MN Youth deer hunt

[harvey lee]

For the past 4 years, my granddaughter Taylor has enjoyed coming with when we go to ND deer hunting and sitting in a ground blind video taping deer.

Taylor is now 12 and has gone through gun safety and wants to go deer hunting this year. Very happy about that.

I purchased Taylor a new 20ga Browning BPS slug gun and she is shooting very well, I tell her she is like Annie Oakley.

I do not understand why the DNR only allows the area they do for this youth hunt. very hard to get permission in an area where you know not a soul and so much land is leased by other hunters.

Well, after days of talking to landowners, I finally found a woods that I am familiar with and I know it holds deer and the landowner gave us permission to hunt it during the youth season.

Dave was also nice enough to show me where the deer bed and travel and also said we could use the double ladder stands he has in the woods.

Today after some scouting, I found a very heavy trail within 25 yards of the one stand and 2 scrapes were also very close by on that same trail.

Even with the small area in the state for this hunt, yes, there are farmers out there that will welcome one to hunt, one just has to beat the bushs to find them.

I do not undertsand why the state restricts the area for the youth hunt when they want more of the younger ones to go hunting but make it so diffucult with such a restricted area.

Not sure why it could not be a statewide hunt for the youth.

One more week from this Thursday and it will be showtime for Taylor. I sure hope I can get a deer in front of her, would make my fall if she shot one.

[pikerliker]

I have wondered the same thing myself although I took my 13 year old daughter for the early youth hunt 2 years ago on public land and she bagged her first deer a nice mature doe within our first hour out there! She was thrilled and dad even more so! now she is hooked and likes it as much if not more than her two brothers! I think it's really nice that the DNR offers it. I wish I would have known about it when my boys were -15.

[harvey lee]

Yes, it is a great program for the youth, but I would like to see a larger area so many morre kids interested in deer hunting could have a better opportunity to hunt.

[zepman]

I'll be out there too with my oldest...hoping he can finally get his 1st deer this year.

Took him 2 years ago on this hunt and it was about 85-90 degrees the whole extended weekend. Hoping this years weather will cooperate with everybody!

[CANOPY SAM]

Harvey, are you talking about the ND youth season, or the MN youth season?

[fishadb]

I don't agree with having a youth hunt at all,I do like that anyone under 16 can take an either sex deer. With a nine day slug season and a 16 day muzzleloader there is plenty of oppurtunity to hunt.

[schmoe147]

I don't agree with having a youth hunt at all,I do like that anyone under 16 can take an either sex deer. With a nine day slug season and a 16 day muzzleloader there is plenty of oppurtunity to hunt.

X2.

[CANOPY SAM]

Nothing wrong with your opinion, fish. Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts on the issue. I'd wager the vote would go about 50% for, and 50% against. That's okay.

Speaking from experience, it's just a really nice way to ease a kid into deer hunting, without all the pressure of so many other hunters vying for the same animals/land/opportunities, etc.

It's cheap, it's easy (with way more permission granted in most areas), and the weather is typically a lot more amenable for young kids to stay out a little longer.

[jerkbait]

I don't agree with having a youth hunt at all,I do like that anyone under 16 can take an either sex deer. With a nine day slug season and a 16 day muzzleloader there is plenty of oppurtunity to hunt.

[harvey lee]

Nothing wrong with your opinion, fish. Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts on the issue. I'd wager the vote would go about 50% for, and 50% against. That's okay.

Speaking from experience, it's just a really nice way to ease a kid into deer hunting, without all the pressure of so many other hunters vying for the same animals/land/opportunities, etc.

It's cheap, it's easy (with way more permission granted in most areas), and the weather is typically a lot more amenable for young kids to stay out a little longer.

I totally agree.

In my area of the youth season since it is not statewide, it can be very hard to find and be allowed to hunt a private piece of property.

The weather as suggested above is much nicer most seasons and it is easier for the kids.

I would much rather take her out without hunters all over the place chasing deer and hunt in a more relaxed enviroment. Allows for a better all around hunt for her first time.

If I would hunt an area that was heavily hunted and alot of deer were shot during the youth season and it decreased my chance to harvest a deer during the gun season, then for me, so be it, I will give that up for a younger person to have an easier and more enjoyable hunt.

To be very honest, if I had to take her out during the regular season which can be a real zoo around me, I would pass and take her out of state or wait another year and go elsewhere. I quit gun hunting in our area approx 20 years ago as it was so hard to find land to hunt, typically had to lease some so I just quit the shotgun season and go outstate where I do not have these issues.

Our plans were to take her with to North Dakota and do the youth hunt there but she needs to be a year older and then we can take her and hunt 2 sections without anyone else chasing the deer.

I agree not all will agree and that's fine, just my thoughts for the youth of today.

[mntatonka]

If I would hunt an area that was heavily hunted and alot of deer were shot during the youth season and it decreased my chance to harvest a deer during the gun season, then for me, so be it, I will give that up for a younger person to have an easier and more enjoyable hunt.

I agree not all will agree and thats fine, just my thoughts for the youth of today.

I don't think anywhere are a "lot" of deer shot during the youth season. 64 is the highest number shot during the youth season in any one area, with a statewide total of 868 across 29 areas. A pretty even split between does and bucks too.

[harvey lee]

Canopy Sam, this year it will be Mn, next fall Mn and maybe ND depending on the date and age for the youth hunt, I have to check into that further, all depends on if she wants to go hunting in 2 states.

[pikerliker]

I've taken my daughter out twice for the early youth season on public land and have seen maybe 2 or 3 other kids out with an adult total for the last 2 years. So if you're worried about a bunch of deer being taken don't. Also It's only SE, parts of NW Minnesota, and Metro area that do it so the majority of the state doesn't even have an early youth season. I like it because it's not too cold yet, very light pressure from other hunters and the deer aren't pressured yet. Nice way to introduce kids to deer hunting and hunting in general.

[Monkster]

The youth hunts are a great idea and should absolutely stay in place! I think these hunts are instrumental in securing our future as hunters. My two boys have participated in a few of these hunts and only the oldest has chosen to keep my hunting tradition alive in the family. He is now considering the conservation officer field as a career. If any of you have experienced these hunts first hand, you would understand why I feel this way. They are not about killing deer, they are about the experience. Obviously, the proof of that is in the numbers! Sorry about going on, but I needed to make my feelings known about these hunts.

[bowhunternw]

I think it is a good thing, it really is underutilized and should be state wide. There are not many deer taken and is no more disruptive to the deer herd than pheasant or grouse hunting is. The only bad part is bowhunters have to wear orange for a few days or wait till it is over.