youth season timing

My guess would be because of weather and other hunting seasons. They probably want the best weather for youth hunting, and don't want it in October because of other hunting seasons that open. There are quite a few less hunters out in Sept, so the deer aren't being pushed around, like they would be later in the year. That's just my guess anyways.

My guess is weather first off.  Plus the overall theme of having less pressure.

Not sure. Since we usually have an antelope season, maybe they didnt want youth hunters out during antelope/pheasant opener.

Nanky and Tim, I think you guys are absolutely spot on with pressure and weather being why. Or esle,  they do it to make archery hunters angry. An entire 10 days of youth season taken out of over a 120 day archery season. 

I guess a person could just hunt Sept. 3rd., until Sept. to the 16th, stop archery hunting. Then hunt September 27th until January 2nd.  Just an option..... I think theres time....

Big J

I am guessing they do not want 50, 000 pheasant hunters worrying about  13 and 14 year olds firing rifles all over the state while they comb the country for pheasants.  But that is only my guess.  Nor do they want 50,000 duck/goose hunters having to worry about that either.  I don't know about the rest of the state but in my local area there were very few waterfowl hunters out over the weekend. 

That's what I do.  No way am I going out there with a bunch of 12-14 year olds with high powered rifles running around.

drayweb Said:
That's what I do.  No way am I going out there with a bunch of 12-14 year olds with high powered rifles running around.

Yet, your not afraid to go out during regular gun season in November?! Doesn't really make a whole lot of sense if you think about it.

I guess I'm a alot less worried about a handful of kids during youth season in Sept., straight out of hunters ed, than i am about thousands of regular rifle hunters during Novembers.

bullheadmaster Said:
Nanky and Tim, I think you guys are absolutely spot on with pressure and weather being why. Or esle,  they do it to make archery hunters angry. An entire 10 days of youth season taken out of over a 120 day archery season. 

I guess a person could just hunt Sept. 3rd., until Sept. to the 16th, stop archery hunting. Then hunt September 27th until January 2nd.  Just an option..... I think theres time....

Big J

Haha. Very true.

bbouncer Said:
I am guessing they do not want 50, 000 pheasant hunters worrying about  13 and 14 year olds firing rifles all over the state while they comb the country for pheasants.  But that is only my guess.  Nor do they want 50,000 duck/goose hunters having to worry about that either.  I don't know about the rest of the state but in my local area there were very few waterfowl hunters out over the weekend. 

Maybe they should try the youth hunt durring the first few weekends of pheasant hunting.  I think it would start to keep the riff raff out!  From a logistics stand point once waterfowl opens up it seems like something else is opening up for the rest of the season until gun hunting (youth water fowl, waterfowl, youth pheasant, pheasant, Turkey & pronghorn (except this year), then 3 weeks and deer) and more hunters are out there.  Tons less pressure, and you only piss off the bow hunters......sorry.

I would say both weather and pressure with the emphasis on pressure. I would rather be out there with youth hunters who have a mentor (extra set of eyes and ears) who are no more than 4 years out of Hunter Ed than 70,000 varying degrees of skills and ethics. The only change that may make sense is open it up a week earlier and don't start bow season until after it is done. Then no break to worry about.

Big J has it right. 10 days out of 120 day season is a small price to pay for the continuation of our sport.

Apparently some of you don't have any idea whatsoever how much time and dedication is required to be a successful bowhunter.  It generally starts with many preseason trips to the area chosen, weeks of watching, waiting, patterning.  Thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours are invested in a successful bowhunt. Upon success it is a religious experience of sorts, not a simple wham, bam, thank you mam proposition used by many weekend warrior rifle hunters I know.  Disrupting the deer herd 2.5 to 3 weeks into the bowhunt makes for some near impossible conditions for those who are truly DEDICATED bowhunters. 

AdrenalineAddict Said:
Apparently some of you don't have any idea whatsoever how much time and dedication is required to be a successful bowhunter.  It generally starts with many preseason trips to the area chosen, weeks of watching, waiting, patterning.  Thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours are invested in a successful bowhunt. Upon success it is a religious experience of sorts, not a simple wham, bam, thank you mam proposition used by many weekend warrior rifle hunters I know.  Disrupting the deer herd 2.5 to 3 weeks into the bowhunt makes for some near impossible conditions for those who are truly DEDICATED bowhunters. 

