Youth Hunters under 12 and Hunter Safety Course

[TrapLine]

Hi all,

I am signing my boys up for hunter education classes, they are 15 and 11. I know the 15 yo will be able to do the course but wondering if the 11 yo will have issues with the testing. Anyone with kids under 12 successfully complete the testing or should I wait on that one?

 

[PinTeal34]

I had just turned 12 when I took the hunter safety course at Bass Pro and did just fine on the test.

I went with a friend this last summer to another course and it doesn't seem like there were any big changes, so I would say that a kid around 12 could probably still pass the test fine.

 

[HATCHET1]

3 knuckleheads and a princess passed it at 8 or 9...piece a cake..have them read the book front to back..and read it again..some questoons on that test that are irrelevant to safety or hunting..but they gotta get right..have them read the book.

 

[MAG 1]

They can also do online and at the end of each chapter it does test questions. My daughters did it at 9 and 11. Some instructors will let you explain the questions to younger kids.

 

[TrapLine]

I was going to have them do the online class and then take them to fish and wildlife office for the follow up class and test.

if little man has to go out unarmed I think he would lose interest fast. For the price of the single shot break barrels I could get them 12ga pumps, Didn't the break barrels used to be $99?

 

[Hunter527]

I took mine at Raahauges, not sure if they still do.

 

[ilovesprig]

I was going to have them do the online class and then take them to fish and wildlife office for the follow up class and test.

if little man has to go out unarmed I think he would lose interest fast. For the price of the single shot break barrels I could get them 12ga pumps, Didn't the break barrels used to be $99?

DO NOT BUY HIM A SINGLE SHOTGUN...Most kick like a mule and junior pheasant hunts won't allow them because of safety reasons.

 

[TrapLine]

DO NOT BUY HIM A SINGLE SHOTGUN...Most kick like a mule and junior pheasant hunts won't allow them because of safety reasons.

What should I be looking at?

 

[ilovesprig]

What should I be looking at?

Youth Remington 870 or a Bantam Mossberg...If you ask around, you'll probably find a great deal on one.

 

[SteveHazard]

My daughters doing it this month. She's 11. Only reason I didn't do it a year or two ago was because the classes were falling on the wrong weekends.
I got mine at 10 or 11 and my dumbarse father spent the whole class defacing the illustrations. Back cover of the booklet he had put a coon skin hat on the guy, gave him weird facial hair, there was a mushroom cloud going off in the background blowing deer up and he had captioned the whole thing: Ted Nuk'Em - When close is good Enuff. I almost spit my water out on the guy in front of me when he showed me that... I had to contain my laughter so hard. Here I am trying to pay attention and my fool father is doing every stupid thing he can to distract me. I wish I had that booklet still. I don't remember if he kept it or it got put back into circulation for somebody else.

 

[Nimrod]

All 3 of my kids were under 12 when they took the test and passed no problem...

 

[TheGDog]

What should I be looking at?

The boy does really good with the used Rem 870 Youth 20ga. But the stock buttplate it had was brutal on him... then I tried it and understood why! I bought a limbsaver pad. But the one I ordered isn't quite right fit. Gotta order the more correct fitting one. But big difference in the cushioning. And truthfully I really like how rapidly manuverable that lil 20ga 870 is! It's a 21" barrel with screw-in chokes. Feels nice and slim. I like it!

My used Benelli SuperNova 12ga pump... was markedly softer on recoil than that Rem 870 20ga, because of how the stock buttplate was no longer squishy, seemed to have hardened with age and sun maybe. But... swinging that slim little 870 around feels nice man! Real fast!

 

[SteveHazard]

Daughter passed today. She took really good notes of the the stuff that would be on the test if your curious what they'll need to focus on.
Yeah she wasn't too keen on coming out with me and not able to hunt herself... said it was unfair that I got to have all the fun. Now she can too!

 

[DoubleTrouble]

Daughter passed today. She took really good notes of the the stuff that would be on the test if your curious what they'll need to focus on.
Yeah she wasn't too keen on coming out with me and not able to hunt herself... said it was unfair that I got to have all the fun. Now she can too!

Congrats!!!