I've been away for awhile, but came back into a good read. Like it or not I think the youth hunt is here to stay. Guess some will need to learn to adapt or just keep bitching about it.
Very well written. This thread totally went the wrong way, pretty much as usual on here. Things I have learned here: 1) nobody can show how the youth hunt has put us in the red as far as hunter retainment. It may not be a huge percentage of a positive increase, but some is better than others. 2) those with grand kids, kids, or some one that mentored them get the concept. Those of you that just decided to hunt one day, kudos to you for that, too bad you missed out on a lot of the other "things" that come with it. No one can show me factual based information how the youth hunt is detrimental to the regular season. 3) everyone is entitled to their opinion, and your allowed to change your mind for the right reasons. Not just to have your ego stroked. And when you have given your opinion, maybe think before you speak? it doesn't do anybody any good to personally attack someone because you don't agree. Say your piece and move on. 4) I think the youth hunt is here to stay, and I'm happy for that. I know a few kids, and we are definitely going to take advantage of it. Listen to these veterans on here, the speak of the true exoerience.
Think he just meant that when you start to get old and start to sound like a curmudgeon them yutes you carried to the blind will gang up on you like you are on him!!!
1) nobody can show how the youth hunt has put us in the red as far as hunter retainment. It may not be a huge percentage of a positive increase, but some is better than others. ? Can anyone show how the youth hunts have increased participation rates? The national trends seem to show otherwise. "In the United States, each person age 16 and older must purchase a $15 federal Duck Stamp before hunting waterfowl. Ninety-eight percent of the funding derived from Duck Stamp sales goes directly to the purchase or lease of waterfowl habitat within the National Wildlife Refuge system, including Wetland Management Districts and Waterfowl Production Areas (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2012b). Yet by analyzing Duck Stamp sales over time, we?ve learned that sales have dropped 36 percent, from an average of 2,186,556 stamps sold during the 1970s to 1,391,569 sold over the five-year period from 2004-2008 (Vrtiska et al. 2013)." http://news.wildlife.org/twp/2013-summer/as-waterfowl-hunters-decline/ Nor do we know how many license buying adults quit the sport over this issue. 2) those with grand kids, kids, or some one that mentored them get the concept. Those of you that just decided to hunt one day, kudos to you for that, too bad you missed out on a lot of the other "things" that come with it. No one can show me factual based information how the youth hunt is detrimental to the regular season. I have kids, and have conducted youth hunts for a number of years, during the regular season, on private land. The kids love it. Not a big fan of the youth hunt - but I'm also not going to lose any (more) sleep over it. I must say though - the "greed", "curmudgeon", etc. etc. card has been pulled a time or two. If a guy truly believes that the youth day hunt drives birds out of their hunting area prior to the opener - he's greedy? Hmmm.........
Do you really think that a max of less than 4000 kids in Wisconsin will show a dramatic increase in license sales? Do you really think those same 4000 will cause an issue with bird numbers on the opener with early goose and now teal hunters in far greater numbers? Do you think those 4000 kids and the ducks they shoot are actually causing people to quit? As said before, for most it's all about pulling the trigger which is plain to see due to only 4000 kids that get taken out. Yep, it's greed. If not greed what is it since it's 2 extra days of doing everything but pulling the trigger. I'll wait for your response since on the MN forum you are the biggest YH critic with lots of time wasted that will not (thank God) change a thing.
? Can anyone show how the youth hunts have increased participation rates? The national trends seem to show otherwise. "In the United States, each person age 16 and older must purchase a $15 federal Duck Stamp before hunting waterfowl. Ninety-eight percent of the funding derived from Duck Stamp sales goes directly to the purchase or lease of waterfowl habitat within the National Wildlife Refuge system, including Wetland Management Districts and Waterfowl Production Areas (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2012b). Yet by analyzing Duck Stamp sales over time, we?ve learned that sales have dropped 36 percent, from an average of 2,186,556 stamps sold during the 1970s to 1,391,569 sold over the five-year period from 2004-2008 (Vrtiska et al. 2013)." http://news.wildlife.org/twp/2013-su...nters-decline/ Nor do we know how many license buying adults quit the sport over this issue. This still does not answer the question. I have kids, and have conducted youth hunts for a number of years, during the regular season, on private land. The kids love it. Not a big fan of the youth hunt - but I'm also not going to lose any (more) sleep over it. I must say though - the "greed", "curmudgeon", etc. etc. card has been pulled a time or two. If a guy truly believes that the youth day hunt drives birds out of their hunting area prior to the opener - he's greedy? Hmmm....... Does private land vs. public make a difference? And since I was told to look up facts on the subject, there must be something to show a huge push in the migration of waterfowl during these two days. I mean there must be something out there, because its facts, right??
This guy must work for PETA, been a while since I've seen someone so against any form of extra opportunity. Teal and youth hunts push my birds, blah, blah, blah. How do you guys in MN kill a duck after the first weekend?
