Deer per sq mile

[muleyapprentice]

This is a generalization and may not describe every kid.

What is success? Many times dads (or older brothers) define success as punching a tag. For the most part, girls define hunting success much differently than boys. If you two plan a hunt together, pre make meals, pack gear together, scout like Jtb said above, then you go on the trip… you will see something cool and unique no matter how much shooting you get into. MOST girls are happy to experience it with you and they appreciate some of the small things more than boys. If they kill something that’s good too, but killing alone doesn’t define success for them.

It was said above. Involve her in as much as the process as possible. It’s more skin in the game.

I do believe she enjoys the experience as she has hunted 2 years and hasn’t budged on letting two points live. She keeps asking to go so that says something!

 

[muleyapprentice]

Of course everyone has a different personality and she may not care one way or the other, but kids are funny and some of the simplest things can stick with them. It’s like a skill building trip and you’re the leader and keep the train on the rails, but when possible give them opportunities to use their judgement. I let them know I’m there for advice, or bail them out if something is going horribly wrong, but a lot of learning is doing things sub optimally. Maybe it’s giving them two good options to choose from, and sometimes maybe it’s all their choice.

I naturally want to charge up the hill any anyone along for the ride simply follows, but that can be as interesting as the rear seat on a tandem bike, so if it doesn’t negatively impact anything too badly, letting them do some route finding, or just being first in line heading up game trails might light up their face. In deer country, slowly working along ridges for bedded deer is exciting - I want to be first in line to show how fast to move and what to look for, but when they can take the lead it activates a different part of the brain. I have been known to walk ridges with zero chance for a shot when one gets kicked up, just to give them an adrenaline rush - and to show how it’s important to hunt in a way to be able to get a shot.

Kids always enjoy interacting with animals - like if you run across a small buck or doe that is walking away - having her softly blow a cow elk call, or just making a soft whistle and stopping the deer as it turns to see what made the noise is fun for anyone who hasn’t done it. Same for seeing how close you sneak up on a bedded deer you aren’t trying to shoot - just fun teenager stuff, but it also teaches skills.

Sounds like you guys will have fun hunting together - she wouldn’t volunteer for it if you didn’t get long really well.

It makes perfect sense to me now, I think I’ll give this a try and see if she’s more invested. Thanks!