A question about taking a nine year old turkey hunting

My Friend wants to let his son shoot a turkey on our farm using a twenty gauge while he is with him. And then Tag it using his turkey tag. As I understand it this is against the Law.. my question Is why what's wrong with that. Why is it against the law. he is teaching his son to hunt and creating lifelong memories. His son has been on many turkey hunts with him (is that against the law too?) and he has proven that he can shoot the twenty gauge straight. When i was a boy my dad took me out hunting rabbits and groundhogs and even let me shoot some myself.

It just is, at 12 he can become an apprentice and not be illegal but as the case is now it just is.

It is no different than having him drive a car, we do not let it happen, no matter the supervision.

in my mind, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but technically it is against the law.
Driving 101km/hr in a 100 zone is also technically against the law, but if no one sees you, there really is no harm done.

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Originally Posted by Fox

It just is, at 12 he can become an apprentice and not be illegal but as the case is now it just is.

It is no different than having him drive a car, we do not let it happen, no matter the supervision.

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With respect, a nine year old going hunting with his dad and shooting wild game is a lot different then driving a car. Fifty, a hundred years ago it would be normal part of life for most boys growing up in the country..

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Originally Posted by chomper

My Friend wants to let his son shoot a turkey on our farm using a twenty gauge while he is with him. And then Tag it using his turkey tag. As I understand it this is against the Law.. my question Is why what's wrong with that. Why is it against the law. he is teaching his son to hunt and creating lifelong memories. His son has been on many turkey hunts with him (is that against the law too?) and he has proven that he can shoot the twenty gauge straight. When i was a boy my dad took me out hunting rabbits and groundhogs and even let me shoot some myself.

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As said its the regulation of our sport. The first rule too be taught to a young/new hunter that there are rules to the game and a good hunter learns to follow them above their own self interest.

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Originally Posted by FishHog

in my mind, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but technically it is against the law.
Driving 101km/hr in a 100 zone is also technically against the law, but if no one sees you, there really is no harm done.

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The harm done is starting off teaching that if the rules don't suit you ignore them if no ones looking.
Is that really the lesson you want to teach the next gen of hunters.

People sometimes differentiate between the "letter of the law" and the "spirit of the law". I think this is one of those cases. It is illegal as per the regs. But I am not sure that most CO's would lay a charge here. I think a lot of us were introduced to hunting before we had all the licences, courses and registrations required. In this case, the father is there, it is his tag and there is little difference than if he shot it himself. This is far different that someone just going out and hunting without a licence, harvesting over the limit etc. Lastly, I think that the U.S. has it right with youth hunters being able to hunt earlier than 12. But that is just my 2 cents.

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Originally Posted by chomper

With respect, a nine year old going hunting with his dad and shooting wild game is a lot different then driving a car. Fifty, a hundred years ago it would be normal part of life for most boys growing up in the country..

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So was driving your dads car or farm truck.

I happen to think that they are very similar, ya, some of us learn to drive a beater pickup on the farm and hunt/shoot very early in life but you are barking up the wrong tree here. You have stated that it is illegal but you have no problems with it, essentially trying to force people to agree with you, but I know of a large number of 9 year olds that should not have guns in their hands, I also know a number of 40 year olds that should also not have guns in their hands.

Go out and convince the MNRF that apprentice licenses should be allowed for younger ages, this is how we ended up having the apprentice license and bringing the hunting age down from 15 to 12 with a shared gun and direct supervision.

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Originally Posted by KennyT

People sometimes differentiate between the "letter of the law" and the "spirit of the law". I think this is one of those cases. It is illegal as per the regs. But I am not sure that most CO's would lay a charge here. I think a lot of us were introduced to hunting before we had all the licences, courses and registrations required. In this case, the father is there, it is his tag and there is little difference than if he shot it himself. This is far different that someone just going out and hunting without a licence, harvesting over the limit etc. Lastly, I think that the U.S. has it right with youth hunters being able to hunt earlier than 12. But that is just my 2 cents.

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You have to understand that times have changed significantly. Someone that would have a 9 year old to go out hunting with them could been born in the 1990s, they have had all the courses and probably hunted as people leaving the suburbs to hunt rather than growing up on a farm like most did in the past.

I have seen what from others around me what charges for doing stupid things can get you and what I love to do has way more on the line than having a kid shoot a bird at 9. I do agree though with you that there are circumstances where an 8 or 9 year old could safely hunt as an apprentice and I think that the licensing for this could be reduced from 12 to a lower age, but if we go to 9 or 8 why not 5? How about 4? Is there a limit that we keep the parent from saying it is ok for their child to do it or do we leave it 100% to the parents?

Some people follow the rules to the point of anal oppression that'll give you 'roids. Learning to hunt with Dad is a time-honored tradition,old enough for the apprentice program or not. Just sayin'...............

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

Some people follow the rules to the point of anal oppression that'll give you 'roids. Learning to hunt with Dad is a time-honored tradition,old enough for the apprentice program or not. Just sayin'...............

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Yes......I know what I would do, and it wouldn’t be posted !!!