How in the heck do you have a Youth gun day smack in the middle of a bow season? Was I taking a "silver years" nap and missed it when that got passed?  Don't get me wrong, I'm all for more youth in the outdoors...I see the effects of fatherless homes every day.  But I'm sorry, guns(especially in the hands of the inexperienced) and bows don't mix! Where was the NCBA?  I was a member for a long time, but confess that I let it lapse years ago when it deteriorated into the same type of political infighting and pandering you see on the national level today. The elections were a total embarrassment. Looks like that was a mistake...I may have to re-up and run for office.  Bowhunters have already lost the best week of the NW season, the second week of Nov. to muzzleloading...what next? And no, it's not the same situation it would have been in gun season.  There are bowhunters who won't have flo orange on because they're unaware of it. I would have missed it if Bud B hadn't pointed it out on another post. I'm sorry, the good news is...rain in the forecast!  It  will save lives, maybe mine.  Come on people....think!

I understand the safety issue but I will gladly give up a day to the kids.  I would hope that during that day NC requires youth hunters to have a mentor present.

I feel your pain in NY we lost the last two days of bow season during the rut so they could change the firearms opener to Saturday from Monday so more youth could get involved. When that didn't work they put a youth gun season in bow season. New this year in some areas ( like mine) the first 15 days are antlerless only then in 2017 there is a great chance we will have a muzzleloader season in bow season.

va has ours this weekend. our bow season begins next Saturday

Oklahoma did it. I think it's the best thing they've done in a long time! Kinda sucks a little bit I think it's been worth it in the long run...I got to be on stand for all my younger siblings first deer during youth and they don't freeze their butts off!
I don't know about you, but all I can remember my first deer season was freezing and freezing and freezing weather. If I wouldn't have been more determined I'm pretty sure I wouldn't come back the next year.

I could see the last Saturday before ML starts, but the second Saturday after bow season starts?? I have a feeling deer will change their daily habits after this Saturday.

I do believe a mentor must be present with the youth. Anyone 16 or older in the woods must use a bow. Anyone under 16 can use any weapon legal to take deer during the 2015 deer season, which means .22 and up, shotgun, ML, bow, x-bow.

Anyone in the woods this Saturday must use flo-orange unless you're hunting on your own land.

I didn't mean to sound critical of the intent, I'm sure it accomplishes good. But IMHO, guns belong in gun seasons where everyone knows what they're dealing with.  If the objective is to make it comfortable, have it in the spring and listen to the turkey hunters complain, lol!

I think its a load of crap. If a kid needs a free day with a rifle to get interested, he wont be interested for long. Makes me violent. Why now? I just dont get it at all. Why cant they use a crossgun? Same difference.

If i had a kid, he would be using a bow just like everyone else saturday.

Easy there big guy...don't get too violent, you're close to my stomping grounds!  And I've seen some of your scores, so I know you can shoot! At least I know you're not totin' a "smokepole", lol!  My bad getting the post in the wrong forum.  After all these years it didn't occur to me there was a "soapbox" forum...I'm on it!  Might get more folks stirred up in other states to prevent such carelessness at its original location though.

Wisconsin has had such a day ( actually two days, the whole weekend) for years.  It has gone fine.

What with skwerl hunters, other small game and bird hunters ( upland and waterfowl), bear hunters, formerly wolf hunters.  Just act safe and be safe.

ChuckC

I think gun season should be shortened for the good of the herd and not centered around the rut. If it was a week long, the numbers of deer shot would increase.

You guys complaining about a youth hunt should check out what the Kansass wildlife,and parks,department did.    :rolleyes:  
They scheduled a state wide antlerless deer season the 2nd weekend of October.   :eek:  
(Don't forget to wear your orange..)

Mississippi carved almost two weeks out of the bow season for youth firearm season....after starting with just a weekend season in the beginning, then a week,...then. Now its back to a youth weekend with a 'centerfire' 14 day primitive weapon season where youth can use anything during the period. It all gets confusing.

Firearm hunters think it is the best thing that ever happened.... I always think it might have been a different take if the youth season would have been placed in the firearm days. It's a great idea when it doesn't interfere with their firearm seasons; but wouldn't be tolerated if youth had exclusive use of some of the firearm days.

As far as the situation in NC....just hope it doesn't expand to a greater part of the archery season when politician's see how popular it is with the majority.

Frankly, politically it a hard position to say no to the kids or to advocate a position that says no to the kids.

PA has a rifle/muzzleloader antlerless season as well in the middle of archery. Basically it was given to the gun hunters because they thought we had too much time to hunt deer prior to them entering the woods and supposedly to remove antlerless deer prior to the rut....however most of the rifle hunters have taken up the crossgun so time to remove the gun season during archery season.