Should hunting be uncomfortable? -Bringing up young hunters

[Gun&BowSD]

Wife and I were having a conversation I'd love to hear some thoughts on. Should youth hunters be introduced to hunting that can be uncomfortable?

I believe there is something rugged to hunting that adds to the experience. Being comfortable being uncomfortable. It's a fine line to walk, you don't want it to be miserable to where kids don't want to ever do that again, but I don't want it to be so comfortable that when they are uncomfortable later in life they think this is miserable. Get what I mean?

Put it this way, when you are say 30 and you climb in to a heated hardside elevated blind for the first time you think "holy **** this is great" as compared to being 30 and the first time you are OUT of your heated elevated blind you don't have the past experiences to be comfortable being uncomfortable. And you think "holy **** this really sucks"

Now, I didn't come up in the days of a felt hat, pack of marb reds and a 270. I understand there are luxuries we enjoy today that others in the past did not. (I just bought remote control heated boot insoles) I've also sat for hours without moving an inch in -10 degrees Mt Lion hunting without them, for years. So I can APPRECIATE what they provide, because I know the difference.

Our gear is much better these days, we are more comfortable than days of old. But where is that line? Just a thought I had that could spark some discussion.
Hope yall are having good seasons! And happy Thanksgiving

 

[Justin Crossley]

I try to make it comfortable enough that they want to come back. That is different for every kid or new hunter.

For little kids, lots of fun treats, and lots of warm clothes is key. And not taking it too seriously.

 

[AdamLewis]

I don't want it to be so comfortable that when they are uncomfortable later in life they think this is miserable. Get what I mean?

I get you. I think less in terms of comfort and more in terms of difficulty though.

Most new hunters I have been around, if they are cold or wet or cold and wet, boots took on water, wind is whipping them in the face, etc etc, will just quit. At that point they don't know enough the fulfilling aspects of hunting and won't gut it out to experience them. So I encourage those people to gear up appropriately.

But I do think hunting should be difficult, at least at first. But think that about most things. Getting served up a trophy animal at chip shot distance standing in a clear pasture from a heated elevated blind with a nice shooting rail under a canopy tends to sour people on future hunts that required crawling over rocky terrain in the rain for a hasty 200 yard shot with nothing but their elbow for a rest, just to get meat in the freezer.

 

[Mojave]

I think it depends.

A liftime in the military and I have met a lot of different hunters.

Everyone has a different theory on what it should be like.

Texas deer lease buck blind dudes, are used to sitting on their rear end for months on end. If they are on a lease that has some kind of quality deer management program going on they may not kill a buck, but they will surely see 50-100 a week.

Guys in New England hunt deer by tracking them in the snow, and only the best kill bucks. They have as tough of a situation as any western hunter.

Mid-West guys sit in deer towers and they also do drives, at cold temps.

Guys in Arizona and New Mexico spend a lot of time getting into position to sit behind glass for a long time. Those with out experience road hunt a lot.

In the Northern Rockies I feel like we used to kill things with our legs. Except for antelope, why would you walk more than 30 feet from the truck.

Here in Europe it depends on the country, there is a lot of tree stand sitting in Germany. I had 3 different hunts in 3 different countries this year. Austria was mountain climbing and looking through bins. The terrain dictated that.

Hungary was like hunting antelope in Wyoming. But I shot my best buck out of a tower blind. The two others I shot while stalking or off the hood of the truck.

Slovenia we hiked through the forest and mountains and used optics.

I guess it depends.

I remember stories of famous Texas law man who used to hunt in New Mexico and bitch about hunting in the Gila and not having deer stands.

A friend of mine from Texas was baffled by hunting in Wyoming.

A friend of mine from Kentucky has hunted all over the world. He prefers to hunt out of a deer stand.

Depends.

 

[IDVortex]

I try to make it comfortable enough that they want to come back. That is different for every kid or new hunter.

For little kids, lots of fun treats, and lots of warm clothes is key. And not taking it too seriously.

This.

 

[EastHumboldt]

I think it depends on the age and experience of the kid. Once they have made a kill or gotten close it can be more like the fire is lit in them, and they are more willing to endure harsher conditions. But really little ones… usually all they know is “I’m bored and freezing and I hate this”

 

[Jpsmith1]

Only you know your kids.

Looking back on my failure to raise hunters, I have notes.

1. Encourage but don't push.
2. Make it comfortable. Whether by gear or weather or what. If they're cold, they're done.
3. Make it 'successful'. Now, you get to define success to a large degree, but seeing game, even if you're not taking game, is exciting and fun.

 

[Mojave]

I have failed with all 4 girls.

