WA has a juvenile hunt. How does this work?
Can they hunt any time?

Do you have 8 year olds running around out there with guns?

And how does an 8 year old pass the Hunter's Safety test. Is the parent sitting next to him/her and helping out.
Is it written so simply that an 8 year old can read it.

This blows my mind!

juveniles must be accompanied by an adult when hunting. You can help your child with the course by reading the questions to them. I've heard some instructors won't allow that, but the one that taught my wife's class last year let the parents help the kids with the test. Most juvenile hunts are just giving them the chance at a antlerless deer. Read the regs they'll explain this to you.

Funny, I searched for over 30 minutes today to find the answers to the questions I asked and couldn't find the responses I wanted.
I also called the wdfw and was told the parent
could NOT read the test to the child.

Seaweed,

I have taken two young relatives through the hunter education course, as the "guardian", and both times the kids passed the test on their own with no instruction from anyone during the test. I did help them both study, and quizzed them after every class.

I did this for a couple of reasons. Nobody in my family hunted or had firearms, but my uncle Wayne was nice enough to introduce me to both. He taught me how to shoot a muzzle loader at the age of 10, and after that, I just got hooked on the outdoors. He also was there when I got my first elk.

Both of the relatives I helped had nobody with hunting or firearms experience in their families, so I passed on the flame to these young men after they showed an interest at the age of 12. My uncle helped me, so I helped them.

Hunting and being in the out of doors has been one of the most impactful activities that I ever undertaken in my life. It is life and death, and deadly serious. I have also learned quite a lot about the world around me that I wouldn't have known without spending many a sunrise in a duckblind. It helped me to grow up, and for the most part, stay out of trouble.

I hope to help these boys realize that food doesn't just show up on the grocery store shelves. Someone must kill something for us to eat meat. I am teaching these boys that having a connection to what goes on all around us every day in nature is not a bad thing, and that some people go out and get their own meat, while others choose to hire someone else to kill on their behalf.

They are well on their way to becoming men, not these PC loving warm and fuzzy pussies that are being raised in our society today. One party wins, one loses. That is what nature is all about.

I know of one board member who visits from time to time who has two boys who at ages 8 and 11 passed their hunter ed tests and are quite squared away.

I have learned quite a few lessons watching these boys become young men, and I do not hunt when they are hunting. I am their guide and I teach them teamwork and trust.

Take a kid hunting, you'll be a better person for it.

Finally, I may have detected a bit of sarcasm or tone in your writing, not sure. I try to be a good human, and I hope that you are as well, and that I am just mistaken in what I think I read in your post.

Take care,

Andy

I started to respond to this thread before reading Andy's (dogfish) reply. Let me just say that you could not have hit the nail on the head any better than what you said Andy. I feel the same as you. My daughter is 9. She is my regular companion and partner. she is learning what the circle of life really is. She is eager to spend time in the woods, and to be a part of this lifestyle. The hunting and fishing does not just make real men, but it makes a real woman too. My daughter will bear this to fruition, she will be sure of that.

Again, Thanks for your response Andy, it is the true meaning of sportsman, and family!

I didn't write anything sarcastic and I didn't say anything about not including kids in the outdoor sport of hunting. And frankly this could be a very good debate about the age that a kid is mature enough to handle a gun even with an "adult" next to their side.
Our kids went every year from the time they were able to deal with the elements. But they didn't get to shoot until they were twelve. What's the hurry?
There were several references to age 10 and 12 in the responses and that is really one of my questions. There is a lot of difference in maturity levels between let's say 8 and 10 or 12 year old kids. I specifically referred to an 8 year old being able to pass a written test...the question had nothing to do with help with the course. It sounds as if the instructors vary the criteria. I would think that anyone who is going to be handling a gun on public visited property should be able to read the test to pass it without help unless disabled in some way.
And none of this has anything to do with being a good or bad human. Seems like someone was trying to convince me that they were really a good person.

I guess what it boils down to is that the "adult" is very responsible and watches a young kid every minute.
Educate us now.....what are the rules of the handling of the gun when one is not out hunting.

Seaweed,

I in no way meant to deter from what you were saying. Even though my daughter is my hunting buddy, she is in no way ready for the responsibility of handling a weapon for hunting purposes. She will wait until around 12 for that priveledge. She is getting better by the day, but after a few years, she will fully uderstand the responsibilities she will have.

