First Youth Hunt-Gear-Area-Expectations?

[Jxferg7]

Let me start by saying as a Midwest Flatlander I started hunting the mountains 8 years ago-I did this to instill a new passion that would force me to learn something new and stay in shape year round. My son was 1 and I knew I wanted start slowly in hopes that I could learn how to traverse the mountains and iron out any kinks while continuing my annual mountain adventures with him. He has adopted the same passion without leaving the flatlands! He just turned 10 and going to plan on taking him along this September.

Expectations are not the highest with some of the area I am familiar with being very steep and nasty country-it used to be the case where this country would limit some hunting pressure but this is not the case any more HA. Planning on going out a couple days before season as he wants to try some fishing in the high country and then will pursue some Elk for the remainder of the week.

My question is for Gear. I have learned over the years that Boots, Clothing, and Pack can make or break a hunt and turn a GREAT hunt to a miserable week in the mountains-learned from experience. What companies have you had a good luck with youth gear?

For the experience itself would you change up your hunting area to area you have never seen, researched, or set eyes on to coincide with your youth hunter or stick with the deep, dark, steep, deadfall timber your used to and take it slow and do the best you can to make sure you don't ruin it for your new hunter. My son is not new to hunting or fishing living in South Dakota but new to the mountains. Any information you could send my way would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[TaperPin]

Dark timber is really cool if you’ve never seen it before. It will also be nice that you know what’s there already.

Years ago there were two guys who sit around all winter and are quite overweight, barely pass a forest service physical, yet they would sign up every year as a seasonal grunt. I don’t know them, but I’ve seen the crews they’re on go 10 miles up and around some fairly steep country first thing in the summer, with a number of guys getting washed out after a week because it’s so physical, yet they always hung in there, which made me really curious. Turned out they have discovered how taking regular breaks lets them recover enough to go all day. I don’t mean hiking until they’re whipped then a break, but at regular intervals on steep sections, say every 20 minutes, they would stop for 10 minutes and take their boots off. It kept their feet dry, which helps with blisters, and letting muscles take a break really paid off at the end of the day. It took them 50% longer to get up a steep mountain, but they always made it. Amazing if you ever saw them.

I’ve been on the mountain with some friends that were in really bad shape and we just did the same thing. Every 20 minutes a short break if they want it or not. It works surprisingly well. So well, it’s shocking that it’s rarely talked about. If your little dude is getting whipped stepping over downfall and going straight up, it might be worth trying. I will warn you those 10 minute breaks feel like forever.