Youth Deer Hunting

Deer Hunting With Young Hunters

Nothing is more important to us whitetail deer hunters as introducing youth deer hunting to new young hunters. We must carry on the tradition of whitetail deer hunting with young hunters. Today, fewer and fewer young people, new deer hunters, are taking to the woods to enjoy and experience this great hunting activity. As deer hunters, we need to address this and do everything possible to introduce and mentor youth to deer hunting.

Deer Hunting Traditions

Remember your first whitetail deer hunting experience? It didn’t just happen. Someone had to care enough to introduce you to hunting. That person shared their hunting tips with you, whether it was archery hunting or hunting with a rifle. You heard their trophy deer hunting stories, whether true or not. You didn’t care because they made it exciting; you wanted to learn more, and they were willing to educate and mentor you on safety, hunting strategies, and hunting tips that had been passed on to them.

Mentoring Young Hunters

Zack's 1st Archery Buck - 15 Years Old

This is my great nephew, Zack Jusczak, age 15, of Lakeville, Minnesota with his first buck taken with archery while hunting near my farm in northern Minnesota. Zack shot this seven point buck from a ladder stand, November third, 2006 on his third day of ever archery hunting. We are really proud of Zack’s buck and the story behind it. We must lead by example; young minds watch, learn, imitate and idolize older educators and mentors. Teaching hunter education to a young person is one of the most rewarding activities that an experienced whitetail deer hunter can do. First off; we need to send our prospective, eligible in age, young deer hunters through an official hunter safety and advanced hunter education course. Check your local states D.N.R. website for more information. We then need to involve the youthful deer hunter, maybe gradually at first, into all aspects of deer hunting. Introduce them to archery hunting, hunting with a shotgun, using a rifle, and or muzzleloader. Take them to a shooting range, or if you have access to land, go there and practice. Make it fun and enjoyable. If archery hunting is your choice, make sure the bow fits the young hunter and not the young hunter fitting the bow. If using a rifle, start them out on a small caliber, such as a .243. This will have low recoil and the youth won’t develop shooter’s flinch. Try not let bad habits develop from the start. Be smart and ethical. When deer hunting, encourage them to harvest the first deer they have the opportunity to shoot. Don’t put restrictions on them just because you have done it to yourself or your hunting party. Place them in a deer hunting area that will give them that opportunity to harvest a whitetail deer in the first or second day. That very first deer will be a trophy deer to them and one they will never forget. Congratulate them on there first deer; for it is a trophy deer to them. Ensure that a youth’s deer hunting experience is fun and comfortable. Encourage this young hunter to continue with hunter education; after all, your still learning. Buy the youth hunter a subscription to one of the great hunting magazines, or enroll them into the N.R.A. for a birthday present or Christmas gift. This will help keep there interest peaked year round.

New Youth Deer Hunter’s – Who Are They

As whitetail deer hunters we may take it for granted that we will introduce our own children (both my daughter and son are deer hunters) to deer hunting. But look at who else you can mentor and get into the sport of deer hunting. Look to other relatives and even friends. Some people don’t hunt (say it isn’t so Steve). But maybe they wouldn’t mind if their kids did if they were mentored by a responsible adult. It is a great way to channel a young person’s energy and create a new positive activity for them. There are also many broken homes with only one parent raising the family. Sometimes this parent doesn’t have the time, knowledge, or money to involve their child in the sport of deer hunting. Imagine the pride and excitement that youthful deer hunter, a young man or a women hunter, would have bringing home that first trophy deer. I think that parent would be pretty proud too; and thankful to you. Think about it, take a kid hunting; and good luck hunting. Here is a link to a page that gives you the minimum age that young deer hunters will have to be; to hunt big game, to hunt while supervised, and when they can hunt alone.

Young Women Deer Hunters

Emma's First Deer With Rifle

We need to encourage all types of new young deer hunters. Today, more and more young women are entering the exciting field of becoming deer hunters. Please go to the exciting, educational article; “Emma’s First Deer”. It is a great story, and a good read. It’s about Emma’s first year dear hunting on our farm. Emma is my sweet 15 year old great niece. She harvested this deer her first year deer hunting; what a great way to start. Emma is already a great cook. I’m sure she will be checking out some of my great venison recipes.

Keep Deer Hunting Fun

Successful young deer hunters who have fun at this sport will be the next generation to carry on this great tradition of whitetail deer hunting. This is my great niece, Allie L., age 15; when she shot this nice trophy deer during October of 2006, in northern Minnesota while archery hunting from a blind on her grandfathers hunting land. This is her first whitetail deer with a bow. She is quite the women hunter. To her credit she has shot many other whitetail deer; and has also harvested 3 black-bear in her wild game hunting career. Congratulations; and way to go Allie!