Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Just booked a hunt for me and the boy

I just finished up details for a hunt this fall for me and my son. He will be 8 this fall and is very excited to be going. We will have an antelope tag and possibly a deer tag in Colorado. I will also be taking my grandfathers 243, who just died last fall. I know he would like to see his great grandson out hunting with his favorite rifle.

Kodiakisland
<br>I also have an 8-year-old son and have been looking into taking him somewhere, but thought the majority of the western states, and most notably CO, made non-residents wait until they were 12?
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<br>I will have to check the books, but I thought I just read that the other day. Hope I'm wrong on that.
<br>best to you
<br>art

Sitka
<br>You are correct.
<br>I believe 12 is a little old for kids who are raised around hunting and shooting. My kids started shooting when they were 4. When the child is ready to hunt is best left for the parent to decide, in my opinion. Of course, there will be kids at the age of 12 who are still not ready to be hunting. I am glad I did not have to wait till I was 12 before I could start hunting.
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<br>I was able to get private land owner tags that did not require the draw process. We will be hunting unguided on a large ranch, and of course the tags are in my name.

In Texas, there is no lower limit on age for hunting. I know a place you could take them, several, for an out of state liscense of $35 and around $200 for the hunt and they can hunt and shoot. Rams or exotic does, like fallow, sika (asian elk), or axis (spotted). If you are interested, e-mail me.

I have had some concerns expressed about the above posts.
<br>To clear things up, the law says you must be 12 to shoot. Thats what the law says and thats what will be followed.
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<br>That does not mean someone under 12 cannnot go hunting with their father, who should know when their son is ready to shoot better than someone from the state.
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<br>I just wonder though how many have broken the law because they didn't agree with it, but stuck to the spirit of the law. An example: speeding on the open highway but driving slow around town or children playing.

Yes, your son can legally go hunting with you, but in Texas, if you decide he's ready to shoot when he is 6, he can legally shoot also, in addition to going hunting with you. I forgot if you have to carry his gun or if he just has to be within arms length of you, but its at the Texas Parks and Wildlife web page. There are pictures of 6 year old boys and girls in the paper here every year with some big old whitetail that many hunters wish they had shot sometime in their life, let alone when they were 6.

I understand exactly what you are saying... think I'll stick to Kodiak's deer for my son until he is 12. Of course he will be shooting some black bears and sheep before 12 also.
<br>art