Should hunting be uncomfortable? -Bringing up young hunters

[Cedarsavage]

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.

I think it’s safe to say the time out generation isn’t keeping up with the *** whooping generation

 

[StuckoYota99]

Make it their choice to come with you.
When I was young I had no choice but to go fish no matter the weather. Took all the fun and desire out of it and I haven't fished for close to a decade.
But I also enjoy hiking and hunting way more.

 

[TaperPin]

Each kid is different. The couch potato who’s sensitive, thinks bugs are icky, and thinks yard work is torcher needs an easy hunt. I like kids to have a say and give them options - we can hunt an easy way and have less of a chance of seeing a big buck and it will be more boring, or we can push ourselves into the better area. It’s just like taking kids backpacking or hiking - kill them when they would rather relax and enjoy the countryside and they won’t be hunting with you for very long.

In my mind the real focus needs to be in providing opportunities for fun, excitement of the chase, have enough equipment so they are comfortable, and acceptance that they will do what they like regardless of what you wish they would like. Even in families where big bucks, timberline hunting, and shooting straight are a major part of the family culture, not every kid will fall in love with it.

 

[fatlander]

I’ve pondered on this a lot since finding out I was going to be, and then becoming, a dad. I don’t just think about it from a hunting perspective, but I think about it for life in general. Struggle and difficult endeavors are good for everyone. Finding the happy medium of security and struggle is something my wife and I talk about a lot for our child. Not sure what the right answer is, but I know it’s not giving them anything and everything, waiting on them hand and foot.

Back to hunting:

When I started out hunting, there were no youth seasons or special pools of tags. At that time, no one was teeing up mature animals for their kids in cushy blinds with guns on bog pods; at least no one I knew did that. You were lucky if you had someone to give you a hand me down youth model Remington and let you tag along. I was one of the lucky ones.

Hunting season started on a Monday, which meant I couldn’t go until the following Saturday in my first few years. As I got older, my parents would let me skip out part or all of the opening day, if I was doing everything else in my child life well enough.

One thing that I was incredibly fortunate to experience was hunting in two areas not far apart geographically, but with night and day different game densities. One of my uncle’s was part of a large lease with hardly no game. Another uncle was part of a large lease with tons of game. It was incredibly common to not see a deer for days on end with one uncle, and incredibly uncommon to not see dozens of deer a day with the other.

My uncle with the lease with lots of deer put a rule on me when I was young that I could not shoot bucks for the first few years I hunted with him. I’m really thankful he did that. I got a lot of reps killing does when I was young, and I had something to look forward to and work towards. He explained to me that I needed the practice and needed to prove I could shoot bucks. He knew good and well that I could shoot them from the jump, but he didn’t want to spoil me. I’m forever grateful for that. I’m also forever grateful for my uncles lease with very few deer. It taught me how to actually hunt, and it taught me to appreciate hunting in target rich environments.

I think I’m going to do something similar if my daughter shows interest in hunting as she gets older. Shooting 4.5+ year old bucks out of a ground blind on youth weekend while dad is holding your iPad isn’t hunting, that’s another iteration of every kid getting a trophy.


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[TaperPin]

I don’t remember who posted it, but remember the guy who was planning a hunting trip around the animal his young son was interested in - a badger maybe? That’s cool. When I was on the big island, I couldn’t help thinking a kid would really enjoy smacking one of those black goats, then snorkeling a few days. lol

 

[Whaledriver]

Great topic. Just took my 12yo up on his first backpack hunt. We went in about 4 miles. I was prepared to stay 5 days or 5 hours. I will be honest, the hike in was hard on him. We took some breaks, talked about things and he pushed on. We finally got to our spot and he said "wow Dad this spot is amazing" . We went to bed that night and woke up around 3am to some bulls sparing within a 100 yards of the tent. Long story short We chased elk for 5 days. His blood was boiling!! He would be first out of the tent each morning now. The last day we got on a bull right at 300 yards. His hands were shaking pretty good. He cracked off a couple rounds and missed. The bull headed for the hills. He sat there with a tear rolling down his cheek. I said welcome to elk hunting buddy. I am proud of you. We talked about next year on the hike out. He said this was hard Dad but a lot of fun! Can't wait to go again next year!

