Hunting vs children

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Children do strange things to you. Every year I hope for snow for opening weekend of firearms deer season, well this year we get it. We never have snow this early. It's the first real snow of the year. Now mind you hunting season openers are hallowed in my book, I never miss them. So here we have the holy grail of season openers and yet I find myself torn between hunting and going home to play with my son in the first snow he has really been old enough to play in. Well my son won out and I drove out of the woods early to go play with him.

 

[7mag.]

Kids change everything. I've changed a lot of things I never thought I would for my son. There will always be other opening days.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Kids change everything. I've changed a lot of things I never thought I would for my son. There will always be other opening days.

Oh I didn't regret leaving the woods for a minute. It was totally worth the lost time hunting to gain time making my boy happy. Two years ago I'd have never considered missing opening day of any deer season but found myself not being able to focus on anything but my son's first snow experience.

 

[justinspicher]

You are starting him on training to be outside during the cold, eventually he will be out in the woods with you all the time if you play your cards right. There are so many other requirements that pull us away from our children and actually spending quality time with them, solely focusing on them that when you get the opportunity, it's best to take that opportunity and run with it.

 

[realunlucky]

Good for you

 

[StrutNut]

Great decision and in a few short years he will be with you side by side.

 

[beachbunny]

"Would you rather be with your kid or go hunting?"
I remember asking my friend that a loooonnnnggg time ago when I had my kid.
I can't tell you how many hunts I've missed but I never regretted a one. Even when my friends rub it in and say how great it was.
Not for a second.
Matter of fact ,opening day coming up and i'll be driving up to college to pick them up.
I like picking them up,not dropping them off!

 

[bivouaclarry]

With a 9 and 11 year old at home I can say from experience, don't miss these opportunity's. It's so cliche', but it go's by REALLY fast and you'll regret not making those memory's together.

 

[Jimbob]

Cool thanks for sharing.

I have a 7 yr old boy, 4 yr old girl and 7 month old baby girl. My 4 yr old is the toughest, I leave for work and she has to give me three hugs and tell me how much she is going to miss me. She wants to come hunting with me every time I go.

This year my son sat in a moose stand with me and we got to see two moose. He's been coming out with me for three years. My Daughter was with me again this but we don't have a chance of seeing anything when she's out lol. She loves bringing books and snacks and talking loud .

 

[Scoot]

Liv2hunt, you chose wisely!

 

[MattB]

Great decision. My dad once told me "no one ever lies on their death bed wishing they would have spent more time in the office." It is the decisions we make today that we will reflect on during the most critical times in life, and I would hope that reflection would be of our fondest memory of family rather than our best days in the woods (unless it was with family ;-).

I read an interview with a notable hunter a few years back, and in it there was a discussion about how this person sacrificed time with family, kid's ballgames and such to train and to hunt and that those were just the sort of sacrifices that this individual needed to make to maximally pursue their hobby. I didn't get it.

 

[justin davis]

Good decisions. Your kids are more important!

 

[Travis Bertrand]

#dadlife is AWESOME! Wouldn't miss it for the world.

 

[jmez]

As it should be. There will be many more opening days for you God willing. Your son's first snowstorm to play in has now passed, forever.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

We all make sacrifices being away from our families when we're out in the field hunting, unless they happen to join us, but I guess it's just kind of a balancing act of where to draw the line. I read a thread a little while back where someone commented and said that to be a dedicated sheep hunter it requires one to be somewhat selfish because of the time and money devoted to this pursuit and I suppose that's true of any type of hunting pursuit. I guess it falls on each one of us to make our own decisions about what we can live with and what we can not with regard to the sacrifices we make to pursue our passions.

 

[Roy68]

Totally worth it. Every time!! I have a 3rd son that can't wait to go hunting. Next year is his year. Spend the time with them any chance you get. My boys will never care what kind of hunter I was, nor will they brag about it. However, they will care about what kind of Father & Husband I was, and I hope they brag about it.

9 year old's birthday gift _ Ruger American Rimfire

My oldest 2 on their first Goose hunt with Dad and a Cousin

Pass shooting doves using "EMPTY" BB guns to teach muzzle control. I left my shotgun in the truck just to teach

Middle son on his first turkey hunt. I woke up from my afternoon seista to find that the watch had fallen asleep.

 

[robby denning]

Very cool. what a "dad"

 

[Elkfever]

These are really encouraging posts for a soon to be dad, like myself, to read. Knowing that my passions and hobbies don't go away with fatherhood, but instead, maybe change and change for the better? With several looming tags next season, I am wondering how to make good on those commitments that I started as many as 17 years ago while putting my family first. My guess is that when my boy comes, these questions will answer themselves.

 

[rodney482]

I love taking my girls hunting... Its our time and to me its priceless.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Glad to see others taking their kids out into the great outdoors. I love to get out with my girls, really look forward to our annual backpacking hunting trip!