Lone Star Bowhunters Association - View Single Post - TPWD Commissioners Propose Youth Rifle Season for the Month of October

Tomme · 11-11-2008, 12:03 AM

Mesquite you said

"In regards to your reference of your son. In all actuality he is not the demographic we are chasing. Really we should not focus on the kids that we know are going to hunt in some form or another."

You added

"You see it as degrading. I see it as an opportunity."

Mesquite, I have four kids, all tried hunting with a rifle. Only one took up bowhunting and he is the only one that still hunts, so you are wrong when you say that this is not the demographic we are chasing. If there hadn't been an archery season he never would have tried bowhunting and I would have no kids that still hunt.

As you know I pointed to the degrading of the archery season due to an intrusion of rifle hunters. I think that it readily and logically apparent to those of us who have had to hunt on small acreages. I regularly hunted and introduced others to hunting on my Texas vet tract of 35 acres in Burnet county. Lots of deer (small, but lots of deer). And yes putting rifle hunters on the next small acreage tract would have degraded the heck out of the season.

You say that you see it as an opportunity, but you failed to point out why that is the case. I asked previously, why if kids already have the opportunity to deer hunt with a rifle on weekends in November, December and January plus a weekend in October that they need the other October weekends. You failed to answer that question.

Plenty of opportunities for youth rifle hunting for deer already exist plus many more opportunities to take a kid squirrel hunting, rabbit hunting etc. You haven't given any arguments for why these weekends are needed.

Let me make a suggestion to you. Go to Parks and Wildlife and propose that only youth be allowed to hunt with a rifle for the first nine days of the rifle (general season). That's the first two weekends plus the intervening weekdays. If you truly believe in more youth rifle opportunities at any cost then you will support this even though it takes away from your season. But hey don't look at it as taking away or degrading your season, look at it as an opportunity.

I imagine you'll say that this isn't the same as this doesn't allow people to hunt during that time. I've got news for you, putting hunters with rifles right next door to my small archery stand doesn't allow me to hunt either.

We don't need 4 more youth hunt weekends. I don't believe it will do much to recruit youth hunters. It will hurt the archery season.

11-11-2008, 12:03 AM	#35
Tomme Region 78 Rep/Hunt Committee Chairman Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,504 Points: 2115.00	Mesquite you said "In regards to your reference of your son. In all actuality he is not the demographic we are chasing. Really we should not focus on the kids that we know are going to hunt in some form or another." You added "You see it as degrading. I see it as an opportunity." Mesquite, I have four kids, all tried hunting with a rifle. Only one took up bowhunting and he is the only one that still hunts, so you are wrong when you say that this is not the demographic we are chasing. If there hadn't been an archery season he never would have tried bowhunting and I would have no kids that still hunt. As you know I pointed to the degrading of the archery season due to an intrusion of rifle hunters. I think that it readily and logically apparent to those of us who have had to hunt on small acreages. I regularly hunted and introduced others to hunting on my Texas vet tract of 35 acres in Burnet county. Lots of deer (small, but lots of deer). And yes putting rifle hunters on the next small acreage tract would have degraded the heck out of the season. You say that you see it as an opportunity, but you failed to point out why that is the case. I asked previously, why if kids already have the opportunity to deer hunt with a rifle on weekends in November, December and January plus a weekend in October that they need the other October weekends. You failed to answer that question. Plenty of opportunities for youth rifle hunting for deer already exist plus many more opportunities to take a kid squirrel hunting, rabbit hunting etc. You haven't given any arguments for why these weekends are needed. Let me make a suggestion to you. Go to Parks and Wildlife and propose that only youth be allowed to hunt with a rifle for the first nine days of the rifle (general season). That's the first two weekends plus the intervening weekdays. If you truly believe in more youth rifle opportunities at any cost then you will support this even though it takes away from your season. But hey don't look at it as taking away or degrading your season, look at it as an opportunity. I imagine you'll say that this isn't the same as this doesn't allow people to hunt during that time. I've got news for you, putting hunters with rifles right next door to my small archery stand doesn't allow me to hunt either. We don't need 4 more youth hunt weekends. I don't believe it will do much to recruit youth hunters. It will hurt the archery season.