Michigan Youth Deer With A Firearm Age To Change?

[Wyttale]

I have been hearing through the grapevine that the age restriction for youth to hunt deer in Michigan with a firearm will be changed to twelve. Has anybody heard anything like this?

[Nick]

Yup, Ive heard the rumor. I dont know if its true or when it will go into effect though. Personally, I think its just another one of the DNR's ways to kill off more of deer here in Michigan.

[VtBowhunter]

What's the minimum age now?

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

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What's the minimum age now?

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14 for firearm

[wtnhunt]

In my opinion kids should not have to wait until 14. Hope they lower the age limit there.

[bexar_county89]

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In my opinion kids should not have to wait until 14. Hope they lower the age limit there.

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I was 12 before i tried on my first gun (lol that didn't make sense but you know what i mean) i'm glad they don't limit it in texas, but if the parents don't show good judgement then i suppose the state does need to intervene...

[VtBowhunter]

Heck, we don't have a minimum age here......my oldest son is 8 and he'll be turkey hunting this weekend, and deer hunting with a rifle in the fall.

[Wyttale]

What is more ethical in the deer woods. On the average most 12 year olds can't pull more than a 40# bow. Thus, A deer has to be pretty close to get a decent penetrating shot. Right? Now give that youth a gun and proper supervision, and you will have a more humane and ethical harvest of the animal. Also, what would be more frustrating to a youth than to have a deer at 25 yards and not be able to make the shot because it is out of their effective bow range? Here in Michigan, a youth still has to be hunting within eye shot of an adult or guardian anyway, and most of the time the supervising adult is right next to the youth anyhow. As I believe it is in most states that don't regulate youth hunting age. As a parent of 4 up and coming youth hunters, I think it should be my decision as to when I think my children are ready to hunt.

[Wyttale]

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Yup, Ive heard the rumor. I dont know if its true or when it will go into effect though. Personally, I think its just another one of the DNR's ways to kill off more of deer here in Michigan.

[/ QUOTE ] I get the feeling that the guys that are complaining about the Michigan deer herd being eradicated by the D.N.R. just aren't spending the time in the woods to get their deer. In the last 3 years alone I have taken 13 different deer, filling both buck tags all three years. The deer are out there if you want them, you just need to spend the time to close the deal.

[RangerClay]

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Heck, we don't have a minimum age here......my oldest son is 8 and he'll be turkey hunting this weekend, and deer hunting with a rifle in the fall.

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WOW! That is great!!

I can only dream here in NY. Kids cannot hunt deer with a gun till they are 16 years old, 14 with a bow. We have the have the highest deer hunting age in the nation.

Ranger

[wtnhunt]

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In my opinion kids should not have to wait until 14. Hope they lower the age limit there.

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I was 12 before i tried on my first gun (lol that didn't make sense but you know what i mean) i'm glad they don't limit it in texas, but if the parents don't show good judgement then i suppose the state does need to intervene...

[/ QUOTE ]

My oldest daughter had her first opportunities on deer at age 8, but she never would take a shot. She killed her first deer during the 2005 TN youth season at age 9.

It is great getting the kids out. I am looking forward to taking both my oldest(now 10), and middle(will be 5) daughtersout with me as much as possible this year.

[Nick]

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Yup, Ive heard the rumor. I dont know if its true or when it will go into effect though. Personally, I think its just another one of the DNR's ways to kill off more of deer here in Michigan.

[/ QUOTE ] I get the feeling that the guys that are complaining about the Michigan deer herd being eradicated by the D.N.R. just aren't spending the time in the woods to get their deer. In the last 3 years alone I have taken 13 different deer, filling both buck tags all three years. The deer are out there if you want them, you just need to spend the time to close the deal.

[/ QUOTE ]
Believe me, I spend my time in the woods and have taken my share of deer (10 in the last 2 seasons)........But come on!!! Have you not noticed a significant decrease in the amount of deer over the last few years??? Im only 20 and I've noticed it!!! The DNR comes right out and tells us the decrease in deer numbers around the state and how they want to lower them more. Geesh

[Wyttale]

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Yup, Ive heard the rumor. I dont know if its true or when it will go into effect though. Personally, I think its just another one of the DNR's ways to kill off more of deer here in Michigan.

[/ QUOTE ] I get the feeling that the guys that are complaining about the Michigan deer herd being eradicated by the D.N.R. just aren't spending the time in the woods to get their deer. In the last 3 years alone I have taken 13 different deer, filling both buck tags all three years. The deer are out there if you want them, you just need to spend the time to close the deal.

[/ QUOTE ]
Believe me, I spend my time in the woods and have taken my share of deer (10 in the last 2 seasons)........But come on!!! Have you not noticed a significant decrease in the amount of deer over the last few years??? Im only 20 and I've noticed it!!! The DNR comes right out and tells us the decrease in deer numbers around the state and how they want to lower them more. Geesh

[/ QUOTE ]I don't doubt you have killed plenty of deer, and I wasn't bashing you personally. But I haven't noticed a decrease in the deer population where I am. As a matter of fact I have seen a better buck to doe ratio in my area in the past 5 years than I have seen since I started hunting, and I am 38 now. If you study Michigan deer hunting history, it was only 60 years ago that finding a deer track in the woods was cause for celebration. Now look, you can't go down a back road or a main highway for that matter and not see herds of deer in the open fields in the evening. The D.N.R. has helped the deer herd to the point of overpopulation. So, Mother Nature has stepped in now with disease, the natural cure to overpopulation. Overpopulation is a huge problem, and before disease takes our deer herd, wouldn't you rather be able to take the population down in a humane way with hunting? Just my opinion...

[Nick]

Well I guess we are all going to have our opinions. But myself, am not too impressed with what the DNR has done/is doing with their deer management.

[craig mack]

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Yup, Ive heard the rumor. I dont know if its true or when it will go into effect though. Personally, I think its just another one of the DNR's ways to kill off more of deer here in Michigan.

[/ QUOTE ] I get the feeling that the guys that are complaining about the Michigan deer herd being eradicated by the D.N.R. just aren't spending the time in the woods to get their deer. In the last 3 years alone I have taken 13 different deer, filling both buck tags all three years. The deer are out there if you want them, you just need to spend the time to close the deal.

[/ QUOTE ]
Believe me, I spend my time in the woods and have taken my share of deer (10 in the last 2 seasons)........But come on!!! Have you not noticed a significant decrease in the amount of deer over the last few years??? Im only 20 and I've noticed it!!! The DNR comes right out and tells us the decrease in deer numbers around the state and how they want to lower them more. Geesh

[/ QUOTE ]I don't doubt you have killed plenty of deer, and I wasn't bashing you personally. But I haven't noticed a decrease in the deer population where I am. As a matter of fact I have seen a better buck to doe ratio in my area in the past 5 years than I have seen since I started hunting, and I am 38 now. If you study Michigan deer hunting history, it was only 60 years ago that finding a deer track in the woods was cause for celebration. Now look, you can't go down a back road or a main highway for that matter and not see herds of deer in the open fields in the evening. The D.N.R. has helped the deer herd to the point of overpopulation. So, Mother Nature has stepped in now with disease, the natural cure to overpopulation. Overpopulation is a huge problem, and before disease takes our deer herd, wouldn't you rather be able to take the population down in a humane way with hunting? Just my opinion...

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What part of the state do you hunt in? I hunt in the southern lower and in the Western U.P. And I notice a difference in the U.P. but not in the southern lower. If you hunt in southern Mi you probably wouldnt notice.