Bow draw weight reg, new hunter ed age requirements take effect Sept. 1

A good friend called the other day and our conversation quickly shifted to whitetail deer, bows, arrows, wives and young hunters. My friend said his wife has shown some serious interest in taking up archery hunting this fall, but was concerned that she might not be strong enough to bring a bow with a draw weight of 40 or more pounds to a full draw.

The draw weight of a bow is gauged by the amount of pressure required to pull the string and fully "cock" the bow to put an arrow in flight. The higher the draw weight, the more upper body strength required to draw the bow.

Courtesy photo (enlarge photo) The minimum age for acquiring hunter education certification in Texas recently changed from 12 to 9 years old. With hunting season fast approaching, parents are encouraged to get uncertified youth hunters enrolled in a hunter ed course soon to avoid the last-minute rush.

"She's only 4-feet, 11-inches tall and weighs 111 pounds, but she's mean as hell and can kick my butt all over the place," he chuckled. "Still, she has got to be the weakest woman I have ever seen. There is no way she can pull a 40-pound bow to full draw."

My suggestion was simple and to the point. Buy her something lighter.

"But the minimum draw weight requirement for hunting in Texas is 40 pounds," he responded. "Anything lighter and she won't be legal."

Wrong.

Last April, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission voted to eliminate the minimum draw weight requirement for hunting bows in Texas. Effective Sept. 1, Texas archers will no longer be required to use a bow with a draw weight of 40 pounds or more to hunt deer, turkey and other game animals.

The change — made to encourage more youth hunters and women to participate in the sport — makes Texas one of about a dozen states with no minimum draw requirement on hunting bows. Most states require a minimum draw weight that lands somewhere between 30-40 pounds.

My friend was happy to hear the news. His wife was ecstatic. Within days, he purchased a high quality youth/ladies model compound bow for his partner. Loaded out with sights, stabilizer, silencers, a half dozen arrows and a few other accessories, the set-up cost just under $700.

The draw weight on the bow can be adjusted as low as 35 pounds — perfect for a petite adult woman or a budding teenager.

"She's been doing a lot of target shooting and is already shooting two-inch groups out to 20 yards," my friend said.

Hopefully, my friend's wife will keep right on practicing. Practice breeds confidence in archery hunting. It also tones and conditions muscles you never realized you had. More importantly it enhances accuracy, a key component to making good, lethal shots on whitetail deer and other game animals.

Adults who are planning to turn a youth hunter loose in the woods with bow this fall should be responsible about it.

Make sure the young hunter can shoot proficiently enough to earn the right. There is no place in the woods for a sloppy bow hunter.

Make sure arrows are equipped with fixed or removable blade broadheads that are razor sharp. Expandable or mechanical broadheads are not recommended for use with bows with a draw weight less than 50 pounds.

Be sure the hunter has completed the state-authorized hunter education course before he or she is allowed to hunt alone. It also would be wise for beginning archers to enroll in a voluntary bowhunter education course. The bowhunter education course is not a substitute for the Texas hunter education course, but archers can learn a lot of "specialty" information in the course.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers several student bowhunting courses though the International Bowhunting Education Program and the National Bowhunting Education Foundation.

The course can be taken online, at home or in a traditional classroom setting. Check upcoming class schedules and options at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/hunter_education/bowhunter.phtml.

While on the subject of hunter education, it should be noted that the minimum age for Texas hunter education certification has been dropped from 12 to nine, the same as the minimum age required to participate in the Texas Youth Hunting Program.

Anyone born after Sept. 1, 1971 is required to complete and pass the Hunter Education Training Course in order to hunt in Texas. Hunters 17 or older who have not completed the course can purchase a one-time deferral for a fee of $10.

With the fall hunting seasons fast approaching, TPWD officials are encouraging anyone who needs to take the course to sign up quickly to avoid the last minute rush.

"It would be much better to enroll early and avoid the rush right at the beginning of the hunting seasons," said Terry Erwin, Hunting Education coordinator with the TPWD. "Don't wait, because the number of available courses begins to taper off as the hunting season grows closer."

The cost for taking the course is $15. To learn more or to locate a list of upcoming courses in your area, check the Internet, www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/hunter_education/, or call 1-800-792-1112, ext. 4999.

Matt Williams is a free-lance writer based in Nacogdoches.