Age to bring son on a hunt?

[MTElk1987]

My dad starting taking me elk hunting on day hunts when I was 4 (spent a lot of time on his back) and around 7 or 8 I started going on pack trips into the wilderness with him and my uncles. I had a small Shetland that I rode all over the Bob Marshall. I’d think as long as he can walk enough to stay warm then get him out there!

 

[waitforit]

He isnt ready to shoot an elk yet. In MN where we live he cant gun hunt anything legally yet. He is shooting a bow and a .22 at this point, baby steps on recoil. My buddy has an AR in .224 valkyrie with a muzzle brake that he can try next. This trip is all about dad and son time.

The 4-5 day duration is a must just given the 12-15 hour drive. I have to be prepared to take a morning or day off if we are struggling. I know from coaching sports that you have to keep it light and fun or they check out.
I looked at historical weather for the units in Wyoming Im considering and im seeing highs of 40-50 and lows of 25-40. I think that should be doable in a tent.

 

[Felix40]

I think if you are camping at the truck you should be just fine for as long of a trip as you want.

I did several 3 day bear hunts with my 3 year old last year. We ended up killing one about 4 miles in. I dont know if he will remember it but he had a great time. Every trip we spent a lot of time catching lizards and tarantulas and picking berries. The bear killing was secondary most of the time.

 

[Bowhunter827]

if he can physically and mentally handle it id say take him sooner than later

 

[J.G.]

I started taking my oldest son with me stalking white tails when he was 1.5 years old. Didn’t see a deer, he was talking the entire time, but he loved to see the squirrels and birds. They’re never too young to bring along, just make sure to remember their needs even when the bulls are bugling


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[Brandon_SPC]

My pops had me in the deer woods around 5 years old and chasing elk on the weekends with him around 10 years old. But like it was said earlier 4-5 days is a long time to take elk hunting for the first time. Remember it turns into a hunt around the kid, which can lead to you not filling your tag. I don't want that to sound bad but if done right you can kill two birds with one stone.

Personally, if I was in your situation, I would take him for the first two days. By the end of day two he will be tired but not burned out and if mom can meet you to take him home that would give you the last couple days to focus on killing a cow if you have not yet.

The last thing you want is the first hunt with his pops to be miserable and him never want to hunt again or take a very long time to want to hunt again. Give him just enough to fuel his desire but make those first two days about him, don't make it extremely focused on killing the cow, granted that would be a plus. If he gets tired of sitting get up and do some stalking and glassing.

Things to bring:
-Snacks
-Books on his reading level
-More snacks lol
- warm clothes

 

[Brandon_SPC]

Oops just saw that the 4-5 day trip is a must. Then be prepared to take the day off or at least a morning off.

 

[Scoot]

Take him as long as he wants to go and you go in with the understanding that having him along may reduce your odds of killing anything. I would bring him this I were in your shoes and I felt like he was ready. It's an opportunity to make memories you/he will never forget and to have a great time with your son.

 

[Highestrider]

My son had been hunting with me since he was 3. At 4 he started sitting in my tree stands with me. Little to no hiking and our stands are homemade on private property. He has been in-stand with me the last two years when we harvested an deer each year. He knows how to stay quiet and watch me arrow the deer. Such great memories. He is 6 now. My dad started me hunting with him when I was 6. I give credit to his tablet for enabling him to sit quiet at such a young age. My son also bagged his first 2-night backpacking trip when he was 3. It was a 2 mile hike in, stayed two nights, hike out. Bottom line...take your kids out now! They are very resilient in my opinion.

This is my first post on Rokslide. Loving this site.

 

[Btaylor]

Dad started taking me duck hunting at 3. Started climbing trees with him bowhunting at 7. By 10 there was pretty much no babying, he let me forget a coat on a 3 day river duck hunt in Dec. A trip around 11 or 12 he let me forget my sleeping bag on a 3 day Nov deer hunt. Learned some lessons the sticking way LOL. Wouldnt trade any of those days or trips for Bill Gates bank account.

 

[LBennington]

Two years ago I had an evening and morning to hunt. My wife wanted to go so my daughter who had just turned 2 came along as well. Between 4 and 5 miles back on horses to camp. Called in a 6 pt bull that night with my wife and daughter there. She loved it. Took her back up there this summer and she pointed out where the elk was. I never thought she even knew what was happening let alone could remember it. She spent 2 weeks in a wall tent between the ages of 1 and 2 months (while I hunted from a truck camp). She’ll be 4 next week and loves it. Son is just over a year and following the same pattern. Guess I don’t think you can start them too early.

 

[waitforit]

Im lucky this year because I also have a late season cow tag in another unit already for a hunt with some friends. If the hunt with my son didnt pan out, it might be possible to get back out before end of year.. or not.

