NY Bowhunters Unite!

[RangerClay]

I know a lot is on our minds lately with our State Government but something has passed that is worth noting.  Our State Senate has passed bill S177A that would lower the age to archery hunt from age 14 to age 12.  If you truly believe that quality time with our kids is time spent in the woods then I urge you to contact your Assemblyman to support S177A.

[Stretchhunts]

I'm all for it. My one son is 14 and just started gun last year and loved being able to do gun and bow but if it changes to 12 my youngest will be in the woods with me next year.

[erussell]

Hopefully the parents watch there kids and just don't send them off on there own like I know alot of them probably are going to do. If I get stuck with an arrow on the way to my stand and live I'm going to be seriously pissed !! ???

[wooly]

I don't like it. I see where it could gain a lot of support but I just think it's too young to hunt.

My pops used to take me out with him long before I was old enough to hunt. Heck he even wrote the fake sick excuse for me to skip school every opening day and spend it with him sitting on a stump.

If there's a true interest or passion for the outdoors to be passed on I believe it will still be there in 2 years and has nothing to do with a 12 yr old already having a kill under his/her belt. Don't get me wrong....., take the kids along, but I don't want to see them armed with any weapon at that age.

Sorry- no vote from me.

[G-Man]

It's a good idea, remember just beacuse the law says the age a kid can hunt, a parent still has the final say. If he/she isn't mature enough just don't let them. At least it gives an option to let the parents who's kids want to hunt a chance to do so. If they're in the woods they are off the street/ out from behind a computer!!

[Stretchhunts]

well if you actually read the bill. The kid isn't allowed to be in the woods by him or herself.  At 14 with a gun or bow the parent has to be present. 12 isn't to early for a bow. I've had both my kids in the woods since they could walk but every year it the same question, When can I shoot or how come the kids on your DVD's are 10 and younger and hunting.  Even if you have your kids out in the woods every chance you get if they can't hunt then they will stick with the video games where they can kill what they can.

[wooly]

  Even if you have your kids out in the woods every chance you get if they can't hunt then they will stick with the video games where they can kill what they can.

That's my problem with it. A kid getting all jacked up on a video game in the safety of his own room is safer to me than a young warrior going Rambo in a big boy sport. Hunting/killing is reality I don't think a 12 yo is mature enough to jump right into full throttle untill he's past the video game stage and realizes there is a HUGE difference.

We keep rushing kids into everything thinking it's gonna make the world a better place. Forcing them into adult situations before their little minds can completely understand a situation....and look where it's gotten us.

Sure you can blame it on the games they play  being so violent these days...but that problem begins with the parent who doesn't understand the impact it has on a young mind. Now if these same incoherent parents take the same actions with their children in real life killing situations....that just takes things to a whole new level.

Pops always used to let me sit on his lap and stear the truck down the road as well when I was young but never once passed me the keys and let me drive even though I bet I could have....."could have" being the key words here. I could have under his supervision, but would that have made it any safer seeing I didn't totaly understand the repercussions of an accident yet?????

IMO- in this day and age, anything similar would be considered endagering the welfare of a child when you drag them into a potentialy dangerous situation. Let the kids grow up and learn from honest experiences and good role models. Just because your pre-teen is well diciplined, doesn't make him ready to fully understand consequences and rammifications of their actions.

[Doewhacker]

You guys are forgeting the biggest key here, the parents. Its our jobs to decide if a child or adult for that matter is ready for hunting. Not every person is ready to hunt unless they have guidance of some sorts. I see no issue with allowing 12 year olds to hunt as long as the parents are there, which they are required to be. I am all for it, it will help get kids exposed to the outdoors a little sooner which is a great thing and might add hunters to our ranks.

Not all kids are glued to the TV and video games, my son could give two poops about video games and I could see him being ready to go at 12.

[phade]

I started hunting in Virginia at age 12 with a 12 gauge Mossberg. I feel strongly about youths and getting them involved - especially prior to other sports, cars, and grils (or boys) get on their minds.

