My thoughts on youth draw "changes"-hypothetical

[SHREK]

Follow me through on this one and let me know what you guys think. Disclaimer- I am writing this from the perspective of someone who is unlucky in the youth draw

 

history- A good friend of mine who hunts with me has two young boys who have been putting in for juniors elk now for several years. they now have several bonus points for elk and their hunter ed points. They are starting to get a little down about this. I have an 8 year old who will be entering the draw game in two years. this has got me thinking about the youth draw. what do you guys and gals think of this, i am curious.

 

Youth hunters all put in for elk in the early spring, based on the draw lots of kids will be happy because they drew an elk tag, either a juniors only hunt or a regular hunt. Many more will be disapointed.

 

Now heres the catch, all the successful kids from the elk draw CAN NOT put in for a juniors deer hunt that same year. This will allow the odds for all the kids who didnt get elk tags to have a better chance of going big game hunting on a hunt structured for kids. The way I see it, your kid gets to go elk hunting and my kid gets to go deer hunting. As parents we both win because we each get to spend time in the woods with our kids during those special years. And this has allowed game and fish to expose more kids to the sport rather than allowing the "lucky group" to hunt twice in the fall.

 

The following year you could do a few different things.??

 

1- the kids who drew elk tags are ineligible for elk and then go straight to the deer draw, giving the other kids a chance to hunt elk this year instead of deer, or just leave it alone and let everyone get the first crack at elk and keep deer as the back up plan.

 

If your kids choose to put in on the "regular hunts", then nothing weird, they play the same game we all do as adults, thus actually giving them the opportunity to hunt deer and elk each calendar year.

 

Just wondering what you guys think. Again my main thought process is to get as many kids out there each year to hunt deer and elk. The turkey opportunity is great, pigs are easy to draw.

 

Congrats to all hunters and their children who drew, and say a prayer for the child who was involved in that trajedy in Seligman. I was there the previous weekend with my son and two other kids chasing dogs ourselves.

[GJMauro12]

Well, I don't have any kids myself, But I do know a couple families that have been putting there children in each year and still have not been able to get a tag. I always thought it was an automatic draw for the cow elk tag once you took the hunter safety course when i was younger. Seemed like I had that tag every year once i turned 10.

 

It doesn't seem like a bad idea that you have but what if they were to just drop the age limit on those that could apply for the junior hunts. I think the age limit now is 18, correct me if I am wrong, But what if they cut it to 14 or 15 years old. That would take out 3-4 years worth of kids applying for those hunts and maybe raise the odds for the younger ones. Then they would have 4-5 years to be introduced to hunting through those junior hunts and kicked over to the adult draw around 16 years old.

 

I would like to see them keep the age limit the same for the price of the juniors hunting license and only apply this idea to the elk and deer junior hunts since i have a blast hunting down juniors every year to buy a turkey tag for so I can go call some turkeys!

[1uglydude]

My kids won't be putting in for youth elk hunts when the time comes. There are too many quality regular cow tags that are easier to draw. Nevertheless, I would never support limiting the number or years of youth tags a kid can put in for. Those tags are set aside for a special purpose. We only have a few years to get kids intersted, but if their parents aren't willing to take the time to figure out the draw odds and realize that those tags can be tough to draw, then that's really their own fault.

 

It takes four bonus points to guaranty a junior elk tag. A waiting period isn't going to solve that because there are already too many unsuccessful applicants each year. All you will do is take away the chance to draw a tag from a few hundred kids each year and draw success will only increase marginally...especially if the kid is still able to build points by putting in for other elk tags in the interim. By the time he's eligible to apply again, he's more than half way to a guaranteed tag again.

 

As for the elk/deer tags in the same year, most of the junior deer and elk hunts run concurrently, but some don't. If someone wants to take their kid deer hunting, they can do it every year with a leftover whitetail tag.

[Tines]

I'm in the same boat. My daughter will be able to hunt next year and my son a couple of yrs later.

 

To echo what's already been said, I don't like the idea of a "waiting period" for kids. I agree that they need the exposure as much as possiible to keep their interest but if you plan on keeping a kid interested with just big game hunts in AZ you'll have a tough time. There are so many small game opportunities that I'd venture to say so many of us thrived on growing up. THAT keeps a kid not only interested but sure teaches them great skills as they get older and are apply them towards big game. It also "forces" parents to teach their kids that learning how to hunt is what it's about, not how many 100" deer a 12yr old can pass up until his dad and 4 buddies find him the 110" buck "worthy" of the tag :huh: all the while the 12yr old sleeps....