Great pics and stories - cant wait to do this and report back on the results. Now i just have to prepare to make that drive with one driver...

 

[woody6899]

I’m a re entry hunter. I hunted with my dad up until college. I started back into pheasant hunting when my son was born and slowly getting back into big game. I have been taking my son on day hunts for elk since he was 4. This year I am camping for a week. Him and my wife will come up for the weekend. He loves the mountains and loves to fish. He is progressing along with me. It would be awesome if he was there for my first bull. My older brother and dad got there first elk on the same day.


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[JollyRoger]

I’ve started when my oldest was 4. Started with day trips, but last fall (he was 6) we did a few over nighters. I knew the trips would be more tailored to him in order to make it fun and be something he wanted to do long term. And I was more than ok with that

Black powder elk at 4

Glassing them up at 6

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[carsonkeys]

TAKE HIM and PICTURES!

This was my first hunt ever. I was probably 6 or 7 and remember it like yesterday. I remember the oddest things about that hunt like the way my dads coffee smelled that morning, the sound the saw made as he cut the butt-stock down on my break open .410 so I could shoulder it, the whine of the dog, and killing my first mallard.

My father, who turns 60 this year, talks about this often and loves to brag that I was a trooper and didn’t complain about the cold once (I can’t remember enough to know if he’s blowing smoke here).

I’m 24 now and have gone on seemingly much more grand adventures since, but this will always be where it started and truly my favorite memory. This picture is the only picture I have on my desk and is the first thing I’d grab if there was fire. I cherish the memories and the picture more than I can put into words.

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[justin davis]

My dad took me on elk hunts when I was 4. I can still remember that to this day. I’m sure I probably didn’t help him much. But he lite a fire

 

[mcr-85]

My son had been hunting with me since he was 3. At 4 he started sitting in my tree stands with me. Little to no hiking and our stands are homemade on private property. He has been in-stand with me the last two years when we harvested an deer each year. He knows how to stay quiet and watch me arrow the deer. Such great memories. He is 6 now. My dad started me hunting with him when I was 6. I give credit to his tablet for enabling him to sit quiet at such a young age. My son also bagged his first 2-night backpacking trip when he was 3. It was a 2 mile hike in, stayed two nights, hike out. Bottom line...take your kids out now! They are very resilient in my opinion.

This is my first post on Rokslide. Loving this site.

Welcome to Rokslide and great first post. Its a helluva lot better than the "how many posts do I need to use the classifieds?" posts that are the norm.

I've been taking my oldest boy trapping and coyote hunting for 2.5 years now. We started when he was 3. There is a lot of truck time in between traps or coyote stands so its easier with little kids. I took my youngest a couple times this winter when he was 1.5, mostly when mom would come along and help. My oldest is 6 now, and he wants to go hunt deer with me this year. He's been on a couple easy big game hunts, doe antelope and was in camp with grandma and grandpa when his mom killed a buck with her bow. We'll see how October turns out this year with him following me around. There is nothing better than getting your kids outdoors and making memories with them.

 

[Highestrider]

Thanks man, and those are some great pics. I’ve always loved my time in the woods but sharing with my kids has been really amazing. Actually, I also have a 8 year old daughter and she had been hunting with me since she was 5. However in the last year she is starting to shy away a bit saying “she wants to stay in with the girls.” I’ll still get her out a couple times a year, but she doesn’t come to deer camp with me like my son does.

 

[257Roberts]

Like some others have said my son has been going with me since he could walk. If you don't take him you will regret it!

 

[mtndo]

I took my son along on a backpack archery elk hunt (he wasn't old enough to have his own tag) in Colorado last year and we celebrated his 11th birthday at 10,000+ feet (what an awesome way to celebrate a birthday). My concerns of how he would handle the elevation, hiking and long days were put to rest early on as he handled it with ease including the hike in where he had his own backpack loaded with about 25 pounds of gear. Throughout the trip he thanked me many times and he had the time of his life (Dad did, too). The education kids get from an experience like this is more than worth the time they miss from school and what they learn certainly can't be taught at school. My son even learned how to bugle and cow call with his voice! I'll be heading out to Wyoming on September 13th and my son can hardly wait. Unfortunately with a birthday in the very middle of elk season (September 15) he couldn't get a Wyoming elk tag but he'll be able to hunt next year and with 2 years of elk hunting experience under his belt he'll be ready!
Take your kids hunting and let them experience the hunt, the mountains, the backcountry and all that goes with elk hunting. You'll create memories that will last a lifetime (for both you & them) and hopefully lay the foundation that will result in their appreciation and love of the outdoors, hunting and wild places.

Larry