My pops and I don't see eye to eye on much and we don't have the best relationship, but he was a casual hunter. The best thing he ever did for me was get me that mossberg, camo me up, and put me in the woods right under a roosted turkey (unknowingly) on opening morning in 1993. Hunted with six people that day, two of us were 12. Mark, Mark, Geno, Shane, Charlie, and myself. I can vividly remember all the details at Chickahominy State Forest. There was plenty of education and safety involved, and even a deer sighting or two. Next weekend, I was a stander for running dogs with a group led by the county game warden.

My family life fell apart shortly after that for the next 5-6 years. Him taking me hunting at age 12 was one of the biggest impacts on my life. And it was positive in so many ways. Hunting became one of the very few things that my Dad and I could do together.

I'm more than accepting of such a new law. The parent knows their child best and when they are ready to go in the woods - they can use such law to allow them to make such a decision.

[wooly]

it will help get kids exposed to the outdoors a little sooner which is a great thing and might add hunters to our ranks.

Bologna- you wanna introduce a kid to the outdoors....you take him hiking, you take him fishing, birdwatching, frog catching, night crawler picking, camping. You don't throw a kid a weapon and call him and tell him he's a hunter.

Not all kids are glued to the TV and video games, my son could give two poops about video games and I could see him being ready to go at 12.

Perfect, sounds  like your doing a great job with him and he's found activities that perfectly entertain his young mind without the need to be influenced in something he may or may not be mentaly prepared for. Give him 2 more years and I'm sure at that point you wont have any regrets.

I'm not saying anyones kids will not grow into the sport, or are not welcome, but damn, pretty soon you'll get a hunting licence with you'r birth certificate and I don't think someone this young can comprehend the responsabilities that comes with over time.

[Doewhacker]

"You don't throw a kid a weapon and call him and tell him he's a hunter."

That is exactly it, you don't do that, you teach and are required to be right there with them the whole time and they do the shooting. If kids are ok to small game and turkey hunt at 12 with a gun, why aren't they ready to go with a bow too? Bow's are safer than guns as far as I'm concerned and if a kid can shoot good enough and the parents are fully involved, its ok. Its not the end of the world and may be a great idea for bowhunting.

I respect your opinion by the way and I'm not trying to argue just stating my opinion too.

[wooly]

No-no doewhacker.., I respect your side as well and I'm probably in the minority on this subject.

Just kickin' my thoughts around.

It's all good!

[bubba]

Hopefully the parents watch there kids and just don't send them off on there own like I know alot of them probably are going to do. If I get stuck with an arrow on the way to my stand and live I'm going to be seriously pissed !! ???

wear orange then.

WHY WOULD YOU JUST WANT THE BOW HUNTERS TO UNITE?  I would think you would want all hunters to get behind this.

[nyantler]

I'm for 12 year olds hunting across the board.. with every weapon in every season... supervised by a parent or gaurdian of course

[wooly]

  Quote from: G-Man on Today at 05:49:48 am  <blockquote>

It's a good idea, remember just beacuse the law says the age a kid can hunt, a parent still has the final say. If he/she isn't mature enough just don't let them. At least it gives an option to let the parents who's kids want to hunt a chance to do so. If they're in the woods they are off the street/ out from behind a computer!!

</blockquote>   

Now what if the parent isn't mature enough to make the right decisions sometimes for the child?

Sometimes we get to posting on these sites assuming we are all old men who have seen all there is to see and know what is best for our youth. If I'm posting my 38 yo views on this topic, I'll bet there's a handfull of 50 yo dads out there tahat will take an entirely different stance and say I still have some growing up to do myself.

Get my drift?

And what's wrong with a kid being on the computer? Lot's of learning to be found here but if it's cutting into your time online, I can understand. [img alt=]http://huntingny.com/forums/Smileys/akyhne/wink.gif[/img]

[wooly]

I'm for 12 year olds hunting across the board.. with every weapon in every season... supervised by a parent or gaurdian of course

SUPER- but remember those words next time you have that SUPER BUCK of a lifetime show himself to you and next thing you know, here comes dad and his gabby jaw-jacking 12 yr old along under your stand and Jr's bearing down on tree stumps and chipmunks. >

[WNYBuckHunter]

I'm for 12 year olds hunting across the board.. with every weapon in every season... supervised by a parent or gaurdian of course

X2. Id be all for dropping the age to 10, with direct parental supervision required to the age of 14 and indirect until the age of 16. There are states out there that allow younger than 10 even.

