Poll: Your thoughts on youth hunting/fishing opportunities

[ckr]

As many have said before, I think the license fees are just fine.  I do think that there should be a few more options for youth hunts.  I don't think kids should get everything, but 3-4 more options, a couple on each side of the state would be nice. 
 

[Curly]

At a time when wdfw is trying to eliminate varmint hunting contests, wouldn't it be great if they reversed their current position and actually started promoting coyote hunting contests......especially for youths?  There could be coyote hunting teams made up of kids from high schools all over the state and there could be prizes and trophies for teams that win the tournament.   Kids like to belong to groups/teams and what a great way for them to learn teamwork and work on eliminating some yotes.

Sent from my SM-T900 using Tapatalk

[HillSlick]

You can't fix adults but, it would be cool to see more organizations putting together youth hunts in as many seasons as possible,

Much like what Special T said In post #14

[idaho guy]

At a time when wdfw is trying to eliminate varmint hunting contests, wouldn't it be great if they reversed their current position and actually started promoting coyote hunting contests......especially for youths?  There could be coyote hunting teams made up of kids from high schools all over the state and there could be prizes and trophies for teams that win the tournament.   Kids like to belong to groups/teams and what a great way for them to learn teamwork and work on eliminating some yotes.

Sent from my SM-T900 using Tapatalk

The coyote contest would be awesome. Also in researching the youth elk tags sounded like they were kind of a crap shoot especially the ranch hunts. Maybe not more elk permits but better qaulity?

[turbo]

I feel that costs are not the deciding factor causing parents to get their kids out in the field.

If it were me, I would do the following:
* transfer a third of all doe and cow tags to youth hunts statewide, not just a few GMUs.
*increase catch limits for adults and youth,  when a youth is involved in any fishing.
*increase possession limits for adults and youth, when a youth is involved in all bird hunts.
*create a youth doe day and cow day statewide for all GMUs. Adjust permit hunts accordingly.
*provide extra special hunt points for adults who purchase hunting and fishing licenses for youth.
*double youth special hunt points, just for being a youth.

My point is; hunter groups should cheer for joy when a partner brings along a youth hunter or fisherman.

Youth points are short lived in everyones family. Might as well pump up the volume on benefits for todays youth, get them excited about hunting and fishing. Give them stories to tell when they get older...

Flame away.

This^^^^^^^^^exactly!!

[Colville]

Sometimes people throw solutions at problems regardless of whether they're indicated or not.

I do not believe poor youth recruitment has anything to do with the availability of special youth seasons, extra doe or cow permits, special point restrictions or youth hunter success rates.  Those tags go to kids who already have enough parental support to get through hunters ed.  If they have that, they likely already have the full desire to hunt and a support system to get them out there hunting. Special tags didn't get them through the class and a lack of special tags aren't going to be the reason they drop out of hunting thereafter.

Young folks don't hunt because of the lack of an adult mentor period.  These other factors exacerbate the problem but without fixing the problem of an adult who will guide them through hunters ed, introduce them to shooting, lend them equipment, lend them time, lend them knowledge of a location, of methods, of personal responsibility and safety, of game handling, of......    At the end of a 30 point set of real problems comes tags, seasons and cost.   Know who is banging that drum? People with kids who do in fact hunt and want good tags for their kids. (I have 3 of them by the way and I"m not asking for any special opportunities for them)

Without a program to get mothers or fathers who aren't hunters, to be willing to take on the task of becoming one and becoming their child's mentor, we go nowhere.  If the WDFW want's to address it by sponsoring a program to initiate the ADULTS who could or would hunt but see that huge prior list as too daunting then it can dent the youth introduction problem.  Kids can't drive themselves hunting. Many parents will never turn their son/daughter over to a non family member away from home, with firearms.   If you can create something that'll let a know-nothing of the outdoors dad sign up for classes, not just on 'hunters ed' but on hunting, you can get his kids in the game.  After that you can try some things to make it easier on those new people.

How about signing up actual hunters to participate in mentoring other parent/child combo's?

