new hunting age in utah

Digger,

I'm not sure the logic behind it?? I know they say it's to get more youth involved and stay in hunting. (at least that is what I hear) But, I'm not sure I believe that, the DWR is a business just like any other and they are in it to make money IMO. Just like you stated already, I think if you want youth involved you get the parents involved and you get/keep the parents involved with more opportunity and fun/success with the Fathers of the boys.

I suppose this will give more kids opportunity, but I'm with you it's a different age and TONS of material out there to compete for kids time. Many just don't have a clue how to handle a weapon. Some do because of good parents, leaders, scouting etc.

Plus the fact that it's becoming a RICH mans sport.

it would have been fine, if they did it the year I turned 12! haha J/K

I think alot of kids are not ready to handle a high powered rifle.. I think their parents are ready for them to!

too bad they didn't put "an Adult has to carry the rifle for you" cuz that way the Adult/parent won't sit them on a ridge and leave them to go make a run thru the pines! IMHO

I sure don't like or agree with it, even though i have a 12 and a 10 year old now!
Even though they have been raised around and shot quite a few guns in the short time here, there is NO way i'm turning them lose with a rifle, even something as small as a .243 or .30-30. My other son was able to hunt at age 14, but i made him wait a year till he was 15 and i felt he could handle it. As many of you know, there are times when you "seperate" in the field to make a push or something and those kids can't be right in your pocket being supervised and mistakes can and will happen.
However, most accidents occur in the field by "mature" hunters for various reasons, so i guess time will tell on this one.
In my opinion, it's just another ploy for the state to make money and sell tags. :>/

I have no problem with it since EVERY state around Utah allows kids as young, or in some cases, younger than 12 hunt big game. I haven't noticed any increase in iccedents in these states, so I am not worried about my safety in Utah.

PRO

"skull krazy" wrote: As many of you know, there are times when you "seperate" in the field to make a push or something and those kids can't be right in your pocket being supervised and mistakes can and will happen.

i think we owe it to are kids to donate a year or two to them and not worry about killing anything are selves. this would make it where they are never alone and it is a learning process. remember there will come a time when we are old a crippled up and cant really do the hunt soley on are own and it will be these same kids, if deserving, that will take time out of their hunt to help out their old men! we can always take them on a hunt in one state then if it's still killing us to go areselves then go in another state or another hunt without them. the desire to take and start the kids hunting should be greater than the desire to fill a tag, in my opinion.

another thing i was talking to a buddy who lives outside of salt lake and he absolutly hates this. his main reason for hating it is it just lowers his odds of drawing and these kids haven't "put in their time" and don't deserve to get to hunt a hunt that good yet.----- come on people where is the priorities!

i just hope they dont act like some of there parents do. looking though there scope to see what another hunter is doing really ticks me off. as said before. they learn there hunting ethics from there parents

Good post killerbee. =D>

PRO

Twelve (12) years old is the legal age to take big game in CA.....however, you must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian until the age of 18. I agree with this law, as I would never let any kid of that age hunt by themselves and unsupervised. However, supervised??? I see no problem whatsoever......I was allowed to arrow my first buck at 12 years old......and I'm sure glad I had the opportunity.

Start them young and teach them how to hunt......and you won't have to hunt for your kids!

Its been 12 here forever,all the accidents we have are older hunters,they are going to LOWER our age here soon,they want to get kids involved before they get into other things like video games and dope,if they can pass our hunters ed course they can huntn in my opinion. :222

it's 12 here in oregon too, has been that way forever. some of the best hunting memories i ever have is getting to go hunting with my dad when i was 12 and 13 ! and i always walked with in a couple yrd of him. i remember getting told to " WALK QUIETLY" a million times. i must have been a real pain it the azz, stepping on pine cones or sticks,or not picking up my feet when i walked. my first bull elk was a little 4 pnt bull that my dad passed on shooting himself so i could shoot it and to this day he still has never killed a bull elk for himself. THATS WHAT TAKING YOUR KIDS HUNTING IS ALL ABOUT!!!!!! memories!

killerbee-
I totally agree that we owe it to our kids to teach them and let our own "killing" go for a year or two, and that is exactly what i am doing and have done this past three seasons with my oldest son. I use MY TIME to hunt with my son as well as guide elk and deer hunters from all over the world during the fall. I have only taken one deer in the last ten years due to "where my priorities are".
My son drew a book cliffs muzzle loader deer tag this fall and guess what...i have dropped a repeat client for an "cream of the crop" elk hunt so that i can go guide and hunt with my son.
So I hope you weren't insinuating that i am a selfish person or hunter, i am the last one that hunts for himself.
My point in this is that my two younger kids just arent ready to handle a centerfire rifle yet, but they are definately learning and getting better with age. And yes, other states allow 12 years of age and have been good with it, i just hope it works out here in Utah and that the parents of these kids wil teach them proper saftey and most of all....common sense.

