TIME, and change from youth to adult?

Butts · Feb 8, 2022

I’m 40.Change that hits the heart is Utah giving the Friday before opening weekend off to students in years past. I know people on here can agree., but what has been other western states view on students time off for hunting?
It seems when I was younger, youth had to be older to participate in big game hunting?
We earned the tag..?!?! We worked for it.
My son needs a serious reality check.. split parents. It’s hard. ,

What I have posted is more geared around Utah. What have all the other Western states seen in the gen -x parents and change’s ?? In hunting expectations for our kids?

I’m guilty of “ just put em in”… F that.. I’m done..
you want to pull the trigger YOU are contributing something to get there!

Warbo · Feb 9, 2022

Down here in central Utah we get the Monday and Tuesday off school on the first week of the rifle deer hunt. Me and the friends I hunt with have all grown up doing our own scouting for ourselves. Before we were 16 we took 4-wheelers and now we all take our trucks that we all bought and paid for ourselves. Im kinda glad it’s that way. It’s definitely taught us lots of things. Not very kids are like that but there’s a few.

dgwoody · Feb 9, 2022

If I was you Butts, I'd just put him in for bonus points if he's not taking it serious right now. Its not clear if your issue is the lack of interest, lack of motivation to hunt or something else completely, but if its either of the first two, then just put 'em in for the points for now so when those things change, they have decent odds at being able to go. Being on split time, the outings are even more important for teaching, mentoring and having experiences together, so be careful about doing things that will reduce those opportunities.

elks96 · Feb 10, 2022

SO as far as school goes. I think it is more community based than anything. Some communities the opener is a big deal, I have worked in Education for 20 years. Never once have I found anyplace that would not allow for students to go hunting.

The school I currently work for in WY, is a smaller alternative school. We have 30 students and 5 staff. Every fall we get the last week of September off and the 1st week of October. It is really cool, of the 30 students, 10 are serious hunters and would be missing at least a week of school no matter what, another 5-6 would miss a couple days on a long weekend. Then we figure out that there are another 2-3 who do not hunt but will go for a week to camp etc. with family. So in our case about 60% of our kids would miss school for hunting related activities.

As far as your kid, and my own kids, I tell them that I am willing to make what ever they want happen. My daughter last year, literally went one morning and darn near got a great bull. She chose not to practice with her bow, so not archery for her. She chose FFA, Drama, and friends. But it is her choice as she knows that every weekend we could have went. My son age 11, he spent 30+ days in the field last year. He packed out his moms elk, a pronghorn, and 2 white tails. He hunted spring turkey, and MT deer. We are starting this year with spring bear.

He has bought his own hunting rig and for Christmas all he wanted was items for his rig(jack, cb radio, stereo, trim pieces, etc.). He shoots 4h Archery, Air Rifle, Air Pistol, 22 Rifle and 22 pistol. My daughter loved hunting the first 2 years, however she grew up? Either way all we can do is provide the opportunity. She knows any day of the week I would drop everything to take her out, hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, it is just not her things right now. A new boyfriend is in the works and he likes to hunt and now she suddenly is having a little more interest.

WapitiBob · Feb 10, 2022

hossblur · Feb 10, 2022

My dad bought me a 10/22 when I was 8, a 870 when I was 12, and an a bolt at 16. Any other gun wanted I bought.

I liked that, so I've continued it.

The loss of opening Friday was a result of us cutting 130,000 tags. We lost a ton of hunters, we aren't a majority anymore.

As to buying their own tags? No. That seems silly to me.

The hardest part is where we live.

I grew up here, and rode my bike with my 12 gauge strapped to my back to hunt doves, pheasants, ducks. Since then, 30k people moved in. It's not as easy for kids here to do it.

My 2 boys are my hunting partners. I also look at it as creating more time for me to try to influence them.

I know they will do stupid crap, but those DAMN PILLS scare the hell at of me, so when they are with me, I try to pound that in their head, mainly by talking pretty openly about the guys I've lost to them, and how easy it is to get hooked.
The $100 or so I spend on tags/licenses, is worth it to me.

roadrunner · Feb 10, 2022

Definitely a regional thing. The school district where we live couldn't care less whether or not students get a day off for hunting, but it damn sure will give students a day off to celebrate so-called navajo "sovereignty"...

deadibob · Feb 10, 2022

roadrunner said:
Definitely a regional thing. The school district where we live couldn't care less whether or not students get a day off for hunting, but it damn sure will give students a day off to celebrate so-called navajo "sovereignty"...

If indians want their reservations to be sovereign nations then passports and travel visas should be required to leave the rez.

roadrunner · Feb 10, 2022

deadibob said:
If indians want their reservations to be sovereign nations then passports and travel visas should be required to leave the rez.

Or, they shouldn't ask for state funding since they are held in trust by the feds...

Butts · Feb 10, 2022

You want your kids to appreciate the outdoors “like you do”, but end of the day .. you can influence and put the idea in front of them.
Hopefully something changes in the future.