The idea that the reason new young people don't try something they know absolutely nothing about is because there aren't enough cow and doe permits is ridiculous.  Kids need adults in their family who will take the time to learn and those adults need other adults who will willingly give them their valuable time and hard earned knowledge.  Hunters ed is a hurdle to youth, but they don't even get interest in the class without the adult whose committed to the process. You can add 100% more hunters ed courses and it will barely bump the overall recruitment rate.

How many hunters on this site are willing to give up 4 days of their October deer season and go recruit a friend of your son or daughter to come with their parent on a hunt trip that you'll essentially guide?  You have to open their eyes to it first. Special tags are invisible to these people because.... TA DA... they don't hunt.

[WSU]

I voted but will comment also.  I like the idea of increasing opportunity for youth.  Early bird seasons, more special permits, cheaper prices, and doe/cow days all make sense to me.  The more kids we get involved, the better our sport will be.

[Dhoey07]

I don't think that more cow/doe permits for youth are going to help much of anything.  Are kids going to decide, well I guess I'll try hunting because it will be easier? Easier isn't always better

One thing that I would like to see is a youth only fishing weekend.  The weekend before opening of lakes, rivers, streams, salmon, etc, be open for youth only. 

Another thing that i'd like to see and have e-mailed the state about, is better hunting benifits for seniors.  Lower the age, and price for seniors and actually show some respect to those who have bought licences and tags for 30, 40, 50 years. 

[bearpaw]

Sometimes people throw solutions at problems regardless of whether they're indicated or not.

I do not believe poor youth recruitment has anything to do with the availability of special youth seasons, extra doe or cow permits, special point restrictions or youth hunter success rates.  Those tags go to kids who already have enough parental support to get through hunters ed.  If they have that, they likely already have the full desire to hunt and a support system to get them out there hunting. Special tags didn't get them through the class and a lack of special tags aren't going to be the reason they drop out of hunting thereafter.

Young folks don't hunt because of the lack of an adult mentor period.  These other factors exacerbate the problem but without fixing the problem of an adult who will guide them through hunters ed, introduce them to shooting, lend them equipment, lend them time, lend them knowledge of a location, of methods, of personal responsibility and safety, of game handling, of......    At the end of a 30 point set of real problems comes tags, seasons and cost.   Know who is banging that drum? People with kids who do in fact hunt and want good tags for their kids. (I have 3 of them by the way and I"m not asking for any special opportunities for them)

Without a program to get mothers or fathers who aren't hunters, to be willing to take on the task of becoming one and becoming their child's mentor, we go nowhere.  If the WDFW want's to address it by sponsoring a program to initiate the ADULTS who could or would hunt but see that huge prior list as too daunting then it can dent the youth introduction problem.  Kids can't drive themselves hunting. Many parents will never turn their son/daughter over to a non family member away from home, with firearms.   If you can create something that'll let a know-nothing of the outdoors dad sign up for classes, not just on 'hunters ed' but on hunting, you can get his kids in the game.  After that you can try some things to make it easier on those new people.

How about signing up actual hunters to participate in mentoring other parent/child combo's?

The idea that the reason new young people don't try something they know absolutely nothing about is because there aren't enough cow and doe permits is ridiculous.  Kids need adults in their family who will take the time to learn and those adults need other adults who will willingly give them their valuable time and hard earned knowledge.  Hunters ed is a hurdle to youth, but they don't even get interest in the class without the adult whose committed to the process. You can add 100% more hunters ed courses and it will barely bump the overall recruitment rate.

How many hunters on this site are willing to give up 4 days of their October deer season and go recruit a friend of your son or daughter to come with their parent on a hunt trip that you'll essentially guide?  You have to open their eyes to it first. Special tags are invisible to these people because.... TA DA... they don't hunt.

I've had many parents bring their kids on guided hunts because they did not know anything about hunting and their child wanted to try hunting. In recent years I've had an increasing number of women hunters also who wanted to hunt. I often hear how much trouble people have getting into hunter-ed so they can go hunting.

