Got 25 cents a tail until they found out we would just cut the tail off and let the gopher go. Needed to have gophers for babies. So they wanted a back leg. One day my dad was telling my mom about all the three leg gophers in the pasture.
But for some they start shooting at 3. For me and my kids that never happen. Got my first 22 for my 16 birthday (still have) and the ability to go hunting with it on my own. Yes I was hunting deer then at the legal age of 14 and rabbits before that with the 22 K Hornet and dad and a spotlight in a 49 Olds. So I guess to each there own and to each their own risk. I no longer hunt in a party but if I did and they show up with their 10 year old, well I guess its time for me to find another spot. db

 

[NDSportsman]

lol at the neg rep;:;rofl

 

[db-2]

At that young age we did have a lot of bb gun fights between us brothers.. It did hurt.
Once my brother at a long range shot and it hit me in the forehead between the eyes. So I got him in the ass when he was peeing. He ran to mom so we had hunter safety with the bb guns up high for a long time. db

 

[NDSportsman]

Sportsman:

I do not know about today but in my youth days when we had A or B JD or M or H IH there were kids driving them at 8. Biggest problem was reaching the steering wheel, pedals on the floor board at the same time or at any times. Some had no fenders and all had no cabs on so life could be short in a rough hayfield raking. And Dad was no were to be found. Once off if the tire did not get you what you were pulling would.
I imagine before that kids knee high were on horses doing farm work. I had to lead the horse next to a stand to get on it and legs never did reach the stirups.

I know what your saying sportsman and a lot of times the kid has a gun cause its a big think for papa. Each kid and parent to their own but for the most part I can not imagine a kid under 10 shooting or at least shooting something big, but the parents can and will tell all about their kid.
For me I had a Red Ryder at that age. Many a sparrows and black birds with the free roaming cats as my bird dog. It was great. Had a twine for a snare at that time for the gophers. Got 25 cents a tail until they found out we would just cut the tail off and let the gopher go. Needed to have gophers for babies. So they wanted a back leg. One day my dad was telling my mom about all the three leg gophers in the pasture.
But for some they start shooting at 3. For me and my kids that never happen. Got my first 22 for my 16 birthday (still have) and the ability to go hunting with it on my own. Yes I was hunting deer then at the legal age of 14 and rabbits before that with the 22 K Hornet and dad and a spotlight in a 49 Olds. So I guess to each there own and to each their own risk. I no longer hunt in a party but if I did and they show up with their 10 year old, well I guess its time for me to find another spot. db

Hell I was driving when I was 10. It was nothing to hook the pickup up to a rake and run it down the highway a few miles. I was killing small game unsupervised even younger. I'm just trying to point out how ridiculous it is to just say "it should be up to the parents" blah blah blah

 

[Ericb]

If they just left out the Hunter safety requirement because of the timing this year and add it next year I think it will be better. Most parents will take the time and make sure their kid is ready before they take them out. Key word is MOST! Hunter safety makes sure a kid has at least some safety knowledge often times little thing that you or I may skip over as thinking It's common sense. 2wks when there will be vary few other hunters out shouldn't be a problem for most 11yr olds.

 

[Davey Crockett]

The only problem I have with it is not all parents are as well versed as Kurt when it comes to teaching gun safety. Unless I am missing something, kids can hunt for two years before they need to take hunter safety. That's stupid. There are a lot of new people moving to the state or even locals that have never went hunting but want to get into it. The last time I had an issue while hunting it was someone that had moved to ND from New York, I won't go into detail but it relates to the thread on here about looking at someone through a rifle scope. My point is a lot of adults shouldn't be supervising kids with guns. I encourage everyone to teach their kids to hunt at an early age but proper safety training with guns should always come first. Some kids just don't have that luxury at home. At least make them take hunter safety first, Anything less is putting the buggy in front of the horse. I thought NDGF would know better when it comes to gun safety

FWIW I wonder if they even have a clause stating that the supervisor must have taken hunter safety ? Lots of people my age didn't have to take it and not all of us had an old man that preached gun safety starting with our first cork gun.

My opinion isn't to punish kids and responsible parents that want to hunt together it's to keep them and others safe while hunting. Anyone that is safety conscious should tend to agree with at least a little of my opinion.

 

[johnr]

I am not looking to point fingers, but I will decide when my kid(s) are okay to handle a gun. They all started driving way young, the 4 wheelers, rangers, pickup, and boat. I was there with them, they would sit on my lap, or I would sit next to them in the vehicle. I do not allow my kids to drink underage, nor do I go for smoking cigarettes, or any of the illegal stuff. But driving underage, or shooting a gun when young is part of my families heritage, a damn fillet knife can be dangerous as hell too, lots of kids break their arms riding a bike too (lets ban em)...

If any of you guys don't like your kids involved in these actives then don't let them, but by all means don't parent my kids with some federal rules and regulations.

 

[Kentucky Windage]

Why is it so imperative for a 10/11 year old to hunt deer? Why does your child NEED to hunt deer at that age? Look at the last several years in ND. Everyone is already at the game and fish's and each others' throats over deer tags.

- - - Updated - - -

I had to wait until I was 15 because I didn't turn 14 soon enough. I waited until I was a 9th grader. I'm addicted to hunting and fishing. I turned out fine..........for the most part. Haha. It's not the end of the world.......

however, waiting for 11 months to get my hands on my suppressor has been horrible.

 

[Davey Crockett]

On one side of the coin I see a good thing for responsible people , On the other side I see a loop hole where the safety of hunters is thrown out the window. Close up that loophole and I am fine with it. My opinion on gun safety might offend some but my old man was very strict about gun safety , I was the same with my kids and I want my kids to do the same with their kids.

It's kinda like driving on ice , I do just fine with my slow and steady wins the race theory . It's the other people I am worried about.

 

[db-2]

johnr
there are plenty of rules all ready and with things the way they are some are needed and good like hunter safety class. Never have taken it but have thought about it.
I am not trying to get more rules on how for me or you on how to raise a kid. In part of my youth we did not even have a tv set. Living on the farm guns were a big part of our life. The guns sat out in the open. The 48 IHC truck had a pedal on the floor to start and dad would get upset with me because I was to small to be able to push it down and yet he expected me to drive it beside being able to push the clutch in and shift it.
Some our comfortable doing things the way they do and the risk and I was comfortable doing it the way the wife and I did it. So be it.

But as I stated if I was party hunting and some 11 years came and they were on point or walking I would find another spot to hunt. db