CA Hosing Junior Hunters

[Hammnit]

I had just heard a rumor of this. Unfortunately, it's true. My daughter is 17 and was looking forward to being in the "max points" pool for juniors this year (5 pts). Sounds like the ball got dropped and the provision that raised the junior age to 17 sunset. This is quite the bummer. Wonder how many others will be screwed by this also.

This is not how to recruit young hunters.

 

[Homer]

it should have never been raised from 16

 

[Hammnit]

No matter how you feel about the age (NV, OR, CO, ID, WY all use 17), it still sucks that some kids are getting screwed.

 

[lif]

That does suck.

 

[HuntnProf]

Where did you find the 2020 regs? On the Fish and wildlife site all I see is 2019....

This is a bummer, we purposely choose a different hunt to apply for last year due to her anticipating applying with 5 Pts this year (she just turned 17).

Thanks

 

[nvpinstripe]

My son is in the same boat. Hoping this year he would actually draw a youth tag of any sort! Now, when he finally had max youth points for everything, he cannot put in.... Sad deal.

 

[marburg]

I would never expect California to do anything positive for hunting....ever.

 

[MG209]

Not surprising at all. CDFW and the Commission are anti-hunting anyways.

 

[bullskin]

My son is 17. Perfect.

 

[Wiszard]

My kid never drew a junior tag the 6 years he put in. I wonder how many Dads put their kids in, draw and then go fill the kids tag.

 

[oljc]

Yup,my boy got screwed also, instead of being a max junior he's now just another guy with not enough points to draw something really good and we will just burn his points on a average hunt.This is typical of California and how much of a joke the DFG is,just look at the point system it's ridiculous, someone starting out hunting now would have to live to be over 200 years old to draw a max point unit!!!!!!

 

[Elmacho]

Just maybe.......the junior license age changed, but the junior hunt age did not......I know its a longshot....

 

[Elmacho]

Found it. Apprentice tags- must be under 16 yo at July 1

 

[Wiszard]

oljc- Does your son come out of the junior draw and into the regular draw with his junior points?? If so, my son has 5 points.

 

[lif]

Too bad they couldn’t grandfather in the youth that are Currently in the points game and phase them out first.

 

[Cali4x4]

So besides loosing his senior year , graduation etc.. Only in California. Next thing you know they will be filling up all the skate parks with sand. Oh wait... They already did that.

 

[Big_R]

I’d be really bummed if my kid was in that situation, but at the same time I’d be stoked if my dad had started me with points at the age of 12, your kids still have a better chance at a decent buck than the kids who’s dads didn’t start them young. Good for you guys to get them started in the system!

 

[mulebuck]

Agree with Homer, it should have never been changed in the first place. That said, its ridiculous they are now going back on it. Wonder if there's any way to fight it?

As for the point system, there's not one method that makes everyone happy. They all have pros/cons. I prefer NV's randomness to any other system. As for CA, there shouldn't be too much to complain about. Where else out west can you attempt to draw a premium deer tag, while still hunting OTC zones every year, until you do?

 

[Cali4x4]

My kid had his one time chance of being a max point junior applicant taken away.

 

[NECALI]

What’s this going to do to point creep in the Adult draw?

 

[oljc]

Yes they will have 5 points

 

[oljc]

Yes the max youth is 5 points they will just take those to adult draw.

 

[Horniac]

The problem with being a junior with max (for junior hunters) points is you only have the one year to try and draw out your preference point tag. The next year you are thrown into the adult preference point pool if you don’t draw out and are obviously no longer a max point holder in that pool plus are no longer eligible for the apprentice hunts. It‘s not like being an adult max point holder where you continue to sit on the top of the point pool until you draw out.

The other issue with max junior points; of the five apprentice deer hunts or so that took max points to draw last year, I‘m guessing the odds to draw with max points were most likely 1:10 at best. There are not enough premium apprentice hunt tags to guarantee your max point junior hunter will draw the tag. Even worse odds than deer for max junior elk and pronghorn hunts but obviously way better odds than the junior random draws.

However, had you known that the law on the junior age was to sunset this year you could have at least put them in for a guaranteed apprentice deer hunt last year and gotten them out hunting on that tag.

Sorry to hear you guys got blindsided by the change that is a bummer for sure...

Horniac