+1. Down here (SD) its not much of a problem because its a doe hunt and its open from Sept to the end of January. Gives alot of time to set up a good shot opportunity and a low pressure hunt.

AdrenalineAddict Said:
Apparently some of you don't have any idea whatsoever how much time and dedication is required to be a successful bowhunter.  It generally starts with many preseason trips to the area chosen, weeks of watching, waiting, patterning.  Thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours are invested in a successful bowhunt. Upon success it is a religious experience of sorts, not a simple wham, bam, thank you mam proposition used by many weekend warrior rifle hunters I know.  Disrupting the deer herd 2.5 to 3 weeks into the bowhunt makes for some near impossible conditions for those who are truly DEDICATED bowhunters. 

I've bowhunted for 30+ years, and taken many animals with bow, so yeah, I do have some whatsoever as to how much time and dedication it requires.

The part that gets me shaking my head in disbelief is the insinuation that being there are bowhunters out and about the fricking world should come to an end for everyone else. Bow season for deer in ND is 4 months long, the youth season is 9 1/2 days long. Maybe the best thing to do would be to not start bow season until after the youth season is over with. After all, the adult bowhunters can hunt every year, the youth only get one chance at the youth season their entire lives and the ones I've taken out have been DEDICATED youth hunters.

+1 bowhuntin!

To answer the question, the season is when it is because of the reasons everyone else says. After the sharptail opener, before pheasant opener. I understand what you're saying to a point, but there are only so many weeks in the fall to start with. Have to get used to it, lots of interest in hunting by many people.

Check out the smiles of those youth hunters, and you can't give up 9 1/2 days?

Bowhuntin Said:

AdrenalineAddict Said:
Apparently some of you don't have any idea whatsoever how much time and dedication is required to be a successful bowhunter.  It generally starts with many preseason trips to the area chosen, weeks of watching, waiting, patterning.  Thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours are invested in a successful bowhunt. Upon success it is a religious experience of sorts, not a simple wham, bam, thank you mam proposition used by many weekend warrior rifle hunters I know.  Disrupting the deer herd 2.5 to 3 weeks into the bowhunt makes for some near impossible conditions for those who are truly DEDICATED bowhunters. 

I've bowhunted for 30+ years, and taken many animals with bow, so yeah, I do have some whatsoever as to how much time and dedication it requires.

The part that gets me shaking my head in disbelief is the insinuation that being there are bowhunters out and about the fricking world should come to an end for everyone else. Bow season for deer in ND is 4 months long, the youth season is 9 1/2 days long. Maybe the best thing to do would be to not start bow season until after the youth season is over with. After all, the adult bowhunters can hunt every year, the youth only get one chance at the youth season their entire lives and the ones I've taken out have been DEDICATED youth hunters.

Bowhuntin, well said!

I guess i figure i scout as much as the next guy. I truly love hunting whitetails. I will give up any amount of time at any given time for a youth hunter to have the chance to get introduced to the sport of hunting. I think the timing of the season is perfect. No preasure for the young ones to contend with and the weather is nice. What ever it takes to get the young involved. Now i didnt have the nice weather or the youth season 25 years ago nor did i need it. I however took a kid out last year that i know wouldnt have ever put up with the weather to try hunting. She shot a buck with her youth tag and is now hooked.

Adreneline Addict's comment is based on something he's obviously passionate about. I'm sure he's not against the youth hunt; just thinks there's a better way, as I also did when I lived in ND. The badlands got hammered every Sept. and alot of the hunts were for the dad, not the kid, net result was no new hunter for ND.

huntorride365 Said:
Decicated? Whos the dumb a--? Adreneline Addict's comment is based on something he's obviously passionate about. I'm sure he's not against the youth hunt; just thinks there's a better way, as I also did when I lived in ND. The badlands got hammered every Sept. and alot of the hunts were for the dad, not the kid, net result was no new hunter for ND.

"Alot of the hunts were for the dad, not the kid, net result was no new hunter for ND."

WTF???? You have data to support that statement, or is there competition for the biggest dumb a-- award going on?