I did everything by the book. It is harder these days.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I have two little girls I am probably 3-5 years from taking my oldest out with me on any type of real hunt. But it will probably be an antelope hunt and I will make it as “fun” and comfortable as possible for her. She is currently 2 years old

 

[S-3 ranch]

Now days kids shouldn’t get uncomfortable when hunting because they have awesome new boots, gloves , clothing to counter the cold and wet
I was mireble as a kid in rubber boots and army surplus clothing
Best thing I had was a down vest and wool blend work gloves
And a metal coffee can with a roll of toilet paper with rubbing alcohol pored into it as a heater , no enclosed blinds back then ether

 

[krisschmied]

I think it’s important to keep young hunters wanting to come back. Between my nephews and son, we go through LOTS of snacks and try to make it as comfortable as possible. I think the uncomfortable parts should come after a desire and love to hunt has been established.

 

[Gen273]

I don't know the answer to your question, as I could argue both ways. But I do know this, we are living in a society that is soft, Charmin SOFT.

 

[sndmn11]

I don't think there is any reason to make it uncomfortable or difficult. I spend spring and summer scouting so that my hunts are as easy as possible, I can't think of a reason to pseudo-punish a new or young hunter by adding hurdles to reality.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I think it depends on the kid. I know my daughter doesn’t have it in her for a back country, grind hunt. But she loves to go hunting, so I find hunts/tags that she’ll enjoy. We spent the day together last week and it was incredible. She had fun, I had fun, and something died. Every time I ask if she wants to go hunting and she says “yes” that’s a win!

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I’m struggling with this myself. I’m 38, and my oldest is 16, a daughter. For the last 10ish years I’ve hunted in some type of structure, usually a barn as it was perfect for where I hunted. Before last season I built a shack, and it’s pretty nice. Heater, windows, carpet, although it’s gone after this year. Looking at power options and a possible tv or tablet. I’m questioning if my kids even care to go to “hunt”. Myself, I miss having a woods option. I hunt on 20 acres and it’s mainly fields, there’s really no reason at all to sit in the woods. I can cover 90% of the place from my perch. But I was on a draw hunt three weeks ago and had to actually hunt. I miss it. Not the long walks and drag, but the sitting in the elements, becoming one with nature. You want them to have enough fun to come back, but they need to realize roughing it is amazing as well.

 

[Poser]

I've seen this go quite a few different ways. Some kids come of a viable hunting age chomping at the bit to get out and hunt like their dad. Some kids may be way into early on, but completely lose interest as a teenager. Other kids grow up spending time at posh hunting camps and are put on a trophy deer at age 6 or 7 and it was all just a social obligation for them. You do have to walk the line of not forcing your hobbies on your kids. I'll also add that, for the most part, deer hunting is just all around a terrible introduction to hunting for many kids. A lot of adults enjoy deer hunting for the same reason many adults enjoy golf and that reasoning just isn't going to resonate with some/many, even most kids. Work them up to deer hunting through small game and bird hunting.

 

[Davyalabama]

Take plenty of pictures - a lot the kid doesn’t know are being taken
Start a journal, now, write about your talks leading up to going - the experiences - etc

Being comfortable
Seeing game
Being able to talk and move around
Have snacks
Take a lunch
Don’t make it all day, short outings to start
Shoot some - if you can - target practice, etc
Have a gun they can shoot at range. BB gun if necessary. Bring the gun and let them shoot at a doe, at a duck, squirrel, dove, etc.
Remember, this is for fun, fellowship and memories. The Good Lord willing, there will be plenty of time later for serious hunting.
Forget your hunting, this is about them - you get to enjoy giving them a gift - it’s Christmas time all over - you each are getting gifts you may not realize you’re getting.
There is so much more I could write on this - do you want them to enjoy the outdoors with you - or spending time on an iPhone by themselves? It’s your lead.
Do you start reading a child War and Peace/John Maxwell, or do you start with children’s books? It’s the same concept.

 

[180ls1]

Conditioning/exercising within sports is probably better for that.

 

[rickyw]

Most of my hunts are backpack hunts, in Alaska. I try and be comfortable, but expect not to be, and never am. At some point I am either cold, wet, hungry, tired, thirsty, or all of them at once. It’s good to learn to manage an outcome with those variables working against you. For kids, you’ve got to slowly introduce them to the suck factor aspect. Shorter hunts, better temperature, neat things to see, less possibility for misery.

 

[Jmort1754]

Cold equals uncomfortable
Wet equals uncomfortable
Hungry equals uncomfortable

All those will end their desire to every hunt

As someone else said the idea of being comfortable being uncomfortable is better taught well after they have started hunting and maybe taught better with sports.