BTW, I already sent my emails in to support the bill.

[fasteddie]

If you are going to allow 12 year olds to Bow Hunt , you had better wait until Crossbows are fully included into the Bow Season .

[phade]

I'm for 12 year olds hunting across the board.. with every weapon in every season... supervised by a parent or gaurdian of course

SUPER- but remember those words next time you have that SUPER BUCK of a lifetime show himself to you and next thing you know, here comes dad and his gabby jaw-jacking 12 yr old along under your stand and Jr's bearing down on tree stumps and chipmunks. >

Wow. I don't think a person worth their salt would be ticked at a kid and a father sharing quality time in such fashion, especially if legal. I think the problem is you (ie the hunter on a buck). Some people's priorities and interpretations are all kinds of twisted - and that'd be one of them.

I think plenty more kids (or people hurt by kids) get hurt playing pee-wee than hunting (numerical and percentage).

[phade]

I'm for 12 year olds hunting across the board.. with every weapon in every season... supervised by a parent or gaurdian of course

X2. Id be all for dropping the age to 10, with direct parental supervision required to the age of 14 and indirect until the age of 16. There are states out there that allow younger than 10 even.

BTW, I already sent my emails in to support the bill.

Is there a central e-mail to send support to?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I guess what I don'[t get with any opposition here is te fact that any of these kids could be out with a gun at that point ....the way the reg's are right now. Back when I was 12 Dad skipped bow season to take me small game hunting anyway...so there we were walking the woods for squirrels, rabbits and grouse in October and early November. I don't really se the difference in that or them with their parents with a bow in hand.

As far as "what if the parent doesn't adequately supervise them with the bow".....they probably aren't doing it right with a gun then. If that argument is actually valid ....should we raise the age for their gun hinting?...just askin...lol

[WNYBuckHunter]

I'm for 12 year olds hunting across the board.. with every weapon in every season... supervised by a parent or gaurdian of course

X2. Id be all for dropping the age to 10, with direct parental supervision required to the age of 14 and indirect until the age of 16. There are states out there that allow younger than 10 even.

BTW, I already sent my emails in to support the bill.

Is there a central e-mail to send support to?

You have to send them to your area reps, I have the email addys for mine saved. You can google them.

[phade]

I'm for 12 year olds hunting across the board.. with every weapon in every season... supervised by a parent or gaurdian of course

X2. Id be all for dropping the age to 10, with direct parental supervision required to the age of 14 and indirect until the age of 16. There are states out there that allow younger than 10 even.

BTW, I already sent my emails in to support the bill.

Is there a central e-mail to send support to?

You have to send them to your area reps, I have the email addys for mine saved. You can google them.

E-mail sent to my rep in support.

[bubba]

Wooly,

so I guess I am confused here.  If a guy and his 12 year old son walk under your stand it is bad, but if the kid was home and the man walked under, it is ok?  If not, your  point is of no merit.  I would think either way the rack buck is gone. Just another case of greed and wanting the woods to one self.  I shake my head at some peoples logic and selfishness.  All the reasons a 12 year old will ruin his hunt. awww poor Wooly.  So far all I have heard is parents are irresponsible, a kid will shoot me and a kid will walk under my stand talking.  Pretty weak arguments.

[First-light]

I think 12 is too young. Maybe bowhunting but not gun hunting for deer. Here is another thought, it's not about the 12 year old being able to shoot or handle guns safely, what about all the other guys out there you have to worry about??? I am being totally honest here, I do not bring my girls to camp during gun season. Call me whatever you want but there are a lot of guys out there shooting and where I hunt (Steuben county)  a lot of farm land. Those bullets travel a distance. Nuts, overprotective-go ahead let me have it.