=D> Well Said all of you!

My oldest son just turned 10 today... and he has been going hunting for the past 2 years (just a day or 2 a hunt not to wear him out) but he will go more this year and the whole hunt next year! he packs around his BB gun just to get use to carrying a gun in the rough terrain. I hope he will be ready but we will have to see. Right now I think my 7yr old is more ready than my 10 yr old, he has that passion for hunting that just makes me excited to watch him! and take him out in the field with me! my 5 yr old son just likes to play in the pile of guts! LOL #-o

I enjoy teaching all of my boys to respect the land and the weapons we use! but that's the key... TEACH THEM!!!

like I said in my earlier post - "I just wish the legal age was 12 when I was twelve".. =; but then I admit right now... I WASN"T READY!!!

well said lifetime!
I'm not so sure i was ready at 12 either, not too be packing around a centerfire anyway. I bought my first gun at 12 (a ruger 10-22) and basically slept with that thing, i was a proud man!! I also remember taking my daisy red ryder and taping a paper towel roll on top like a scope and going to deer camp wishing i was 16. [-o<
But i also remember at that same age when my grandpa tried to teach me how to shoot his .270. I still have a scar on my brow from that damn scope because my body didn't fit that big gun.
Now...if a parent wants to get his kid a gun that fits him right and teach him all that he knows, then the outcome should be good. Unfortunately, i have seen a thousand times (it sems) that the kids get the old "hand me down's", yes the old warn out, kick like a mule rifles. That just never made sense too me personally and can actually ruin a kid instead of make a hunter.
Regardless of what i think or how i feel, along with others, the age limit is here to stay and it's up to us to handle it and teach our kids what they need to know. At that point it's up to us as parent so know if our young hunter's are ready or not.

I do not know if I like it to much, my idea of the age limit as long as they understand the risks that can come with hunting. I believe the same rules apply but I think along with the hunter education course and ethnics course they also should be required to take a survival course. Why, cause of the simple little things that can happen by taking someone at that age out in the woods. In the past years there has been those young adults out there getting lost, we have had even deaths from this and some were just from being out with the scouts. Think of how many fathers or mothers which would take their sons or daughters up on a ridge and say to them, "-K- stay right here and I am going to drop off into the bottom not to far and push something out to you, I will be right back." Well it may happen that some will be alright but what about them few that after 10 minutes they get scared or worried and leave their post and get lost? I am sure there would be possible some of these might happen, I hope not though.
In the area of the weapons, i believe they should take a more advanced hunting course. I know right now they learn some ethnics and safety in fire arms, but when it comes to shooting they have to shoot just a .22. I would like to see more hours on and off the course with higher powered rifles, muzzloaders and even archery equipment with life sized targets. I know the parents have alot to do with the training but they should have more training from educators.

I told my kids they can hunt when they are ready with no pressure, but at the same time they are going to have to prove theirselves to me on what they are able and comfortable in doing and shooting on and of the mountain.

Arizona lets you hunt when you turn 10 years of age. I havent seen or heard of any problems with hunting at such a young age. I did just fine when I was 10 (killed my first elk) and my twin SISTER did just fine when she was 10 (Killed a 350 Bull)

great posts guys thanks

skull crazy-- no, i'm deffinatly not singleing anyone out i was just using the quote about the kids by themselves as a refference, i appologize if it came across wrong. and i think it is great that your taking the time away from a premere hunt in exchange for an even better hunt,with your own kid! good luck and i'm sure it will be something he never forgets :thumb

Thanks killerbee, it should be the hunt of a lifetime for him, or for both of us for that matter!
Good luck to you as well on everything you have coming this fall :thumb