9 year old bowhunting?

[deerhunter]

My son who is 9 shoots bow all the time and is ready to hunt deer I know he gets his own free tag when he is 10 but I want to know if he can come with me and shoot my deer for me. I dont understand that he can turkey hunt at any age but not deer hunt until 10? That makes no sense to me. I have talked to the DNR and he gives me roundabout answer.

[Archerysniper]

Page 30 of the hunting regs, under big game firearms,archery,muzzleloader youth age 9 may not hunt.

[Scoot]

The rationale is that under the age of 10, most kids can't shoot an arrow with sufficient KE to do an effective job on a deer, but likely can shoot an arrow with the KE to do the job on a turkey. Obviously, the law isn't written for any one kid- your son may be ready, but most are not at age 9.

[musky hunter]

I commend you for your enthusiasm to get your son out into the woods with you. But my recommendation is to take him with, let him film your hunt this year and see if he can shoot a deer with a camera first. While your son is a special case, I don't know of any other nine year olds that are capable of cleanly taking a deer with a bow.

[DonBo]

Like others have said, I don't know your son but I have no doubts that many 9 year olds are capable of physically taking a deer with archery tackle.

My problem with young hunters is I doubt many are capable mentally. Taking the life of a big game animal is hard for many older, veteran hunters. Do any of you think that most 9 or 10 year olds have a clue what it means to take the life of a deer?

[Scoot]

I commend you for your enthusiasm to get your son out into the woods with you. But my recommendation is to take him with, let him film your hunt this year and see if he can shoot a deer with a camera first.

I completely agree- you're to be commended for your enthusiasm! Also, the suggestion of having him use a camera is a great one. My son is six and since he's been bringing a camera along in the tree stand, he's had a lot more fun! His goal is to get a picture of a deer every time we go out.

[deerminator]

Ditto. Bringing my son along who is 7 this some year. We've built some natural blinds and set up some pop-ups together already. He seemed upset when he realized he couldn't use his Bear Scout to shoot at a deer. Imagine the deer's response: Did you feel something? Must have been a fly. In all seriousness, I explained to him he'd have to be at least 10 according to the regulations - which lead to a discussion of what regulations are and why they are there and him perusing the handbook. I then explained I'd likely start him out using the slug gun when we both felt he was ready - 10 or later - and that I'd be sitting next to him, holding the gun, etc. He seemed pretty cool with it and was just happy to be able to go along. I'm trying to convince my wife to take up slug hunting so he can have even more opportunities to go out if he wants but that isn't sweetening the deal for her!

[deerminator]

"Taking the life of a big game animal is hard for many older, veteran hunters."

I spined my second deer ever in my first year of bowhunting (never taken one with a gun) and that was tough mentally. It was just a bad situation that was fortunately quickly resolved with a second arrow after I climbed out of the blind. But I don't want that to be my son's experiences on his first outing with me when I arrow one so you had better believe the shot presented to me will have to be perfect. And even then something can go wrong. I'm nervous about that responsibility and I don't want to place that on him for awhile yet. But some 10 year olds might be ready mentally for it and if the law says you can at 10 and you think he's ready then, by all means. Good luck

[deerminator]

BTW, meant I don't want to place the responsibility on him of arrowing a deer until he's ready to do so, 10, 11, whatever age that may be. I'm taking him with me this year some and all the rest until he's old enough to hunt - and I took him on a few outings last year. I have no doubt he's ready to be along for the hunt - and kill - just not sure when he'll be ready to actually take a shot on a deer with a bow himself.

[deerhunter]

Thanks for the info. I agree with taking the life of a big game animal is serious and I want to make sure he understands that. He has been coming with me since he was 7 he shot his first turkey last year with a gun,got his first goose last weekend (out of the air too) and his first dove last week. His first deer will have to wait till next year if he is fortunate enough to get one. I know he is very well capapable but I know it will mean more next year to him knowing he has to wait but he already learned something this year and that is the laws he read the regulations cover to cover which made me very pleased