How did you introduce your kids to hunting?

[el_jefe_pescado]

…And at what age?

I’m betting there will be a wide range of answers to this question as every kid is a little different. As the father of a 4 month old, I figure it’s never too early to start taking notes…


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[Hunt eat repeat]

At age 5 I air dropped my son into the Yukon with a Swiss Army knife and a role of dental floss. Gotta start em early.

 

[bbell]

They’ve been in the woods in a kids backpack as soon as they fit in it. General hiking and scouting for the most part. Never to early to get them outside. Last summer my youngest, a couple months short of 5 at that time, did a 9 mile round trip hike. Keep em busy and they can go for awhile.

 

[come2elmo]

Put them in the truck and make it fun and expect to be headed back to said truck early. Snacks bring snacks. Mama will let you hunt just about all you want if you take a kid with you. Did I mention snacks.

 

[Lowg08]

I started carrying my son in a backpack carrier really early. To feed the dogs. I would take him rigging dogs until he got sleepy. I’ve carried him in a pack carrier ramp digging and hiking. Then turkey hunting

 

[Rich M]

Just include the kid(s) in what you do. If you love it, they will too.

The folks have pictures of me fishing in diapers - with a fishing pole. Used to go hunting with dad all the time - earliest memories are in the woods or on the water.

 

[fatlander]

Get them outdoors in a backpack as soon as possible. Take them hiking, camping, fishing, etc. As they get older, if they want to hunt, they’ll tell you. And if they don’t, they’ll tell you.


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[Jbxl20]

Lots of snacks and a book or toy. I try to make the squirrels and birds interesting to them. When they ask to leave I make them wait for just a few minutes or I tell them how about one more cast. Then I pack up and we head out before they get completely bored of it. I don’t want to make hunting a chore and miserable for them. If I take them out it’s about them and not the animals. My son is 6. He’s been out with a crossbow and a rifle (.223) for deer. Even tho I know there’s about a 1% chance he could get a shot off, He’s a lot more attentive knowing he’s the one that’s hunting and he’s not just tagging along with Dad.

 

[Smallie]

No kids yet but my Dad potty trained me pheasant and dove hunting. Cut leg holes and a slit on the top for my head in the game pouch on the back of his vest and carried me all day. He told me if I peed on him I had to stay home with Mom. Worked like a charm. He also had me in the duck blind or the deer blind with plenty of snacks and coloring books. Also was fishing in diapers. I think those couple years of commitment and sacrificing his own hunting/fishing quality just to have me along really helped get me hooked on the outdoors. So as I got older it was lot less work for him and I wanted to be there, he never dragged me along or forced me to go. I would say get kids in the outdoors at a young age and let them determine for themselves if they want to tag along or not as they get older.

 

[Fatcamp]

We drag them with on our adventures. Camping, boating, exploring. They were introduced to hunting by watching us bow fish and run trotlines. Last year was their first big game season.

11 and 13. You just have to measure their ability and what they can stomach. Killing is a big deal and not all kids can just drive in.

 

[Customweld]

My daughters started going with me when they were just old enough to walk. Coyote hunting was how I started them. We got to see lots of animals on the winter range, and always made a game of who could spot the first\most animals. They have always fished with me on the jetboat and are quite seasoned anglers. All of them have harvested great muley bucks, a few elk, antelope and bear. As they got older, I made the mistake of pushing too hard and in turn, they lost interest in big game hunting.

 

[Fatcamp]

I think Customweld mentioned the most important thing, don't push. Let them come into it naturally. Our kids have to come with us to do things because it's what we do, if they want to look for rocks or bugs that's fine too.

 

[mtn5]

Just include the kid(s) in what you do. If you love it, they will too.

This. This is the first rule of thumb as a teacher. If you love the subject material and are excited about it, the kids in the classroom will be on board with what you are teaching. Same goes for your own kids.

 

[MP.hunter]

Here in WA there are a ton of youth tags they can draw, there is nothing wrong with an easy doe tag to start hunting. I try and avoid any general season with overcrowding and having a kid makes it pretty easy to access private, most land owners are very cool if you ask permission for you kids. Turkey hunting is also a great first hunt for them, the weather is usually nice and they have a great time listening to gobbles.


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[grossklw]

I only have a 2.5 year old...but this is what I've been doing. I spend most of my free time pheasant hunting in WI in the fall so he gets tossed in the pack with some electronic headphones on and we go follow the dog for a couple hours. Had a few close flushes and he gets a kick out of it.

Missed a gimme last year, beautiful trail out, rooster flushes right under my feet. Blow 3 easy shots. He pats me on top of the head,” good job dad”. About the only thing that could’ve made me laugh at the time.

 

[Cng]

Following! I’ve got a one month old boy. My first.

 

[qwerksc]

Fishing first, the tug is the drug, then hunting is just a natural progression.

 

[Moserkr]

When my dad was a kid, my grandpa would bring him pheasant hunting at age 5. He would have a BB gun and shoot whatever was interesting. When my sister and I were born, dad took us road hunting for pheasant from when we were infants to age 5. Would also shoot snails crossing the rainy patio cement with a BB gun in a prone position with the sliding door cracked. Listened to all the hunting stories after he got back for as long as i can remember. Shot my first bird at 8, been fishing since I could hold a rod.

Fast forward to my son who is 3.5 now. He has lots of fishing toys and toy guns. We practice shooting deer/bear on the wall and pretend in the yard. I took him fishing starting at age 2 and have been rebuilding a boat for us for more fishing adventures in the future. I just make it a part of life since its a part of mine. Hes already learning how to cook game too.

I want to take him out backcountry deer hunting and fishing with me around age 5 so Im absorbing some intel here. I know snacks and being warm/comfortable are key. Hearing @bbell kid can do 9 miles at 5 gives me a lot of hope for a big hunt. My parents never pressured me and ill let it come natural. My son loves learning about nature so i teach him every rock, plant, and animal i know.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

My kids are 6 and 4. They aren't too fond of hiking any more than a mile or so. Any trips to the woods are short, with lots of snacks. They do enjoy shooting bows in the yard- usually for about 5 minutes at a time. My goal is to introduce them to the outdoors, but not force it to the point that they hate it. As they get older, they will be able to hike farther and their attention spans should be longer, so bigger adventures will be more doable.

Last fall the family tagged along on an antelope hunt. They stayed in camp for the morning, but when I had a doe on the ground they joined in on breaking it down. They were very interested in checking her out, putting their hands on her, and watching me make all of the cuts. Once I got the hide peeled off, my daughter got a kick out moving the legs all around to see how the muscles and tendons worked together. They gained a new appreciation for the animal and for where meat comes from. It was a pretty neat experience to share with them.

 

[Foggy Mountain]

My daughters were out very young. I’d run hounds with them on my shoulders. Take them checking traps, sitting in a jet sled I pulled. They’d make arrows, splice feathers, load ammo, w me watching.
Before 2 they were both shooting bows. At 15 months the younger caught her first fish. The older one was just under 2. The outdoors isn’t anything less than all we do. They’ve been around it and actively involved since they could walk.
A pic of the little ones first hunt. Was a good day and she was just barely legal.