Minnesota Bear hunting rules
Minnesota
My name is Chuck Gackstetter from Tyler . I have bear hunted for many years and would really like to see my grandkids get involved at an early age starting them deer hunting and bear hunting at ten years old was a great step to get them interested early the only problem is that Minnesota’s lottery bear hunt takes three to four years of applying before they can get a license and cannot apply until they are ten years old . There is an area 99 that a person can apply for just to get a preference point. If kids were allowed to apply for area 99 at age five or six by the time they get three or four preference points they could get a license at age ten and actually hunt like they can for deer. The DNR wants to get kids involved early and this would be a way to get it done. Please forward this request to the legislature for those who can best make this happen
A Concerned Grandpa who can’t wait to sit with my grandkids.
Thanks Chuck Gackstetter
This is a letter I sent to my local Minnesota senator But I never received a response .Does anyone know who to contact to give this idea consideration.
Chuck, appreciate your enthusiasm for your grandkids, but letting a 10 yr old to kill a bear is really a stretch. With your own bear kills do you really think a 10 yr old will control their emotions/behavior on killing a bear. As you know a shot placement is critical on bear and a wounded one is an whole other hunt, a lot different tracking than a deer. Two seasons ago where I was bear hunting there was 1 kill and 2 wounded with 1 recovery and the hunters were seasoned bear hunters.
Nothing wrong in taking them along to witness the experience and more with maturity in the actual hunt will go along way, just have a real hard time that a 10 yr old can mentally process the totality of killing a bear, I still have a hard time at 66.
Good luck with the state, would check with the DNR big game department on the proper channels. When living in Wi. we had spring conservation hearings where topics like this was tabled and voted that was how the youth hunt came about.
While I fully understand where you're coming from, I still believe certain things in life we have to wait our turn. This is one of 'em. Like jjs stated, nothing wrong with taking them along as spectators...it'll probably even light a fire of anticipation for when they are legally and mature enough to do their own hunt.
Having said that, your local state representative is where you should start if you want to see the law changed...or get the name of a contact on the Natural Resources committee down at the state capital. Jim Abeler comes to mind as one.
Hunt in the no quota area, no drawing, no points, just buy at the counter.
A lot of bear in there if you get off of the beaten trails. Try bicycle, canoe, hand cart, etc. Makes it a lot easier to bring bait in . What kid doesn't enjoy a bike or canoe ride?? At least they are going along until they can hunt at 12 yrs as I recall.
