# Indiana's New Youth Seasons



## willie (Jul 2, 2003)

Yes, it is a good deal.

So far I've liked what Kyle Hupfer (DNR director) has done.


.


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## HotShot88 (Jul 19, 2005)

I went and checked out the Indiana DNR website and didnt see anything on there about it.


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## BryanG (Jul 7, 2006)

HotShot88 said:


> I went and checked out the Indiana DNR website and didnt see anything on there about it.


I could not find it on their website either. I heard about it and I found it in their 2006-2007 Hunting and Trapping Guide. If you have a wal-mart close they have them and most bait and tackles have them.


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## willie (Jul 2, 2003)

Hi Hotshot88.

The website still has last year's regs on it.

It is in the new reg book though.

Drop over and see us at Hunting Indiana sometime.


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## spec (Dec 13, 2005)

It's about time! I know there was a lot of resistence to allowing the youth getting the first crack at deer. Is it a "doe-only" hunt?


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## willie (Jul 2, 2003)

spec said:


> It's about time! I know there was a lot of resistence to allowing the youth getting the first crack at deer. Is it a "doe-only" hunt?


Yes, it is an antlerless only.

They tried to a pass it of as "it will give the kids better access to hunting ground and will teach them good deer management."

PSHAW!!

Tell that to a 14 year old that spent all weekend out there sweating his hind end off and only saw a buck and couldn't shoot it.

They are the only ones out there deer hunting that can't shoot a buck.


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## willie (Jul 2, 2003)

BTW Spec..

They can use any legal deer hunting weapon.... including a crossbow.. :wink:


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## thesource (May 19, 2005)

willie said:


> They can use any legal deer hunting weapon.... including a crossbow.. :wink:



LOL

I don't think anyone will complain when a youth uses a crossbow, especially when guns are legal.

Just stirring up more trouble, huh? Figures.


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## willie (Jul 2, 2003)

thesource said:


> LOL
> 
> I don't think anyone will complain when a youth uses a crossbow, especially when guns are legal.
> 
> Just stirring up more trouble, huh? Figures.


Not until you showed up..

Notice the winky...


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## indiana redneck (Feb 26, 2006)

I think it's a great ideal to have a youth season in indiana.


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## KidKy24 (Jul 12, 2005)

thesource said:


> LOL
> 
> I don't think anyone will complain when a youth uses a crossbow, especially when guns are legal.
> 
> Just stirring up more trouble, huh? Figures.




oh i don't know, gotta go with willie on this. the one thing i have learned from x-bow anti's, is that crossbows are bad/evil - regardless who uses them. :wink:


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## thesource (May 19, 2005)

You got it ALL wrong, Kid.

It has nothing to do with who.

It has EVERYTHING to do with when.


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## kennie (Dec 9, 2004)

*youth hunts*

its about time indiana done something like ky. i have a 11 year little girl thats dying to get out there & get her first deer..dont matter what it is it will be on my wall....:wink:


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## willie (Jul 2, 2003)

kennie said:


> its about time indiana done something like ky. i have a 11 year little girl thats dying to get out there & get her first deer..dont matter what it is it will be on my wall....:wink:


Kennie,

That is what it is all about.

Best of luck to her.

I'm looking forward to the hunt details and pictures..

.


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## mathews/fish (Jun 19, 2005)

*'bout time*

I think this is way over due. I am pleased to see it go through though.
Get the young uns out there to feed thos 'squitoes. I meant get that doe.
Spread the word.


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## ban_t (Dec 27, 2005)

*the source NOT YOU ARE NOT*

I GAVE my son a choice he picked a crossbow from 410 shotgun, 20ga, his bow 40# it is about what he wants. I am proud the he wants too hunt. He has passed all hunters safety bow & gun He has hunted with me for 3 years tracking hunting. Now he can pick what he wants too hunt with. You give Sh....... Cause it's a crossbow? He is our future like it or not. Plus he can out shot many with a bow within your standards. Can hit a squirrel @ 100 yds 22ga and out track many grown men. 
So Back OFF


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## thesource (May 19, 2005)

LOL.

I think youth hunts are a great idea. Don't know why you are tweaking at me. I've helped a lot of kids (and a lot of adults) get started in bowhunting...

I hope your son enjoys his hunt.


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## HotShot88 (Jul 19, 2005)

What makes this really nice for the kids is a lot of them dont bowhunt, and everyone knows how it is on opening weekend of shotgun season in indiana. Hunters everywhere! Often you encounter other hunters that are un-happy with your presence and it also could be a little dangerous. Gives the kids a chance to get out there in a safe environment and have the woods all to them selves without having other hunters tromp through on top of them.


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## Indychris (Sep 13, 2002)

I guess I'm a little less enthusiastic about the idea of a specific youth hunt. And, before you all jump on me, I am a NBEF instructor and am currently working with a young man this year to get him in the woods for the first time with a bow. I *fervently* believe that we are responsible for getting young people involved in the hunting sports. AND, I have no problem whatsoever with kids having a "first crack" at the deer! (though I do sometimes wonder where our cultural obsession with children came from nonetheless, I digress).

That said, I have two primary concerns regarding a special weekend for youth. First, I have a difficult time imagining that the new "early season" won't be abused regularly. I've seen it too many times with landowner permits in Indiana, and I have no doubt that there will be many deer which are taken down by many fingers that have been pulling triggers more than 16 years. That's my cynical reason.