I agree that kids should be "mature" enough to deal with the situations, but I am not so sure that has a direct correlation with age per se.

My humble opinion is for my child to wait until around 12, which seems to be of adequate maturity for most kids.

All kids are individuals, and should be treated as such. If they show the brains and ability to pass the test at the age of 8, then by all means, take them hunting in the method I described, one on one, where the "guardian" does not hunt. As they progress, you can give them more freedom.

I have two boys who hopefully will be ready to hunt when they are 8, they are now 3 and 6. I will put them in for youth only tags, and keep them under a very watchful eye, one on one. I have had the great opportunity to practice with two great young men, so hopefully I won't screw it up.

Dekuma, Great job on getting your daughter into the frey! We need more young women who fish and hunt. They can convey our message to their peers much more effectively than any man can.

Seaweed,

First off, welcome to the board! We don't have to agree all the time, but we all appreciate candid discussion. Thanks for your thoughts, and for bringing up this VERY important subject. We need to get the next generation out there.

Oh, and by the way. Kids who have passed the hunter ed test and are age 15 or under on the date of their hunt are eligible to put in for special youth permit hunts. My Nephew drew a doe tag last year and got his first deer one one of these hunts. I was there, and it was awesome! There are also a few hunts in Eastern WA open to kids under 16 for does. Great opportunity for kids to get out and hunt and not have to compete with adults for game.
.

Andy

I can't stay out of this thread as it really does bring up a point that I never gave much thought to. My sons grew up in a hunting household and they were with us on most trips that were not pack trips. By the time they were twelve they could go on those as well. My question is: At what age should a youngster be able to take the hunters test? It seems to me that it is like asking: At what age should a youngster be able to take a drivers test? At what age should a youngster
be able to vote? And what age should a youngster be able to stand in harms way for their country? I agree that kids are different in maturity, some younger than others. A lot of responsibilty comes with a centerfire rife. Its hard for me to believe that an eight year old has it all mentaly and physically to handle a rifle in the woods even if supervised. That dosen't mean that there aren't exceptions, but
there seems to me that you shouldn't be able to qualify until some minimum age, which seems to be none existent in WA state. I have made a poor assumption that kids had to be twelve to qualify as hunters. I just never knew
it differed from state to state. HMMMMMMMM
This is really an interesting topic. Anybody got more thoughts out there? Andy are you saying that in WA state a 5 year old could actually take the test if she/he were able to read and answer the questions?

I know of a 7 year old kid that passed the test last winter. What exactly do you have against a young individual hunting anyways. The adult accompanying the child will be making the shoot or don't shoot decision and more than likely carrying the gun for the child. My opinion is if the kid can hit the mark than let em hunt. Not like some hoodlum is gonna be out terrrorizing the woods by theirself. Unless the laws change, my son will be hunting as soon as I feel he's ready. Whether he's 7 or 17.

What are you so uptight about Glowball?
This is simply a board discussion.

So far no one has answered how a 7 year old passes a written test....or isn't it written.
It still isn't clear whether someone is able to READ the test to a child.
At what age is the child allowed to hunt alone.
I would assume there is a big difference between a 7 and a 17 year old being able to handle a firearm.

A few years ago, I took my son and a couple of my buddy's kids through the Washington State Hunter's Ed course. Some of the kids in the class were pretty young, some no more than eight years old. When it came time to take the test, one of the parents asked if they could read the questions to the child, or clarify the intent of a particular question. The instructor seemed to have some reservations about this arrangement, so I volunteered to assist that particular child, and the instructor agreed to it. As a matter of fact extra instructors were brought in during the test to help other kids.

Except for the laws involved, most matters relating to hunting involve not much more than common sense. I don't mean to trivialize any aspect of safety, but alot of it is right vs. wrong, common sense. This is something a child will need throughout their lifetime, so why not encourage it in the Hunter Ed program.

All the kids in our class passed, some just barely. Like most certificates of completion, (driver's lic, pilot lic. etc.) the one from this class is like a permit to go out in the real world and learn. No driver knows it all just because they have a license, but they have the basic knowledge to go out and learn more as they go. Hopefully they do learn and don't hurt theirself or others in the process. The child learning to hunt can't be expected to know everything, but as in raising a child, you can't expect them to be too much better than their parent/guardian/relative/friend helping them learn. That's why we need to set a good example for them and keep as close an eye on them as possible, while still giving them the freedom to grow.

