Early Youth Weekend Deer Hunt opens to the delight of many

Troy Newton, 11, with an eight-point buck he shot early on opening day of the Early Youth Firearm Portion of the 2016 deer season (Oct. 29). It was the second deer for Troy, after he took his first deer last year. (Photo by Ken White/Special to the Daily Mail)

As the 2016 Early Youth Weekend Deer Hunt opened the morning of Oct. 29, thousands of Missouri youngsters took to the woods looking for a deer to come within shooting range.

The early season gives young hunters a chance to utilize their hunting skills during the statewide youth hunt and a jump-start on their elders.

On Oct. 29, 11-year-old Troy Newton was in his tree stand before daylight waiting and watching.

Just before 7:30 a.m., Troy told his father that he heard a deer approaching and got ready. Then the moment he had waited for took shape. An eight-point buck appeared within range. So, nervously, Troy took aim with his 247 rifle and pulled the trigger. He had made a good clean shot and the second deer he had ever taken was his.

It was Troy's first time deer hunting from a tree stand, and his father said Troy was nervous, but he did all the right things to get his deer.

"We had seen several deer this fall including some big bucks, so I'll be ready for the regular season on November 12th, his father said."

The special early Youth Weekend Deer Hunt is for youngsters who are between the ages of six to 15. The antler restriction did not apply during the early youth hunt. The young hunters could take one deer of either sex.

If the youth hunter has completed the hunter-education certification course and is hunting on a resident or nonresident permit they may hunt alone. If the youngster isn't hunter-education certified, they must hunt in the immediate presence of a properly licensed adult, who has in their possession a valid hunter-education certification card, or was born before Jan. 1, 1967. The adult may not hunt deer with a firearm during the youth portion of the firearm deer season.

In addition, adults accompanying youth deer hunters must wear hunter orange. Regardless of age, the youth must be capable of holding, aiming and shooting the firearm themselves.

Conservation officials say the early youth weekend hunt will significantly affect the total statewide firearm harvest for the 2016 period, which is expected to reach close to 200,000 deer.

The first Youth Hunt was held in 2001 with the young hunters taking 6,277 deer. Last year the early hunters harvested 18,583 deer. Of that total 8,042 were antlered bucks, 1,514 button bucks and 4,027 does.

The leading county was Osage with 329 deer harvested. This year, the young hunters harvested an early estimate of more than 11,000 deer with Osage County again the top county with Howell and Franklin close behind.

Meanwhile, the army of orange clad firearm deer hunters are gearing up for the November portion of the deer firearm season which opens Nov. 12. The forecast promises to be another good season.

Bob Lyons, of Joplin, is like a lot of hunters who has been making room in his freezer for the deer and other game he plans to get.

He said, "Each fall we start cleaning out the freezer for deer and other game, but this year we may need more room since I am retired and will be able to do more hunting."

As the fall firearm turkey season ended Monday, many duck hunters were just starting their season in the north zone which opened Oct. 29, while the middle zone starts Nov. 5. Last Saturday, as the duck season opened in the north zone, Dave Morris, Blue Springs said, "Hunting was slow. I will welcome cooler temperatures because it has been too warm to duck hunt, but it looks like it should be one of the better duck seasons, as lots of birds are expected to come our way."