Am I a jerk? (Read before voting)

Am I a huge jerk???

  • Yes

    Votes: 375 83.0%
  • No

    Votes: 77 17.0%

  • Total voters
    452
Joined
Nov 7, 2019
Messages
93
My father in law did this to my nephew. They were sitting in the stand together, nephew has rifle, big buck walks by, nephew sees it and tells grandpa, grandpa takes gun to view it and shoots it. Then gets it mounted and gives to nephew. It’s beyond comprehensible to me.

Wouldn’t you want that memory of you watching your son take the biggest buck of his life? The excitement? The aww? A memory that will live forever?

Just my two cents.


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Vandy321

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Joined
Feb 5, 2019
Messages
2,424
My kid isn't yet of hunting age...but when he is, he shoots what he wants...I'd rather him tell the story for the rest of his life about his hunt with his dad where he dropped this monster bull/buck, instead of looking back and remembering his dad pushing him aside to take the shot.

Short answer...Seems selfish to me. He minds...he just won't say it out loud.
 
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Pramo

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Jan 13, 2015
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Westminster, MD
He’s your kid or any kid for matter get over yourself and your homemade rules. Learn to let kids learn and have fun and enjoy your time with them.
 
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Joined
Apr 4, 2019
Messages
622
Location
WI
edited
Im on the jerk boat to or a version of it. After getting my girl friend into bow and gun hunting 2 years ago in treestands here in wisconson, id say its similiar but a little different then your situation. She is in process of getting hunter saftey so we use wisconsins mentor program so i have to be right next to her.

Im a firm believer in shooting anything legal to start then start climbing the ladder from there.

Secondly if a big bucks in range id way rather let her get the shot at it. When shes along and we have big buck sitings it brought back the shake that i had when i was 12 and just starting. Although if its not coming closer then 25 she understands that ill maybe shoot then.
 
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mgray

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 5, 2018
Messages
122
Location
Spring Green, WI
Nothing would make me happier or prouder than seeing one of my kids shoot something, especially while sitting together. This could be a fawn or even better, something bigger than I've shot.
 
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Messages
1,112
Location
IL
Whatever agreement you have made... I suspect that if a large buck were to step into view while you were with your son, you’d tell him to take the shot. That’s one of those iconic “Dad” moments.

Whichever choice you make, both you and your son will remember the moment forever.
 

Traveler

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Joined
Dec 20, 2020
Messages
389
Apply the same rules to him as yourself, has to shoot something bigger than he already has. He should get a crack at the forky if that is what he sees first.
 

Sooner

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
223
Location
The Sooner State
I let mine shoot whatever he wants to. An if a bigger one shows up he can have at it. I've killed my fair share of big deer.
 

Two Roads

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 12, 2019
Messages
187
Sorry but YUP.

I get infinitely more joy when my children are successful because that lays the ground work for them to someday teach their children the same values. I brought them hunting for lots of reasons but not so I could shoot the big one and they could watch.

Also, not so much on the ethics of using someone else’s tag.
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2016
Messages
689
Location
Tallahassee, FL
Agree with what’s been said for the most part.

#1. You shouldn’t condition them to always shooting the first thing that comes out, but if he’s killed ONE deer, he’s far from “we only shoot 4.5 year old mature bucks.”

It’s good for them to learn patience, putting in some time, and you don’t have to shoot something every hunt, but they are still a ways out from needing to learn that IMO.

Kid’s have limited attention spans, even if they are excited about something. 3 hunts where they see legal deer that you won’t let them shoot followed by a couple sits where they see nothing is likely to result in them not wanting to go the next time.

#2. I cannot imagine shooting a deer out from under one of my kids because I felt like “I’d put in the work for it.” I let them live in my house and eat my food too.

Here there are tags, only licenses and bag limits. So either person can shoot the animal. However I always plan on letting them shoot first and providing a backup shot if necessary.

The exception would be if they aren’t comfortable taking the shot, too far, can’t get steady, tree in the way, etc, and there’s no decent chance of improving their situation, or they say “go ahead and shoot him.”

Both of these come across as teaching them that inches of antler is the most important thing about hunting, which isn’t a great lesson.

Go watch some Meat Eater :)
 

GSPHUNTER

WKR
Joined
Jun 30, 2020
Messages
4,698
I wouldn't say you'er a monster. You just need to get your priorities in order. And remember, never ask a question, if you think you may not like the answer.
 

FLATHEAD

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Joined
Jun 27, 2021
Messages
2,297
When I've taken my son fishing/hunting, he's always the reel/trigger guy, I'm just the guide.
I'd rather watch my son get excited killing a big buck or catching a big fish.
I've called up for him the Biggest Turkey I have ever held and put him on bigger
Bass (11-lbs.) than I've ever caught.
Wouldn't have it any other way. I consider it a gift from God to have him there with me.
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2019
Messages
1,256
Location
Fort Myers , FL
Your a jerk but you do have some merit in the fact your taking your son hunting.
I dont have a son myself but I been around plenty of hunters who got to be with their sons and daughters when they took a nice animal. They seemed pretty happy about it.
I wouldnt cheat myself out of that pride in your offspring if I was you. We let the youngsters shoot what they want. It keeps them interested and feeling successful.
All year long when the meat is eaten at a meal you and he can be proud and say “This is Jonny’s deer”.
 
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mlgc20

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Joined
Oct 29, 2018
Messages
1,192
Location
DFW, TX
I don’t think you’re a jerk. But, I would urge you to reconsider rule #2. A few years ago, I shot a nice 10 point whitetail. My oldest daughter was with me, but wasn’t old enough to hunt yet. A couple years later, I took her hunting and she got a 10 point whitetail of her own. I can tell you, the experience of her getting her own big deer was significantly more fun than getting one myself. I bet seeing your kid get a giant mulie would be way more satisfying than dropping him yourself. I’m taking my daughter to New Mexico over Thanksgiving hoping she gets a mulie of her own and way bigger than anything I’ve ever shot.

Just my $.02.
 

Carrot Farmer

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Classified Approved
Joined
Apr 19, 2020
Messages
950
Location
Central Oregon
My .02….. Don’t be selfish

Let him shoot… it’s the opportunity of the going through the final process, that will turn him into an awesome hunter


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