The new 2011 Hunting and Trapping Digest by the Michigan DNR is now available and contains this season’s hunting rules and regulations. However, absent from the
pages is the reference to the new state law (passed after the rules were published), that allows hunters of 10 years of age and above to hunt deer, bear, or elk with firearms. The change is part of the Hunter Heritage Act, which creates a new mentored hunting program and eliminates the minimum age requirements for hunting in 2012.
This year, hunters less than 14 years of age may hunt on private land with either a firearm deer license or junior combination deer license – if they have successfully completed hunter education training – or an apprentice hunting license. In either case, the youngster must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or other adult designated by the parent or guardian. Hunters less than 14 years of age may hunt with firearms on private land only.
A youngster hunting deer must be in possession of either a firearms deer license or an antlerless deer license. A youth hunter ages 10 and up may use a combination deer license or any other deer license. If the youth has been hunter-safety certified, the accompanying adult must be at least 18 years of age. If the youngster is hunting with an apprentice license, the accompanying adult must be at least 21 years of age.
Notice of this change came just a couple of weeks ago and makes this weekend’s youth firearms deer season open to a new crop of youngsters. If you haven’t begun to work with your children at the practice range, it may be a bit late for this early season
hunt, but there is still time to get acquainted with a worthy firearm for the remainder of the firearms hunting seasons.
Hopefully, youths new to shooting have already been introduced to some type of firearms that they can safely handle. However, there is a big difference between
low recoiling rimfires and firearms with enough knock-down power to ethically
down a deer. Since government is now out of the business of deciding if your child is ready to handle hunting, the responsibility is that of the parents.
Hunting deer ethically requires more than meeting a minimum age. It requires
sufficient maturity of the mind, as well as the physical ability to handle guns with suitable punch.
For the rifle zone, good caliber choices begin above the .22-caliber centerfires that are legitimate for Michigan’s whitetail deer. The .243, for example, can get the
job done humanely without excessive recoil.
However, if your hunting is done in the shotgun zone, choices are somewhat limited in the balance between sufficient and anemic energy. For that reason, the .410 slug is marginal at best and should limited to 50 yards or less – a difficult proposition, if a monster buck looms beyond that range. Shot discipline – enforced by the accompanying adult – will be required.
A shotgun of .20 gauge and up is a good choice, providing it does not punish the young hunter to an extent that he or she is intimidated by the pounding recoil.
Consider the faster sabot offerings, which use lighter projectiles at faster velocities to produce adequate energy. Remember that shotguns need to have fully rifled barrels (not smoothbores or choke-tube models) to use sabot rounds effectively.
Big 8-Point Taken in Youth Firearms Deer Hunt - With Bow!
Another good option is the muzzleloader. Even with relatively light powder charges,
the muzzleloader is a formidable tool for deer. Again, with sabots, as opposed to large, heavy bullets, the lighter projectiles produce less felt recoil making for a softer blow to a youngster’s shoulder. As the child matures, the muzzleloader can be loaded with stiffer charges allowing it to grow with the young adult. And, best of all it only fires one shot, which makes it necessary to practice shot discipline.
Whatever choice of firearm is chosen, it should not only fit the physical characteristics of the child, it should fit the game being hunted.
