Poll: Your thoughts on youth hunting/fishing opportunities

[Bob33]

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!

While certainly not the whole answer, more instructors will result in more classes which will result in more hunters.

[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!

While certainly not the whole answer, more instructors will result in more classes which will result in more hunters.

Obviously.

But still, it's not as if a simple increase in classes/instructors will cause a significant increase in hunters to the point where we will be saying "holy cow there's a lot of youngster's out here."

Young people are less likely to be involved in the outdoor these days, doesn't matter if it's hunting or fishing or simply just going hiking, camping, or spending a day at the park. You can provide as much opportunities as you want, but you can't change people's mindset of staying inside vs going outdoors.

[bearpaw]

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!

Like it or not, I hear all the time from parents who can't get their kids and even some adults who can't get into a class. The math is pretty simple for me, increase the number of classes by 20% each year until we start having unfilled classes and we'll increase the number of new hunter-ed grads by 20% each year. If half of them purchase a hunting license then we increase the number of new hunters by 10% each year that we increase the new grads by 20%. 

Of course no one issue will automatically fix everything. We need to look at a multi faceted approach to increase new hunter numbers through a variety of methods. I like the idea of making hunting opportunities more available to our youth through a variety of new approaches. I would like to see this conversation continue until we come up with 5 to 10 methods most can agree with to increase the recruitment of new and youth hunters. 

[bearpaw]

To get anywhere we must have positive attitudes about making changes, negative attitudes will not get us anywhere.

[Bob33]

The causes of decline in hunter numbers are many. There is no simple solution. There are many steps that taken together can result in improvement.

Hunter Education is the first step for many, and provides an opportunity to educate new hunters on how to safely, legally and ethically behave. It's an opportunity to help set realistic expectations, and to give guidance that can increase success and overall satisfaction. It's important that we have enough dedicated, qualified, and enthusiastic instructors to meet demand and give new hunters a solid start.

Mentors are essential. Reasonable hunting opportunity are very important.

None of these can be ignored in addressing the issues.

[HillSlick]

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 is a good idea right here ^^^

[Rooster1981]

I definitely like the idea of a hunting mentor program.  Not only would it help get kids into the woods and off the couch, it would create awareness. Knowledge is power, and educating the next generation is vital to the survival of hunting.
   I also really like the idea of expanding youth opportunity, special permits and or private youth seasons.

[jyerxa]

Sorry it took me so long to respond to this. But I really can't say. I took my son out hunting for a week back when he was in Jr High. I don't remember what exact grade he was in they ran 7th, 8th, 9th I think. He was then and still maintained until graduation straight A's. Let me tell you, I got really tired of forking out $50 bucks every report card.  Actually I loved it of course. But after that one week in the woods he really loved it and was hooked. Flying high as a kite. I thought I had him hooked for life.  But the next season when I started making plans I asked him if he was ready to go again. I was just pumped. And he said "NO"!  My heart just sank. It was because his grades meant more to him and he really struggled to get back up to speed the last year. My heart was crushed. But I pulled my head out of my A%& and I relented to his request. That was the end of my good hunt's I was a single dad. All these years later I feel good about that still even though my back won't let me go any more. My kid's have always been NUMBER 1 in my life. So. I am ignorant as how thing's are today. I took it back around 1970 or 71 at a Moose Lodge.

But I think it should be as easy as it was for me when I was a kid. And that's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

[idaho guy]

Do they offer hunter ed in school. The elementary school where my kids go offer it as and extra class. Might be doing that already but that makes it really easy for the parents and kids to do it.

[Colville]

I'm not sure if they'd be willing to put together any kind of formal partnership with a mentor/hunting program but there's a very logical group of youth to try to work with.

Boys and Girls Scouting.  They likely enjoy the outdoors, their parents are willing to get them engaged in activities.  Both orgs already have firearm safety/shooting achievements to earn.  They seem like a natural pool of kids who might have an interest in hunting and parents who'll get behind their activities.

[bearpaw]

Do they offer hunter ed in school. The elementary school where my kids go offer it as and extra class. Might be doing that already but that makes it really easy for the parents and kids to do it.

I don't know of any schools in Washington that allow hunter-ed in school. I would like to know more about the availability of hunter-ed in Idaho schools?

[Dhoey07]

When my old man was in high school back in the 70's, he took a class that they were taught how to tie guides on a fishing pole, they got to shoot 22's and a local range and do other outdoor/wildlife activities.  He said it was from a grant or something.  How cool would that be to be able to take a class like that in middle school or high school?  Maybe if we teach kids in school about wildlife, about fish, about the differences between conservation and preservation, they might have a little more interest in getting out in the woods and on the water.  Let them know that hunting and fishing is a good thing.  Let them know that guns aren't bad, and that eating wild game and fish can be healthy.  Teach them in Home Ec about preparing fish and wild game, and help them connect their food from the field to the table.  Offer it as an elective and not a standard class 

[PolarBear]

I don't know if this has been addressed yet (haven't read all the posts) but what is frustrating my 14 year old daughter the most about hunting in this state is the increasing loss of land to hunt and the sheer numbers of hunters that are pushed into the few lands that are open.  If nothing is done there will be nowhere for our kids to hunt.  I would like to see Weyco open all their lands to more youth only hunts and waive the trespass fee for them.  My guess is that if a kid has access to good hunting land that and are successful they will be more likely to purchase permits for that area when they are adults.  It is getting harder and harder to get kids involved in hunting and lack of opportunities for them is going to eventually kill the sport.   

[WSU]

Also, allowing youths to use their parents tag (like Oregon) would be good. 

[kentrek]

I don't know if this has been addressed yet (haven't read all the posts) but what is frustrating my 14 year old daughter the most about hunting in this state is the increasing loss of land to hunt and the sheer numbers of hunters that are pushed into the few lands that are open.  If nothing is done there will be nowhere for our kids to hunt.  I would like to see Weyco open all their lands to more youth only hunts and waive the trespass fee for them.  My guess is that if a kid has access to good hunting land that and are successful they will be more likely to purchase permits for that area when they are adults.  It is getting harder and harder to get kids involved in hunting and lack of opportunities for them is going to eventually kill the sport.