Kids in the woods

[TSAMP]

So I have a situation. I'm curious on feedback from folks on here. This is a medium parcel of land, call it 120 acres. Nobody lives on this main tract. Myself and my father do all the upkeep. My sister and her family recently fixed up a home on an adjoining small acre parcel. I live 2 hours away but am back often for chores and hunting. My Niece and Nephew have started exploring and are enjoying parading around the creek and timber of the main section of land. Specifically my favorite rut funnel area.

My BIL offered to have them stop or play elsewhere when I brought it up. Upon reflecting on it I said go ahead and have them keep at it if they want but come November I'll be in there and dont want to deal with the disturbance. I spent my childhood running wild in the woods and feel like itd be a shame to stiffle that for them.

Realistically they run right through the bedding area to get there, but it's a small enough farm I don't see it as a core area for most the bucks. I also have 2
other farms I hunt so it isn't end of the world. How do you guys handle disturbances in your timber or "multi use"?

I am being a baby and am aware of it.

 

[rgref522]

screw the kids buy them a play station and keep them out of the woods

i get your point but realistically this is the other option, 120 acres is alot of ground, sure they could find other places to play and its reasonable to stay out in November but my God let the kids fall in love with the woods the same way you did.

youre watching to much mainstream TV worrying about "Field and Stream" textbook hunting. One day you'll take your niece or nephew to harvest their first deer, and you'll forget about that bedding and core area they ruined for you when they were younger when you see the look in their eyes after harvesting their first deer.






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[sndmn11]

I wonder if setting up some trail cams so they can understand what is there at the times they are not would spark some animal interest in them? Maybe that would lead to setting up a box blind tree fort nearby where they could observe the deer from far enough away to not be in the bedding area?

 

[TSAMP]

I wonder if setting up some trail cams so they can understand what is there at the times they are not would spark some animal interest in them? Maybe that would lead to setting up a box blind tree fort nearby where they could observe the deer from far enough away to not be in the bedding area?

Thats not a bad idea. There is an old tree fort in an area I don't hunt I should send them too. I don't share trail cam pics with their dad cuz he distributes them to co workers. So prob can't trust the kids either haha.

 

[sndmn11]

Thats not a bad idea. There is an old tree fort in an area I don't hunt I should send them too. I don't share trail cam pics with their dad cuz he distributes them to co workers. So prob can't trust the kids either haha.

Show the kids the does and the birds and the cuddly squirrelcoons?

 

[Clearedhot1]

How long have they been playing there? If it has been a while and you have not noticed a change in deer behavior, they are probably used to it.

I would propose it as a safety issue— that you don’t want to accidentally shoot a child. That should encourage the parents and the kids to stay out of there real quick.


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[String&stick]

No one has told you? Little kid smell (under 12 years old) attracts giant bucks! Just look through the magazines after season when the kids send in photos, tons of monsters! Let them run free

 

[CoStick]

Let the kids play.

 

[Antarctica]

Get them into hunting. Trail cams, teach them about sign. Once they understand the upside and their impact, maybe they won't "play" so much as 'scout, etc.. Depending on age, may take a few years, but will be worth it.

Above all, keep them in the woods.

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

When those kids grow up they will remember with fondness being able to run wild and free on their uncles property. I think it is reasonable to ask them to stay out of the woods while you're going to be hunting but other than that let them enjoy it.

The animals will get accustomed to the disturbance and they will adjust.

I would make sure that you don't have any trespassers who would put the kids in danger.

 

[TSAMP]

Yep I think that's the right call. They're attention spans pretty short anyway. As much as I prefer undisturbed woods I'd rather them be out there than inside sitting around. Just needed a reality check. Pretty easy to get stuck in your own world which revolves around your hunting haha.

 

[Moserkr]

Deer arent dumb - they know the kids arent a threat and it wouldnt surprise me if their presence doesnt bother them. Wonder how many times the kids walked right past bedded deer that didnt even get up, on their way to play. Could use that to your advantage knowing the deer could be used to human activity.

Ive watched deer watch hunters hike right past their bedding areas close to a parking area during hunting season. After the pre-dawn morning rush, the deer waited 30 min then strolled right across the trail while everyone hunted a mile from their trucks. In the dark waiting it was funny how loud people were hiking in and obvious with headlamps, as I sat 25 yards off the trail. Those deer probably just rolled their eyes and laughed as they slept in.

Put up some cams and i bet the deer dont bat an eye to some kids playing if thats the norm. Change it now and that to me would be the red flag the deer see.

 

[Like2hunt]

Oh yeah I see what your seeing. My uncle has a farm that always has deer on it. He doesn’t hunt very much but let’s me hunt it and it’s nice having some private ground to hunt with deer on it. My grandpa and uncle is the same way. They let me hunt their massive ranch whenever and for whatever. By you letting your family on there it could definitely help those kids get into hunting. Let them shoot a deer on your farm and get that in their blood and they have a good chance of being hunters for life. They might even decide that they want to move off private and into public. I’ve shot around 10-12 deer, 2 antelope, and turkeys off the farm thanks to depredation tags from my family. And I’m only a teenager. That first doe I killed I can remember that day I knew I’d be a hunter forever. That’s what they need. Let them hunt and explore. You won’t regret it.

 

[Maki35]

They're kids, let them play. It sounds like they're enjoying the great outdoors (unlike other kids that are glued to a screen playing silly video games.)
And as you said, when you were young you enjoyed running wild through the woods. Let them create their own memories.
Kids grow up quick, before you know it they'll be teenagers and have other interest (girls.)

Like you said it's not the end of the world because you have 2 other farms to hunt on.
You sound like a nice uncle.

 

[bowieknife50]

I used to hunt a spot that wasn't exactly public land as we usually think of it, but it was open to the public. I have witnessed deer heat somebody walking down the trail, move 15 yards into cover, and come back out all within 2 minutes. There were a lot of big bucks using that property and though I was never good enough to kill one of the really big ones I did kill a nice one. Also I was hunting in a tree 5 yards of the trail and was never once spotted by the hikers. Fun stuff.

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[AZ8]

Yep I think that's the right call. They're attention spans pretty short anyway. As much as I prefer undisturbed woods I'd rather them be out there than inside sitting around. Just needed a reality check. Pretty easy to get stuck in your own world which revolves around your hunting haha.

We were all kids. Let them play!

 

[SWOHTR]

Don’t be greedy, take them to the woods and let them play.

 

[bushangler]

My daughter and the neighbor kids are in our woods playing and riding atv’s every day. I think it’s helped my deer hunting. Before they played out there the slightest whiff of a person and they were gone, not any more!


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[RMM]

Deer that see human traffic get used to human traffic. I was rifle hunting a piece of public land that is very popular for hikers. I saw probably a dozen hikers before I saw my first deer after walking 6ish miles. The first deer I came across was a doe, bedded 50 yards off one of the trails just watching us walk by. I didnt have a doe tag and we stood there and talked about how easy of a shot it would have been. She eventually just stood up and walked away.

 

[FLATHEAD]

We grew up roaming like wild men. Went wherever we wanted, no questions asked.
Hunting, Fishing, building Forts, and Dams on creeks.
Nobody ever said a word to us.
So thankful for those memories.
I love to hunt, but in many ways it has become too important for many.
It took me a long time to realize that even epic hunts will not change your life.
To the OP; thats a tough situation to be in, I understand both sides.