For the last year or so about the only thing we've done with "Washington For Wildlife" is to support the Colville Fish Hatchery program which is turning into a great program that has received state, national, and international recognition. Perhaps this "Youth Mentor" idea and maybe even "Hunter-Ed" are other worthwhile ideas that we could promote via WFW and through this forum.

THOUGHTS?

[snowpack]

I would think for youth, to expand opportunity would be an option for a different season.  One that runs around the holidays (some areas include those dates for youth/second deer).  But a large number of kids these days are occupied by school extra-curricular activities (sports being a big one since it occupies weekends too).  High school football goes as late as the last week in November---pretty much covers most of the fall hunts.  After that lots of the kids are trying to get ready for testing before the holiday break.  Then they get the holidays off around Christmas and New Year's to go do stuff, but what's still open?  Grouse and a few other birds, maybe a few late archery deer units here and there and some special permits, cougar but without hounds  .  That holiday period used to be a big time steelhead event---family came in from around the state, people off work/kids out of school, fish coming in the river.  Now since steelhead are being phased out, maybe have some youth deer seasons around that time frame.  The kid can go hunting with the dad and uncles.

[bobcat]

Snowpack- that's the best idea I've heard yet. An additional deer season for kids only during the same time they're out of school for winter break makes great sense! It couldn't be every unit, and some may need to be doe only, and some buck only. And possibly some units by permit only. We wouldn't want the migratory mule deer herds being hunted at that time of year, but blacktails and whitetails could take the additional pressure, and for mule deer I could see it being primarily private lands for a late hunt like that.

My kids aren't quite old enough to hunt yet but I can already see I will have a very hard time getting them out hunting much, especially if I don't buy a Weyerhaeuser access permit. I would then take them hunting in eastern Washington on public lands, and with them being in school, and only a nine day season, the most I could get them out would be 4 days per year.

[Colville]

Bearpaw,

I agree. To the degree HE is a bottleneck add $5 to my tags to get more instructors and dates.

After that I try to invite new people and have many many times in my life.  I'm not in a position to to it as an organization but I think having a group get together to offer to mentor parent/kid combos on how to get started, everything from shooting to where to hunt. I think that would be more productive at getting new lasting family traditions started than adding tags and seasons and I think there are existing hunting orgs that might be willing to assist if the WDFW sees this as too far outside of their purpose.

[Bob33]

Bearpaw,

I agree. To the degree HE is a bottleneck add $5 to my tags to get more instructors and dates.

After that I try to invite new people and have many many times in my life.  I'm not in a position to to it as an organization but I think having a group get together to offer to mentor parent/kid combos on how to get started, everything from shooting to where to hunt. I think that would be more productive at getting new lasting family traditions started than adding tags and seasons and I think there are existing hunting orgs that might be willing to assist if the WDFW sees this as too far outside of their purpose.

Money does nothing to increase instructors. They are all unpaid volunteers.

[bearpaw]

Bearpaw,

I agree. To the degree HE is a bottleneck add $5 to my tags to get more instructors and dates.

After that I try to invite new people and have many many times in my life.  I'm not in a position to to it as an organization but I think having a group get together to offer to mentor parent/kid combos on how to get started, everything from shooting to where to hunt. I think that would be more productive at getting new lasting family traditions started than adding tags and seasons and I think there are existing hunting orgs that might be willing to assist if the WDFW sees this as too far outside of their purpose.

Money does nothing to increase instructors. They are all unpaid volunteers.

If we want to lobby effectively for increasing availability of hunter ed then we should suggest methods to increase the number of instructors.  ANY IDEAS?

[bigtex]

As many hunter ed instructors have stated, a large amount of their graduates never even go hunting, and I am sure there's a good percentage of those that do hunt only do it for a few years. I don't see where drastically increasing the number of classes will drastically increase youth participation.

Simple question and answer:

How do we get youth more involved in hunting and fishing??? Go back in time and prevent the invention of cell phones, video games, computers, and cable TV!