I can't think of an activity that is better for young people than hunting. Lots of life lessons out in the woods.

Couple tips that worked for us. I let him make almost all decisions on stalks and setups. That helped getting his mind pointed to the elk vs the cold temps ect. Make it fun. He liked to name the areas we were glassing. Finally, the wood stove in the tent at night and in the morning helped.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Overthinking things, take them along to do what you do and hunt how you hunt, chances are they'll love every minute of it. They'll wear out quicker so when they're done you're done.

IME my boys never knew being comfortable was an option so they never cared. If you tell them they're miserable they'll be miserable.

 

[KsRancher]

Conditioning/exercising within sports is probably better for that.

^^^^This. My boys are cross-country runners. I took them on an elk hunt this year. The first hunt for my youngest (15yrs old) and second elk hunt for my oldest (18yrs old). Yesterday was hiking in with my youngest and I looked up a STEEP rock and oak brush covered mountain and said "that would be an awesome place to glass from." It went up 700ft in 1800ft. HOLY SMOKES! That kid turned uphill and flew up that hill like nothing I have ever seen. It was nothing short of amazing. He never slowed down.

 

[FAAFO]

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

 

[The Harbor Master]

I have three kids, 8.5, 7, and 3. I worry about this all the time. The 2 oldest have been on a handful of squirrel hunts and one deer hunt. Cold is the biggest thing, and keeping hikes reasonably short for their age and skill level.

For now, they act excited about going hunting, but they also haven't seen much of how hard and miserable it can be. I worry they'll consider hunting something they aren't interested in, before they get to see how fulfilling it is.

Wishing all you dads the best, it's hard to know if you're getting it right.

 

[cnelk]

Me and my dad back in 1969 in N Minnesota.
I had crap clothes and boots compared to today’s standard.
No snacks either.

I always went with my dad. Didn’t bother me none.
I’m still hunting.

 

[rifletuner]

There is no simple answer, because what works for one child may totally fail for another. In my own case, my son has been extremely motivated to hunt and shoot from a very young age. When he was 8, he started some predator/pest hunting with me at night with a spotlight. Its relatively easy and comfortable since its largely driving around and shooting mostly undisturbed animals. and you tend to shoot a few so there is a good level of success.

By the time he was 15, I started him hunting deer in the Victorian high country with me. Its much harder hunting walking up and down a lot of elevation, and often not seeing any animals at all. You are often just looking at old deer sign and to begin with we would only see a deer every couple of trips. But deer hunting is now his favourite hunting. If I had started him at a younger age, it may not have held his interest, but I will never know for sure.

 

[sierracharlie338]

My daughter is 11 and is quite unhappy when I hunt without her. She has been in the blind shivering as well as sweating like crazy but I have never made her be there if she didn’t want to be there. Conversely, I have decided not to take her on a couple of occasions when it would have been miserable. I try to leave the decision up to her no matter the outcome.

She will hopefully be hunting this coming season for her first deer as she continues to hone her shooting abilities.

As others have said, I don’t know all the answers but I know that my kiddo keeps wanting to hunt and as the parent of an only child, and a girl on top of it, that makes me happy.

 

[woods89]

Interesting topic. I think there is as much misguided conventional wisdom on this topic as how bullets and cartridges relate to efficient killing.

I think around 5% of the US population hunts? So can we start off with the assumption that certainly not every child whose parents are hunters will want to hunt, as only 1 in 20 of the general population finds it compelling enough to dabble in at even the lowest level. Hunters in the sense of the community here likely are 1% or less. So perhaps it's important to have realistic expectations.

I would love to see this topic studied and data produced. Most people seem to approach hunting with their kids mostly from a "this feels right", not from anything data driven. If I think about the advanced hunters I know, often they actually came from homes where hunting in the sense that they do now was not a thing.

I think most parents start their children too early and handhold too much. I'm definitely in the camp of them needing to be able to operate the appropriate weapon competently before they start filling tags. Growing up in KS the state required that you be 12 to purchase a big game tag, and I don't feel like I or my brothers were disadvantaged in any way by waiting until that age. I also think that they should be introduced to hunting as it is, not in some softened way.

