Any sage advice from the family men who have gone before me

[Josh Wright]

This is tough for me. I'm 35, but been in a family that has hunted for 100 years. I was born into the culture, and it has stayed with me forever. But concentrate on these:

The fellowship
The memories
The challenges
The improvement of skills
Missed opportunities
The kill

The great kills are unforgettable, but the hunts I remember most was when I was very young at 4 and 5 years old. My mother took me. My grandfather took me. I'm sure they took me when they knew I would scare all the deer away. Time and memories.

For young kids, I have a 3 year old, tell them your hunting stories and be dramatic with it. Mine enjoys them.

 

[WyoElk]

I'm in the same boat. I get my kids outdoors as much as possible and don't shelter them from the reality of hunting. In November I had a skinned out elk in the garage that my 3 year old girl was calling "my kangaroo." When I got done butchering it she asked me why I broke her kangaroo. I've showed my daughter game birds that she thinks is really cool. We always see them flying or on the river when we are scouting so she really liked being able to see them up close and touch them. I just figure that im going to keep doing what I do and regardless of what my kids show interest in I will support them %100.

 

[Cross]

how did you guys introduce life and death of hunting/fishing to your kids

If you want to share; what was a great memory being a kid introduced to camping/hunting/fishing

 

[Cross]

Good response's

 

[IdyllwildArcher]

Cross, my kids have a very healthy view of life and death because they've had a healthy experience of the reality of life and death.

Things like trying to "protect" your kids from the reality of what life is really about is doing them a disservice. Pretending that animals are sleeping when they're really dead does not help a child. Avoiding the reality of what our food is does not help a child. Avoiding the not-so-pretty part of doing what we do, the meat cutting, does not help a child.

Involve then in the entire process. The chase, the kill, the celebration, the processing, and the eating.

They'll get it, just like you got it. They're predators, just like you are. This stuff comes natural to us so long as we're not sheltered.

 

[Yellowknife]

how did you guys introduce life and death of hunting/fishing to your kids

If you want to share; what was a great memory being a kid introduced to camping/hunting/fishing

My kids have been around the hunting and butchering process since they could crawl, so life and death has always just been an excepted fact for them. Never "introduced" them exactly, it just is what it is. Any kid that has squished a bug knows what death is, so there is no hiding it anyway.

 

[Cross]

Being naturally exposed to life/death was how it happened for me as a kid. On a farm if you have live stock you have dead stock. But since my daughter has been born I haven't gotten a deer. So she doesn't have an exposure to it. I have some upland success but that has been field dressed. I need to find a good way to incorporate to some degree even with my limited success .

 

[1hoda]

Cross,
I'm with you - I grew up on a farm where death is as natural as life. But my adult life has been in town, and so has my kids'. As such I've tried to search out creative ways to teach them about where your food comes from. We talked about the bacon on your plate comes from pigs, etc.

Fishing is a great way for them to connect the predator / prey with the fish I caught is on my plate and now my supper. Most cities /towns have a place where kids can catch a lot of fish, so this was great for us.

Road kill is a routine way for city kids to learn the lesson... weird I agree but effective. That rabbit that got ran over, now he's a meal for those crows sitting there on the road.

Another cool way is watching the Berry College Eagle Cam. Your family can watch the adults bring food to the eaglets (mostly ducks and fish). They can easily see them tearing the food apart and eating it. The cool factor is off the charts too!

http://www.berry.edu/eaglecam/

 

[dangerousD]

All great advice. Can't really add anything that hasn't already been said other than make sure they don't view hunting as something you do to get away from spending time with them. Then they will likely resent it and maybe resent you unless you are making up quality time via other avenues.

Like everyone said, just involve them in small doses early on that doesn't burn them out or bore them and they will likely be hooked. Some will take to it and others won't. I have four kids ranging from 15 to 6 years old now. I'm looking forward to getting my 15 year old son on an elk hunt. My daughter is 12 but hasn't really taken to it. She enjoys time outdoors but sensitive to wanting to actually kill something on her own accord. But loves the meat and understands the relationship of where it comes from and something has to die. Still working with her but not forcing it. She does enjoy archery and shooting firearms.

Here's my 7 year old with his first turkey. And the biggest bird anyone in the household had ever shot so it was exciting for him to rub that in. Shot with a handed down .410 from my great grandfather.

 

[Jeff Martin]

the other thing is: put a bow in their hand ;-)

 

[6mm Remington]

Take them young and take them often! When you do take them especially when they are young think in taking care of their needs first. Keep them warm, fed, and hydrated and make it fun. If you camp take games they like and play. Show them the love and respect you have for what you are doing, the beautiful country, and the animals and you will be all set!

David

 

[6mm Remington]

Yes I caught this larger fish and my dad caught the little guy!



My own son Jeffrey when he was 18 months old! Grandpa pushing him on the game cart to go and retrieve a whitetail doe I shot.

 

[hodgeman]

The best way to introduce your kids to the outdoors is to take them with you from as young as you can manage. For kids who grow up hunting and fishing it is just another part of life. Some will continue on well into adulthood and some will not, but they will have had the opportunity and experience with you.

Yes- it will be a PITA sometimes, but you will have some of the fondest memories. Heck, my son's first ptarmigan and first caribou were special- much more so than any of mine. Just get them out there and let stuff work itself out.