My son is my best hunting partner. He is never late in the morning, knows the kind of food I like, and doesn't talk back too much. He hasn't got lost yet (I rarely let him out of my sight!) and he doesn't want to carry his own gun yet, but that does not keep him from "hunting".

I kinda got to rambling here, but if a child demonstrates the intelligence, aptitude, desire, and dedication it takes to become a safe hunter let 'em have at it!

By the way, I also took the test at the end of the course, because certain states (i.e. Colorado) won't let out of state hunters purchase licenses unless they show proof of completing a hunter safety course, regardless of your age. I figured it would be easier to take this test than to try to find my card from New Mexico that I got well over thirty years ago!

Safety and Sucess to all.

Glowball

Thanks for your input. However, tell me what gives you yhe idea that "What exactly do you have against a young individual hunting anyways" is relavent to the discussion. I didn't say I had anything against a kid hunting. I do however hope he /she can hold the damn gun up on their own and the recoil of a centerfire rifle of legal bore diameter doesn't cost them the sight of an eye. Recoil is a very dangerous
side effect for youngsters. How many kids get handed a light weight lever action like the good old thirty-thirty that delivers substantial
felt recoil. For the 7 to 10 year old that weights
what?....55 to 65lbs...This is a hell of a blow to the head and the eye closest to the stock usually gets the worst of it. As one who has lost an eye to recoil it's a reason for me to question the mocho horses-tails who want their kid shooting a" big one" so they can shoot their mouths off as to what a bruiser his kid is.

I'm not sure if there is a good age to start shooting a centerfire, as we would all agree it depends on the kid. A set age to qualify seems a good idea but it isn't really fair to all.
This age thing is a crumby stumbling block at times. When I was a young man we had a neighbor lad go of to fight in the armed service.
He was 18 and in less than a school year he was back home. He had a purple heart and a hip that wouldn't work like it was suppose to and couldn't get a job. Do you think his dad could buy him a beer? Not legally. He could get shot for his country but couldn't drink a beer.
Just stuck the wrong way with me. Always has and always will. I'm off the topic but don't like the assumption I have something against youngsters. Quite the opposite is what you now know is what you can assume.

First of all I'm not uptight or in the least upset about this topic. I just took it out of context that a couple of you sounded derogatory about kids that young being able to hunt. Especially the initial post of asking about 8 year olds running around with guns. I apologize if I've upset you.

Recoil in small centerfire rifles is not that bad ie the 6mm and .243 I have friends that were shooting them at age 6 and 7.

I also grew up in rural WA and most knew the rules of the land(common sense things) and always hunted with an adult.

I started when I was 15 and was shooting hard kicking 30-.06 that most of my friends couldnt because I was more muscular and much stronger than them.

Just my opinion

Hey Seaweed - Excellent topic and sme good questions.

I have two boys that passed hunter Safety 2 years ago at ages 7 and 9. I'd like to think that they are the "squared away young Men" that Dogfish referenced above. They are rapidly becoming great hunting partners. My oldest boy carried a fire arm under VERY CLOSELY SUPERVISED CONDITIONS for the first time last year. I simply didn't think he was ready at age 9 - a parental call. Meanwhile my younger boy- who passed the tst at 7 - didn't carry at all as a 7 or 8 year old. He did just carry on a recent muzzleloading elk hunt for the first time, and I'm proud to say that he passed on a cow that was staring at us from 50 yards (over her shoulder - he had only a butt shot and knew better).

Anyway regarding the test - my 7 year old passed it all on his own with no help but he is a superb reader well beyond his class. The instructors made it clear that parents COULD NOT HELP, but that if a child had a question they were to raise their hand and wait for an instructor. They brought in extra instructors for test night. There were several kids who couldn't read well enough on their own. I think they all failed. I know that the instructors who volunteered their time and energy to do our class did a grat job. They would give a kid a synonym if he didn't understand a word, but that was about it. they had no qualms with failing a kid (or an adult) who hadn't done the home work.

