|
|
Post by turkeyscout on Dec 16, 2008 12:59:14 GMT -5
.....especially when we as mentors to hunting introduce deer hunting to our young folks before we introduce them to small game hunting first. the d.n.r. are reporting a drastic decline in youths in hunting world, well no wonder,our youths want to go after big game first and if not successful they drop out, there is a lot more things to do outdoors than just deer hunt. i believe if we as mentors should concentrate on just being in the outdoors first ,then start introducing young folks to dove hunting, rabbit hunting or maybe squirrel hunting..anothe problem i'm seeing in youths in wanting to be deer hunters first is they are trying to learn how to hunt from the video world (BIG MISTAKE) hunting in most videos are about as far away from teaching a youngster to hunt as one can get, but our youngsters are eating it up!!!!........any comments please!!!...........  ...........turkey scout |
|
|
|
Post by indybassin on Dec 16, 2008 13:07:08 GMT -5
I guess Bill Dance is bad for fishing then....
Anything that gets people interested in the sport should be commended.
I haven't hunted for 20 years until this year and hunting shows got me interested again and led me to this site and others.
Took my very first whitetail this year.
Not everyone has mentors or land to hunt... sometimes we just watch videos, read books, surf the net and get it done.
|
|
|
|
Post by Old Ironsights on Dec 16, 2008 13:15:41 GMT -5
I rather agree with both sentements... especially when you consider that, by in large, Deer Hunting in Indiana means sitting in a tree for hours on end. Kids require a bit more interaction & small successes to build on.
On the filp side, if you are an adult without hunting mentors/family or huntable land within a reasonable drive then making "the jump" straight to Big Game makes a modicum of sense.
|
|
|
|
Post by whitetaildave24 on Dec 16, 2008 13:17:46 GMT -5
I do see what your saying turkeyscout. Starting with small game allows the young hunters to see action way more often than when deer hunting. That is what it is all about when introducing someone to hunting and the outdoors. They just want to be able to see and maybe get a shot at game and that usually goes a lot better when hunting small game. The videos and other shows on TV are alright to watch, but they should realize that hunting is not like that the majority of the time. I mean they put a 5 day hunt into thirty minutes in order to entertain the hunting crowd. The best way for young hunters to learn is to just get out in the woods and fields and learn from a hands on point of view.
|
|
|
|
Post by danf on Dec 16, 2008 13:34:30 GMT -5
There's a lot to be said about learning to listen for a squirrel cutting on a nut, or catching the quick movements of a squirrel or rabbit.... Learn to watch for those, and it makes it a lot easier to pick up on deer moving through the woods.  |
|
|
|
Post by dbd870 on Dec 16, 2008 14:11:30 GMT -5
I think there is probably something to what you say about the TV shows and I'd also go along with the younger ones new to the game needing the activity of small game hunting. At some point though regardless of a persons age I believe individual temperament comes into play and some just aren't wired for the kind of hunting the whitetail game requires. ( Doc knows where this is coming from! ) |
|
|
|
Post by indianahick on Dec 16, 2008 14:29:31 GMT -5
I have always thought that kids should be introduced to small game first, as it is usually faster paced than deer hunting. TV video deer hunting is not a true representation of deer hunting. What 80-90% are pen shot shows. Which is not to say that you can not learn quite a bit about deer hunting and safety, especially treestand from some of them.
Personally I don't consider Bill Dance's show a teaching show, mostly entertainment. I wish that there were more teaching outdoors shows on. There was a couple on but they did not last much more than one year.
|
|
|
|
Post by tickman1961 on Dec 16, 2008 14:32:11 GMT -5
The woods are alive during all seasons and taking others (young and old) squirrel hunting is a good introduction to some awesome spot and stalk lessons.
|
|
|
|
Post by hoosier on Dec 16, 2008 14:32:43 GMT -5
I'm with you on this one turkeyscout! Deer hunting has a LOT of periods with NO action and I have seen kids have enough of it in as little as an hour! Whereas a kid seeing/hearing a few beagles burn up a rabbit track is very interested! My opinion, no hunting is better to introduce a youngster to our pasttime as squirrel hunting. Squirrels are plentiful usually and easy to predict, and, getting a little guy in the middle of them with a .22 really gets them going! Today's kids have tons more distractions and ways of getting into trouble unfortunately. If you don't have an opportunity to take a kid hunting, MAKE ONE! Get them outfrom behind their mesmerizing video contraptions and introduce them to the circle of life. To many kids, it would be their first tast of something REAL! Good post 'scout!
|
|
|
|
Post by hoosier on Dec 16, 2008 14:34:40 GMT -5
Dern it! Looks like Hick and Tick beat me to the punch! Great minds think alike! HA! ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by TagTeamHunter on Dec 16, 2008 14:45:52 GMT -5
If you are just after killing a deer than it's a boring game. If on the other hand a sunrise in the woods makes your heart beat a bit faster than you understand. As to avail hunting lands, well I see far fewer people after deer season. I've hunted public lands on the weekend after deer season and not run into a soul.
