Hunting with my daughter

[Chad44]

I have a 13 year old daughter that likes to hunt and camp. She shot her first mule deer buck and antelope buck last year. She can hike all day and never complains. I'm debating on taking her on my early season high country mule deer hunt this year. She has been wanting to go but I'm worried about her getting bored come day 3-4. I prob won't stay much more then 5 days anyway. She's excited to eat mountain house and carry a pack. What kind of stuff should we do during the day. I have started a tradition when I'm hunting away of carving both my kids something cool so we can do that. I figure on bringing a lot of hot coco for her too. I'm sure we will have a fire one day so teaching her basic survival is a good thing too. I'm just seeing if anyone has some good advice for killing time with her.
Thanks.

 

[Beastmode]

Does she like to fish? When I bring my daughter we spend the middle of the day usually fishing to mix it up a little bit. Just be aware your primary goal goes from killing that buck you have been watching all year to making a memory that will last a lifetime and still maybe getting that buck!! Love taking my daughter with me!

 

[Chad44]

Yes she does like to fish. What rod reel is good for packing?

 

[Beastmode]

Look around for travel rods. 4 or 5 piece or even an extendable. There are a lot more expensive options to save weight but you should be able to find a spinner travel kit for $50-$100. We use the a eagle claw kit. We usually use a clear bobber and a fly. Fish in wilderness streams and lakes are usually easy to catch and opportunistic feeders so pretty much anything will work.
It does add a lot of weight to your pack but the more fun she has the more fun you will have!

 

[Chad44]

Awesome. Thanks a lot.

 

[Becca]

+1 on the fishing rod...we take our "mini spins" on most of our summer backpack/scouting trips, they are lots of fun.

Does she like to read? Consider hauling a paperback book for her to pass the time, bonus points for a book about outdoor adventures or hunting.

If she doesn't like to read, or you want to save more weight, consider downloading audiobooks to a smartphone or iPod. We listened to books on tape this way all of last season, and really liked having something to do in the evenings or on bad weather days when you get stuck in the tent. We listened to 12+ hours on my iPhone 4s (in airplane mode while listening, otherwise turned off) and came home with just over 50% battery remaining at the end of a week long trip...

 

[actionshooter]

Get her a journal to write in during the trip, my daughter did that when she was 15 and then did a 4H presentation on it.

I let her do an Ipod also.

 

[bbrown]

Yes she does like to fish. What rod reel is good for packing?

A willow switch with 4-8' of line on any of the numerous high country streams for brookies is a blast - light to pack too. Plus your catching fish with a stick which is pretty cool.

I really like the journal idea too!

 

[Chad44]

What do you guys use as bait? Little spinners or flys? What flys?

 

[2rocky]

Glad you have a 13 year old with the hunting bug.
Spinners like Rooster tails and Mepps work good on Brookies. More action too...
Midday naps are always good.

 

[Diveslot6]

Chad44,
Really like the tradition that you've started, carving some special item from your trips.
Traditions of most any kind can build strong memories for your kids.
One tradition I adopted after watching a RMEF cable show one morning, was the tradition of thanking the game; taking a moment after approaching a fresh kill, to reflect on the animal, its life and the habitat required to produce such an animal. When my daughter finally took her first harvest, a fine black bear after many, many hours in the field the two years before, I shared this tradition with her.

Aside from that, food to snack on and a way to get warm in inclement weather have been great helps to keep my family going on trips - though I realize weight will be a priority for your hunt. You're fortunate - and so are them kids. Best of luck when you go.

 

[Beastmode]

What do you guys use as bait? Little spinners or flys? What flys?

Little blue fox spinners and for flies a royal wulff seams to work everywhere I have been. As I said these fish are opportunistic feeders and will hit just about anything.

 

[Chad44]

Great. I'm looking forward to it. Sept can't get here soon enough