There is also a shooting and carrying portion of the test - in addition to the written part (at least where we took it). The kids had to load, unload, fire, and safely carry a real weapon through a course that simulated various scenarios. They failed a kid ahead of us for "sweeping" some folks with the muzzle. They made no exceptions to the "Muzzle control, muzzle control, muzzle control" rule.

Now, I know my boys are mighty young to be hunting. To be sure, we keep it to controlled conditions. As a dad, I limit my "success" when I take them with me. Yet, somehow, it is so much more rewarding to be teaching some young hunters.

I just had them out of school two days last week to hunt elk. You can bet that hunting means enough to my boys that they keep great grades - they know they won't get out of school to hunt if they sluff....

Washington state does not have minimum age for hunting - just the requirement that new hunters pass hunter safety class. While there is no official minimum age, there are some practical limitations. When my boys took the class two years ago at ages 7 and 9, the instructor told me not to expect my 7 year old to pass, and not to be surprised if my 9 year ld didn't pass either. The instructors made it VEREY clear that they weren't there to make sure that kids passed. There were even kids who couldn't safely handle a rifle becuase they were too small, uncoordinated or tentative - they failed.

While I can understand a persons natural uneasiness at the thought of boys this young hunting, I'll tell you that they are safer, better firearm handlers than Many, many adults I watch. They know that they get no second chances at maintaining muzzle control, and I feel very safe hunting with them. I think the guys we've hunted with feel the same after they've seen the care my boys exercise.

Bottom line: I'm a Libertarian on this one. the state set some minimum competency marks, and my boys met them easily. From then, it was up to me as a father to exercise judgmenet as to when they were ready.

P.S. Both boys have doe hunts coming up in a couple of weeks. They are excited and their dad is really excited for them.

P.P.S. ant your kid to pass? Don't leave it to the instructors. Teach them. Get them a BB gun and get them practicing. My 11 year old shoots a pretty good group with his pellet gun.

Happy hunting.

Fisherdan

Fisher Dan

Good post. I wonder how WA came to such a conclusion of no set minimum age? I like it as it sure sets the kids out on the right mind set. If they are good at what they have learned they get to participate, not that when they hit the right age its their "right". Tests are good and what I think we are all coming together on is there is a need for an apprenticeship. It was how everthing was learned in history and even today many exist that are not called that but really amount to the same thing such as "intern" and "residency" etc. This is really an interesting topic and I am really surprised that it differs from state to state. On the other hand it suggests to me that some states have put more thought into the rule making than others which isn't all that surprising. The rules in WA are what I might expect from Colorado or Wyoming if I were told up front that its different in some states. I wonder if WA rules date back for several decades? Anyway I sure appreciate everyone pitching in that made a post, maybe it will be read by some who will change the rules in their own state. Hope everyone has a great season.

Okay I took a 3 day safety course. This didnt teach me how to make it so a gun would never go off. This did not teach me how to be invincible. All the course teaches is to minimize accidents (WHICH DO HAPPEN WITH EVERYBODY!) and make sure no harm happens when accidents occur.

Any parent who send their kid in with a gun alone (some cases withstanding...) is a fool anyways. But hey, I cant think of to many better times then bein in the field with my dad, shooting side by side (not the gun but in person) at a flock of approaching ducks.

Now I am finally entering deer hunting. I know that if it wasnt for my dad scolding me at some points, and acting normal in others, that i wouldnt be ready for this.

Parents who are to uptight ruin the adventure of a hunting or fishing trip. Parents who are to lax seem to ruin it to. Just have fun and be safe.

Curtis

Well here are my 2 cents...

This is a great topic and it reminds me of instruction that I received prior to having my first child... "The fastest way to piss-off your family, best friends, or an acquaintance is to tell them what was best for their child or how to parent their child."

I have seen this happen!!

In my OPINION... If you have children it your job to decide when each child is ready to undertake any new/old activity, hunting fishing, driving, swimming you name it.

I have 4 son's 19 - 12, all of them require different treatment. They each deal with thing differently and have different emotional levels.

I thank the good lord that our politically correct state (WA) hasn't got to that level (yet) of controlling my life or telling me how, what and when it is best for my children to do this or that.

I think that we all as sportsmen could agree that your responsibility is to raise and expose as many children (both boys and girls - my sons need future outdoors women) to the great outdoors!

Tight Lines & Shoot Straight

wabowhunter,

Well said. 100% agreement here.