OK a question: How many here are willing to take on a prefect stranger and mentor him or her in hunting?
|
|
|
|
Post by raporter on Dec 16, 2008 14:46:05 GMT -5
Good point TS. I am probably the most anti video person around. Very little reality in them. I did happen across one last night with a young blonde girl in it. They showed her taking a quartering toward shot on a nice buck. I couldn't believe they would show that and then they tell about not finding the deer for two days in which time the coyotes had their fill of it. She still had it mounted as though she had accomplished something. To me creating coyote food is not an accomplishment and they sent a terrible message. Well that was my hunting video for the month and I saw nothing intertaining or informative about it.
|
|
|
|
Post by 10point on Dec 16, 2008 15:15:45 GMT -5
Dove hunting is what got my Son hooked.
|
|
|
|
Post by Old Ironsights on Dec 16, 2008 15:16:43 GMT -5
...OK a question: How many here are willing to take on a prefect stranger and mentor him or her in hunting? Seems to me that one of the very first things I posted on this site was an article to this effect... I'm STILL trying to figure out hunting "Indiana Style" - i.e. hauling a bunch of stuff into the woods and climbing up in a tree. The way I learned hunting - all forms - was essentially the "Heavily Armed Hike"... which suited me well when I went into the Army as well. Lots of Heavily Armed Hikes there. Thats hard to do on public land here... unless you don't mind walking into other people's shooting lanes... |
|
|
|
Post by featherduster on Dec 16, 2008 15:46:27 GMT -5
There is alot to be said for videos as a training tool,5 years ago I learned how to hunt turkey by watching tv videos. But for a young person nothing takes the place of field experience.
And remember not everybody has to hunt every critter in the woods, If its just deer you want to hunt then so be it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Decatur on Dec 16, 2008 16:34:09 GMT -5
I think starting with small game is the best way to go. I personally started out frog hunting, and would ride my bike to every crick within range to pursue them. After my love for frog hunting started to wane I moved up to squirrels and so on.
|
|
|
|
Post by woodmaster on Dec 16, 2008 18:30:44 GMT -5
I guess Bill Dance is bad for fishing then.... Anything that gets people interested in the sport should be commended. Not everyone has mentors or land to hunt... sometimes we just watch videos, read books, surf the net and get it done. WHATEVER it takes to get the kids hunting. It should be what they want to do. I enjoy watching hunting videos but thats not what ruining our youth. It's the video GAMES, the internet, & cell phones. The number one cause is parents that don't take them hunting...ANY kind of hunting. To this day I have yet to go rabbit or dove hunting. You can count on 2 hands how many times I've squirrel, duck, & quail hunted. I don't think you will find a guy who loves to hunt more than me. Small game just isn't my cup of tea. |
|
|
|
Post by jackc99 on Dec 16, 2008 18:44:00 GMT -5
Woody and I probably have the same perspective on this issue. When we were growing up small game was the only game in town. During the late 50's and early 60's seeing a deer of any kind anywhere was a novelty. We all grew up hunting squirrels, rabbits, quail and the occaisional pheasant. Later in the 60's and early 70's we began to see grouse in huntable numbers. Now it seems there are so many deer that they are almost an epidemic in some places.
Truly it is whatever gets your heart going that defines hunting for most of us. I've killed a fair number of deer over the years but nothing gets me as excited as having a good bird dog work the birds on a cool November day. I would add that deer hunting is NOT over-rated but trust me it is a lot easier to get a wild deer into the freezer in Indiana than it is to get a home grown grouse in the same freezer compartment.
And trust me the kids will appreciate ANY kind of hunting...
Jack
|
|
|
|
Post by deerpreacher on Dec 16, 2008 19:19:08 GMT -5
Kids are different some just think its cool to do what dad does. I think most young folks would do better to hunt where the action is enough to keep their interest. Most of the time that means small game. As far as videos, this is the information age. The kids eat it up. We have to learn communicate the idea to them that real hunting is not like it seems to be on the screen.
|
|
|
|
Post by whiteoak on Dec 16, 2008 19:52:21 GMT -5
If you are just after killing a deer than it's a boring game. If on the other hand a sunrise in the woods makes your heart beat a bit faster than you understand. As to avail hunting lands, well I see far fewer people after deer season. I've hunted public lands on the weekend after deer season and not run into a soul. OK a question: How many here are willing to take on a prefect stranger and mentor him or her in hunting? Hey Tag, what are you hunting on the weekend after deer season?? I bet it is lonely out there hunting after season. ;D I'm sure that was a typo, but I couldn't resist. |
|