 

This also might sound contradictory to the above statement but I probably would be for reducing the "youth" age by a couple of years. Maybe keep the cost the same until they're 18 but to draw a youth tag......maybe up to 16yrs of age??

 

Then again, I don't know how many this will really weed out.

 

I think the G and F has done an okay job at trying to accomodate the youth while considering our "supply" (or lack there-of).

 

Here's an idea. I'm absolutely positive that they could squeeze two or three MORE hunts in 33 for some kids. Why not (insert sarcasm..)???

[DUG]

I only put my girls in for regular elk hunts. My 14 year old has 2 tags in a row now for cow. We will still put in for jr. Deer though.

[Non-Typical Solutions]

I agree with hunting smaller game while trying to get drawn for big game opportunities.

My youngest thinks that his turkey and javelina hunts will be recordbook stories for years.

We put in for pig, turkey, deer and elk regular hunts.

If we don't get drawn for anything then we go for leftovers and over the counter opportunities.

If we don't get any big game tags we hunt coyotes, rabbits, fish, dove, quail and..............antlers.......

I think there are lots of ways to keep kids positive about hunting as opposed to turning them sour on not getting drawn.

 

Hunting coyotes and rabbits are great ways to teach kids how to shoot open sites or scope, focus on shot placement, know your target.

Quail and dove are great because you can teach them open lanes, safe shooting lanes.

Fishing is great for teaching kids how to catch and release.......sit back and enjoy a root beer and wait for the tug.....

I love the great outdoors and spending time with my kids.......even my grownup ones..............

[arizonaelitefreak]

i quit putting both my kids in for youth hunts after the first 2 or 3 years putting them in and drawing nothing. then bam once I put them in for regular hunts they get drawn. its not the same as when I was a kid, back then it seemed like you always had a tag the first year you were old enough to hunt, not the case any more, none the less its hard to keep a kid interested in hunting when you cant get them drawn for a youth hunt where the primary focus is suppose to be on them.

[Stimie]

I hear they are going to reduce the Class F youth license to $5 instead of $26.50.....

[jmwarren65]

Shrek: Your idea is worth listening to. Don't know if it will achieve the results you desire.

 

In 2007, my son (10 years old) and my step-daughter (12 years old) were drawn for the youth hunt. Both tagged out from the exact same spot (both with my dad at the time...hmm...what does that say about my hunting abilities???). My son filled his tag opening night and my step-daughter got hers the next morning. Fast forward to 2012. My son draws his second elk tag, a limited opportunity any elk tag in 2A/2B. This time, he gets a one-antler bull with me. Yep...only had one 6 point antler. The other was a stub. From 2008 through 2011...4 years...4 draws...nothing. He did not get drawn for a youth elk hunt in that time period.

 

In 2012, I put him in for the limited opportunity any elk tag as I figured any time in the field with a high school sophomore is better than no time in the field. If I am going to instill the hunting spirit in him, I need to get him hunting every year...or at least every other year. Small game is fine, but he needs the challenge big game offers.

 

This year I put him in for a bonus point for elk as I plan on taking him to Wyoming for antelope. Turns out he will get to go elk hunting after all. His grandfather made a mistake on his application and entered the wrong hunt number for elk...and proceeded to get drawn. He can't do the hunt, so he will be donating his tag to his grandson. It wasn't planned this way, but I will take advantage of the opportunity to get my son out in the field again.

 

I am appreciative of the effort to give kids a chance to hunt without pressure and with parental guidance. I am not sold on this process....nor am I sold on the overall bonus point process in general. However, I do not know of a better alternative. If someone comes up with one, I will listen.

[Old Buck]

I look at the list of leftover javelina and deer tags each year and don't understand why people can't manage to take their kids hunting. My cute little son and daughter started hunting at 10 and 11 respectively. They are both 30 something and both avid hunters. Youth hunts were very limited when they started hunting, so they put in on the general hunts.

 

Hunting is a great sport! My kids have learned so many important life lessons while hunting. I credit much of their success in life to the things that they learned while hunting. The most important thing is to just take them hunting!