Looks like the Columbus Day Youth season is on!

[ELMER J. FUDD]

My dad took me hunting as a licensed hunter/teen, but never as a tag along. My son loves to tag along.

[nyantler]

I took my sons ( now 27 and 21) hunting since they were about 8 or 9... small game, big game... even frogging...and they loved it... although they still spend a little time hunting with me they do not have the passion for it that I have and have never hunted without me... I took them fishing as well and they seemed to have latched on to fishing way more than hunting.

Edited September 21, 2012 by nyantler

[Doewhacker]

I vividly remember my first tag along with pops like it was yesterday right down to the hand me down Kmart rubber bottom boots and green 4h hat and especially the doe we saw while still hunting. He missed it, lol.

[Doewhacker]

My kids tag along but are to young to hunt yet.

[nyantler]

My Dad worked a lot and was out of town most of the week... he loved taking me hunting and fishing... I loved having any excuse to spend as much time as possible with him when I got the chance and enjoyed every minute of it.

[Doewhacker]

I also fished a lot growing up, lived on a trout stream and we had access to Saratoga lake through a great uncle. Awesome childhood!

[jjb4900]

WNYBuckHunter, that's exactly what I said earlier, the youth hunt wasn't stuffed into the bow season, they were proposed at the same time, DEC could have taken the opposition to the youth hunt in bow season and easily said we'll keep bow at the current opening day and have the youth hunt, that way no one can complain about it messing up bow season.

[growalot]

I started both my daughter and then son in bow season,,,,they then went to gun...both still hunt..daughter not as much due to job in university...son has LT he bought 2 years ago...but our kids where regulars down at hunting camp and even though too young to hunt sat out in the cold west winds in the hills of Alfred and loved every minute....

[jjb4900]

growalot, my son has done the same, hunted with me way before he was old enough to shoot and sat in some pretty crappy weather with me, as far as I see it, he has paid some dues....this is why I welcome the youth hunt. Unfortunately, I'm sure many haven't and that's a shame. I remember a special youth hunt down on Long Island a few years ago that had almost 40 kid's signed up to hunt, when it finally rolled around, only one kid showed up, my daughter and me........I can see the same thing with this youth hunt. I took vacation for this hunt last year when this was proposed and look forward to it more than my own hunting time.

[jjb4900]

oh, and after the first year that youth hunt was offered, they never offered it again because of the lack of interest. I'll bet that can be blamed on the parent and not on the kid's.

[bubba]

I bow hunt and would give up that weekend if I had a kid who wanted to hunt during the youth season. I've been there and done that with the bow mentoring kids. No better feeling seeing them put the hammer down on their first deer. It is a great experience. So your wrong on that one Bubba, I bow hunt and would give up the weekend.

so would I but that makes two of us.

[bubba]

Not true for northern zone. We only get two weekends and we now have rifle hunting youths the first weekend and muzzleloaders the second. But I guess wanting to bow hunt without sharing the woods with gun hunters makes me precious and elitist.

pretty much

[bubba]

For the record, out of my curiosity, are you an active, practicing, nurse practitioner? It's an interesting coincidence because, I am.

yes I am with a psych specialty. I am clinical director for a mobile mental health team. And You

[jjb4900]

if you don't agree with the antler restrictions, do what I did last year...the button buck that would have normally got a pass got a ride home in the back of my truck....my own personal F.U. to antler estrictions.

[New York Hillbilly]

Bubba says:

"yes I am with a psych specialty. I am clinical director for a mobile mental health team. And You"

Yet one more interesting coincidence.

Me: FPMHNP-BC Inpatient 20 bed acute care psychiatric unit, in a teaching hospital. So much for our jobs. Still waiting for my apology for the "hypocrite" remark!

Edited September 22, 2012 by New York Hillbilly

[bubba]

well I guess you will have to keep waiting. I do not apologize for how I see it. Happy hunting

[New York Hillbilly]

No, I will not wait any longer. And in fact, I am not at all surprised at your most recent response. To be honest while I had hoped differently, I expected exactly this type of behavior from you. So for what ever the reason, despite my explanation of my post, you still in some twisted fashion view me as a hypocrite. Oh well, I tried! Camouflage or blaze orange is of little significance here as far as I'm concerned, you sir have shown your true colors. Happy and safe hunting to you as well.

Peace

[MuzzyLoader]

Well... I was all set to take a youngster hunting during this season - until yesterday! Darn kid went and broke his arm. He is so mad, and his whole archery season is off the books too. Poor guy!

[New York Hillbilly]

Sorry to hear the bad news. His heart must be broken as well. Hope he heals up real soon and can get out there. Wishing a speedy recovery!

[Skillet]

Well... I was all set to take a youngster hunting during this season - until yesterday! Darn kid went and broke his arm. He is so mad, and his whole archery season is off the books too. Poor guy!

Too bad he can't use a drawlock or something.

[Doc]

How many hunters here have taken their kids hunting and their kids still hunt?

Two for two.

[Doc]

Thats YOUR opinion that they arent good reasons. The youth hunt and the Oct 1 opener were established at the same time, go back and read the 5 year plan, which includes both of them. You cannot say that it was stuffed into bow season.

Actually I can say whatever I want to .... lol. Especially since that is exactly what they did. if you want to play word games, do it with somebody else. And as far as my opinions about your weak "reasons", I will point out that it is my opinion and I am entitled to that and it is every bit as valid as yours.

[SteveB]

Youth season and a earlier bow date where done at the same time.

A point could could be made for the youth's to be upset that bowhunters where jammed into their time.

Youth's, turkey, and other same game hunter's should band together to get the bowhunter's out of their time.

[Doc]

No, but it sure is better than the non idea's those opposed to it came up with. (well plus or minus a few tweaks) Like it or not it's happening. So are you going to answer my question? I don't have time right now to see who said what.

Sorry, but just because you or anyone else hasn't have the interest to check out the alternative ideas that I have offered more times than I care to repeat, doesn't give you the right to say that none have been offered. Just because you don't want to take the time to check your facts doesn't give you the right to lie about them.

As far as your question is concerned, I refuse to dignify the false implication with an answer. Some of us don't believe that the youth hunt has any impact on future hunter numbers. Some of us also believe that misplaced feel-good, window-dressing, style solutions can actually hamper real creative solutions by giving the impression that something useful has actually been done.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Actually I can say whatever I want to .... lol. Especially since that is exactly what they did. if you want to play word games, do it with somebody else. And as far as my opinions about your weak "reasons", I will point out that it is my opinion and I am entitled to that and it is every bit as valid as yours.

Wow Doc, that was a pretty childish response, dont you think?

The reasons are not mine, as I have said, they are the reasons given by the DEC. You can say what you want, but that doesnt change the facts.

In any case, this argument is pretty pointless, as the youth season is happening regardless of your or others opinions. Just throw some orange on for those days or stay out of the woods and most importantly, Kwitcherbitchen.