Philosophically, I think a special youth weekend tends to play too much into the hand of our video-obsessed-gotta-have-it-now generation. Let me confess that I didn't hunt for the first time until I was twenty-six, so my view is based mostly on what I know of the experience of a good friend and my brother-in-law. Much of hunting is about learning and patience. Learning doesn't take place in the course of a weekend. If a child wants to learn to hunt and is only taken into the field on "youth weekend," then they gain very little, IMO. The "learning" of hunting takes place when Dad (or whoever the primary teacher is) repeatedly takes them into the field and continually reinforces the lessons of the hunt. Not to mention the lesson that is taught to a child whose father gives up a deer that he could have taken himself just for the prize of watching his son or daughter take their first deer.

Coinciding with that thought is the issue of tenacity. If the point (as I understand it to be--at least in part) is to help a young hunter bag a deer more "easily" without the pressure that mounts from gun season, then what happens when things get tougher as they outgrow the age of participation in a youth weekend? I would guess that many will go right back to the more exciting video game. However, what if we teach them patience and endurance up front through the same process that we each went through when we were first weaned onto our first kill? We know the work involved and the reward for a kill that was pursued patiently. At that point, it becomes less a lesson on hunting, and more a lesson on all of life.

I applaud the emphasis on getting kids into the woods; I guess I'm just a little skeptical that this is a great long-term solution to get it done.

I know I'm probably deemed evil now since I don't want to "do it for the children," but those are my thoughts!

Chris


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## willie (Jul 2, 2003)

Chris,

They do get to go back and hunt the regular season too.

I see nothing wrong with giving them a little something extra and sooner than we get it.

I do not believe that it will be a walk in the park for them. Hot, skeeters, leaves on the trees, less deer movement., etc, etc.

Although I must confess I would rather had seen them have the weekend before gun season (less leaves and deer more active) and be able to take any sex..

Shame on any dad that would pop a doe instead of their kid.

Ky has done this for a long time (their's is in bow season) and they are eating ou lunch getting kids involved in hunting.


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## mathews/fish (Jun 19, 2005)

*Indychris*

You make some very valid points in your statement. I also have worked with numerous youth. In church and in the field. 
Life lessons need to be reinforced in the home. I used to work at an archery shop, and we were also a deer check station. After I reported an incident to DNR, I was threatened by some persons. None of my business, I was told. There is a lot of "I'll fill your tag" going on. Also, lots of illegal weapons for the season / or just totally wrong weapon. 
But morallity and citizenship need to be taught, and lived in the home. 
Giving youth an opportunity to get out before the unprepared week-end hunters is a safe alternative to getting the youth started. It won't be a picnic for them.
It might be for the 'squitoes though.
We all need to do our part to make this and our hunting priveledes work long term.


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## Indychris (Sep 13, 2002)

willie said:


> Chris,
> 
> They do get to go back and hunt the regular season too.


I know that. But, if they are going to get out anyway, why a "special" season?



> I see nothing wrong with giving them a little something extra and sooner than we get it.


I don't see anything *wrong* with it either. But I also don't see anything *beneficial* to the hunting community as a whole.



> I do not believe that it will be a walk in the park for them. Hot, skeeters, leaves on the trees, less deer movement., etc, etc.


Hmmm... then why are we doing this again?



> Although I must confess I would rather had seen them have the weekend before gun season (less leaves and deer more active) and be able to take any sex..


Again, I simply don't see the point of a "youth only" weekend, except to superficially make us feel _better_ for doing something symbolic.



> Shame on any dad that would pop a doe instead of their kid.


ABSOLUTELY! But a little shame never stopped a LOT of people! 



> Ky has done this for a long time (their's is in bow season) and they are eating ou lunch getting kids involved in hunting.


But, let's face it... Kentucky is kicking our rears all over the country in terms of getting kids involved in archery PERIOD through the strong efforts of the NASP in that state. It only makes sense that the number of those young archers will translate into stronger numbers of hunters, too. By and large, those students who have already learned a lot about the discipline of archery are, IMO, way ahead of our kids who can grab a gun and go out the door for a one time trip to the woods.

I'm not really dogmatic about this; I simply think it's another instance where we do something that's not truly substantive in order to LOOK like we're doing something. If we can look back five or six years from now and prove conclusively that this is a successful effort to get more kids involved in hunting for more than just those youth years, I will GLADLY eat my words. I guess we'll see (at least if anyone has actually thought through how to measure whether or not the program is effective!).


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## BryanG (Jul 7, 2006)

IndyChris, do you have kids and do any of them hunt? If you say NO to either then you have nothing to base you concerns on. Just like 3D shooting, you have to keep the positive renforcment strong for the young/new kids. You said you started hunting at age 26, you were a bit older and probably didn't get discouraged as easily. If you have kids and they hunt then how the He** can you sit there and not want to give your child the best oportunity and anything new? I know your entitled to your opinion, but remember all new programs will have some glitches to better for the next year and the next year after that.


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## vermonster13 (Sep 18, 2004)

The benefits are simple. It has been proven time and again that early success leads to much higher retainment of youth hunters and folks we need to add to our numbers not continually diminish them. Using it might get abused argument holds no water, that can happen during the regular season and does, why punish the many more who will do it right for the few that don't? We need more hunters and giving the kids an early shot does nothing to diminsh your hunting, it actually helps ensure that we will continue to be able to hunt. If you feel like it is unfair or doesn't benefit hunting in general to bring these kids in, then maybe you need to reconsider what hunting is about to you. 

We have been doing this in Vermont for a few years and it has worked out well.


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