Youth Mentor Program

AIROHUNTER · Nov 1, 2012

I'm asking everyone to reach out to OHA and ask for there support and have them carry an iniative to the ODFW directors to change the Youth Mentor program. In order to truly foster and support the youth movement I think they should redestablish the age limit from 14 to 17. Any youth 17 and under with or without hunters safety should be allowed to mentor under a supervised adults tag. lets get it done and keep those kids outdoors.

cheers,

My favorite hunts are because they were with friends and family not just because "I got one".

Hammnit · Nov 1, 2012

I'm just curious, but why not keep it for the 9-13 yr olds?
Hammnit

excavator · Nov 1, 2012

Youths can legally obtain their own tag when they turn twelve, so I don't see that increasing the mentor progam age limit past what it currently is (12?)increases opportunity for youths.

Maybe I am missing something?

Excavator

AIROHUNTER · Nov 1, 2012

In eastern oregon you have to draw a tag to play, that could mean hunting every other year or worse. i play the game, one year i use my points and let them fill my tag and the next year they will draw in their own name but that ends when they turn 14, i think we should extend it to 17. more opportimity period.
My favorite hunts are because they were with friends and family not just because "I got one".

hangingmeat · Nov 2, 2012

I wouldn't be against it at all, but definitely think ODFW has bigger fish to fry. Like said before, they can get their own tag at 12 years old. put them in for an easier unit to draw if you want them to hunt every year. there are plenty of units they can draw, and kill a deer every year, in plenty of units out there.

But GOOD FOR YOU on taking your kid hunting! that alone is pretty awesome! great job

AIROHUNTER · Nov 2, 2012

Suppose your 15 or 16 year old child decides one year they would like to "try" hunting this year, wouldn't it be nice to have the option of taking them without worrying about getting into hunter safety. I know in my small community there is a big waiting list to get into the class. There are on line programs and field days but those are also rare. The answer shouldn't be why but why not. It's one for one, we aren't adding tags just opportunities.

My favorite hunts are because they were with friends and family not just because "I got one".

Hammnit · Nov 2, 2012

I guess I'm still missing the point. I'd go along with raising the top end age to 17, but I don't see why we'd want to exclude the 9-13 year olds?

My daughter is 9 and we put her in for her first Mentored Youth PP. I feel that she's still a little too immature to hunt big game, so we just spend more time at the shooting range and we'll try her out at bird hunting. My plan is to reassess this annually. By the time she's 11-12, she'll likely be ready and she can fill my 600 series tag for me.

If this goes well, by the time she's 13-14 she'll be mature enough and safe enough to carry her own rifle and hunt on her own big game tag.

I know that it's popular to bash ODFW, but in my opinion, Oregon does it right with the quality and quantity of their youth big game hunting opportunities and the Mentored Hunter Program. Outside of Arizona, no one else comes close.

Hammnit

robinsg61le · Nov 2, 2012

Airo,

I agree with you and have had the same thought exactly... As the the father of 5, it's hard to know on any given year what your kids' wants, abilities, and time will allow in the coming hunting season. Allowing mentoring until age 17 would provide greater flexibility for us parents.

In the mean time, my advice is... If your 16-year-old daughter decides she wants to try hunting, I would find a way to make it happen for her... If you know what I mean... Just as long as everyone is safe.

I hope I don't start a firestorm with that comment, but... my opinion indeed.

dz · Nov 2, 2012

Fire storm here it comes. You have to teach your children to live within the laws of the land. Not just the one you want to follow. I think that the 14- 17 was meant to extend not take away from the 9-13 age. Most states extend the youth age till 18.

I think it would be a good idea. From my experience of having 4 children past 14 and one there now, is there lives get really busy. I have had some great hunts with my older kids when they was between 14-17 but there were far more with them from 9-13.

DZ

tmbr_hntr · Nov 3, 2012

Love the idea.

AIROHUNTER · Nov 3, 2012

Just to clarify the age would be 9-17. I don't want to exclude any youth, that's the point....

My favorite hunts are because they were with friends and family not just because "I got one".

Hammnit · Nov 3, 2012

9-17....I'm all for it!

Great idea!
Hammnit

muleyman · Nov 12, 2012

great idea BUT getting the state to change anything means work...and a lot of it. If you got some $$$ to invest in one of their many programs, I'm sure you could get someone to listen, otherwise like many other issues, there all "tabled" for future discussion.

just my 2 cents

muleyman

AIROHUNTER · Nov 13, 2012

That is why i'm asking all of you who support the idea to talk with your local OHA chapters. We speak with our wallets every year when we purchase tags. If we can get OHA to carry and support it - it will go. Giving testimony on behalf of myself isn't enough you're right. Let's quit being so passive and doom and gloom and make things happen. Get off your ass (no one in particular) and spend a little time getting things done. Hunting isn't one week out of the year for me, you have to give a little back, invest in your future.

My favorite hunts are because they were with friends and family not just because "I got one".