All that to say, I do the same thing, lots of I think, I feel. I'd love to see what a well done study would find on what makes persistent, independent hunters well beyond them going with their parents.

I'm much more concerned with my children becoming ladies and gentlemen than outdoorsmen and women. And seeing them be interested in camping and canoeing with me is more important than hunting with me. If they want to hunt, by all means they will have the opportunity, but it's certainly not one of my big expectations for them.

 

[Marble]

I think in order to appreciate the times it is uncomfortable to be in the woods, you have to be motivated to do the activity and want the reward at the end, more than whatever comfort is missing. That takes time, experience, and often maturity. Even then, it isn't for everyone.

I have been part of a program that takes totally inexperienced hunters, ages 12-16, turkey hunting each spring. What i have learned is to make sure they are as comfortable as possible so they can concentrate on everything else going through their mind when that moment comes.

I want those first experiences to be what they use to fuel their desire to continue hunting.

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[Gun&BowSD]

Wow, this blew up. Thats awesome. I feel like we are all in the same boat, and as with anything there is no guide book. I have done my best to bring mine up. We do alot of shed hunting and they love it. But thats spring time. I have taken my oldest in my blind archery hunting and had multiple times of does and small bucks walking within ten yards. I've done the "should I shoot one?" And so far he's said no. So I haven't. But he was sitting there with his bow across his lap like I sit. Which is awesome to watch your little people copy your habits. That's also been early season so it's not the "sitting still cold" that goes deep. You all know what type of cold I'm talking about.
I don't remember the exact quote from earlier but somebody had posted about not making something uncomfortable to add hurdles to reality. Which I agree with. I wouldn't intentionally put my kids in some wet mud puddle or something just to do it. However, sometimes in hunting you end up in a wet mud puddle. Hell, you may very well be crawling through it.
It's just a funny thing to navigate the waters of parenthood.
Appreciate the good conversation.

 

[Scoot]

So much of a "right answer" depends on the kid. Some fall in love with hunting immediately, some take longer, some never do. The more hooked they are the more they will tolerate the suck. Age plays a role too, but some are pussies from a young age and and never change and some are tough as boot leather early on too. I've also seen some tough youngsters turn soft as they got older too. So... it depends...

 

[wesfromky]

I sorta think if the only time a kid is in the woods, is sitting still, being cold and miserable hunting, then the odds are low they will stick with it. If you want your kids to turn into hunters, I think having a whole family outdoors lifestyle is probably a way to increase the odds. Camping, hiking, rock climbing, mtn biking, etc. Get them hooked on being active outside, teach them the basics of being a "woodsperson" and then hunting may stick. If not, you have given them a leg up on all the other kids that live an indoor life.

I haven't read it or anything, but steven rinella has some kids books I think.

 

[Traveler]

I don’t think about it as being comfortable vs uncomfortable. Just want kids to hunt with me, whichever type and situation that is. Maybe more comfortable if the weather is good, maybe less if weather is bad. Sometimes we hunt from a comfortable cabin sometimes we camp. Sometimes you have to go into a steep hole, sometimes you don’t.

What I really hope they pick up through the process is to have a goal. And to put in the work and endurance needed to meet that goal. Sometimes that is easier than others, but you have to be prepared and keep going towards the goal regardless of circumstance and situation. Do what is needed.

 

[Yoder]

I wouldn't do anything to make it more uncomfortable. I would just hunt like I always do but geared more towards the age of the child. That would dictate how far we walked, how long we sit. When I was young, we sat all day, and it didn't matter what the conditions were. I survived but it was pretty miserable. It's funny how misery turns into fond memories over the years. One hunt I remember more than almost any other I didn't even shoot anything. I just remember being so cold and wet that I had to be close to hypothermia. To this day, I have never been so cold. I was more worried about disappointing my father than freezing to death, so I stuck it out. I don't think it's a bad thing for it to be tough, but you might just want to get them hooked on hunting first before making it too hard.