Taking your kids hunting

[Lil-Rokslider]

Introducing my kids to hunting has been one of the most fulfilling things I've done in my hunting lifetime. Also one of the most challenging. There have been many hunts that have been cut short because the kids couldn't hang, and many hunts where we stood no chance at any success because the kids couldn't be quiet. Lots of snacks are the ticket to making it enjoyable, and me having realistic expectations and a goal of making it enjoyable for them as the first priority are important. I am certain that if I push them too far and they have a miserable experience when they're little, I could ruin hunting for them later in life. Who else takes their kids hunting? What are your secrets to success?

 

[Customweld]

Great job dad! I took all 3 of my daughters out with me. The oldest and youngest have both given it up but my middle daughter is sticking with it. As a note of hard learned wisdom, don't push them too hard. It's supposed to be fun.

 

[hunterjmj]

Started taking them antelope hunting at 2 and 4. Missed opportunity because they were loud but it's worth it and works if you're patient. Like you said, lots of snacks, short walks and warm clothes.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I take mine, but only when I'm mentally ok with not killing something that day. My kids (6&4) are beyond loud in the woods. We did manage to see a deer together this year, in our third year of trying. Too bad it was squirrel season.

 

[fatbacks]

Taken them out a bunch over the years and they usually do their best to make sure we don't see any critters... I have found boat based moose hunting is the easiest with them. My 8 year old spent 5 days in the Brooks Range this year backpack hunting and we had a blast... nothing was harmed and lessons were learned. Kids can carry more than they let on.


My 5 year old and I went on a shorter trip to the Alaska Range and made good on cutting a tag... I've always been pretty good about snacks, things to do, shelter, etc, but it changes the game when actually have to start cutting up an animal and packing meat. This caribou was not the most convenient location, but lots was learned about packing meat with a 5 year old in tow.

 

[Huntindog45]

awesome job dad. one of my biggest pet peeves in the world is when I hear people I know say "ill take them when they are old enough".. when i know their kids are plenty old enough already. one of my great friends had that maybe later approach. He was selfish. now his kids want nothing to do with hunting. My kids accompanied me when they were in diapers, when i pushed them in a jogging stroller. when i carried them on my back. In my opinion if we want to continue the hunting heritage we have to start them out early. otherwise we lose the kids to video games, and other interests. I never forced my kids. if they didn't want to go they didn't have to go. but they loved fishing and hunting and they wanted to go. Sure for a few years it meant i spent some frustrating days in the field. but now. My son is a Rockstar in the field. His skills with a fly rod or a bow or a shotgun or... are downright impressive. Unfortunately my youngest son passed away when he was 8. But by the time he was 8 he had caught fish and been with me on hunts that most adults only dream of. GET THEM OUT NOW,

 

[Dos Perros]

I'm taking my 8 y/o on a spot n stalk archery deer hunt next week...he gets two days off for fall break so we're going to send it!

He's pretty excited to go. I'm going to have a talk with him about it, how it won't be fun the whole time, we're going to get up early, stay out late, walk a ways, could be cold, etc. Not really to scare him off (he won't be deterred), but to give me some leverage when we're in the moment..."remember, you said you could hack it and I know you can..." I'm going to push him, but within reason. At home he doesn't get to whine himself out of things like doing homework or taking out the trash, and this won't be any different. My hope is that we spot some animals from the truck, so that most of our walking is to animals, or back to the truck. Either seem like motivating reasons to keep his legs moving.

My 4 y/o is pretty pissed she can't go, but both of them would be too much.

One thing I absolutely love about young kids in the natural world is how everything can be new to them, how they marvel at things I consider mundane. "Whoa look at this bug!" "Daddy there are like a trillion billion stars."

I pray we have a lot of great times in the outdoors coming...I think it's essential for my happiness and their development as good human beings.

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

Great job dad! I took all 3 of my daughters out with me. The oldest and youngest have both given it up but my middle daughter is sticking with it. As a note of hard learned wisdom, don't push them too hard. It's supposed to be fun.

Thanks for the encouragement my friend. "It's supposed to be fun." Is what I tell myself repeatedly when I start getting impatient with them.

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

Started taking them antelope hunting at 2 and 4. Missed opportunity because they were loud but it's worth it and works if you're patient.View attachment 466086 Like you said, lots of snacks, short walks and warm clothes. View attachment 466085

Ya buddy! Well done!

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

Taken them out a bunch over the years and they usually do their best to make sure we don't see any critters... I have found boat based moose hunting is the easiest with them. My 8 year old spent 5 days in the Brooks Range this year back backpack hunting and we had a blast... nothing was harmed and lessons were learned. Kids can carry more than they let on.
View attachment 466090

My 5 year old and I went on a shorter trip to the Alaska Range and made good on cutting a tag... I've always been pretty good about snacks, things to do, shelter, etc, but it changes the game when actually have to start cutting up an animal and packing meat. This caribou was not the most convenient location, but lots was learned about packing meat with a 5 year old in tow.
View attachment 466092

Oh man, those are some bucket list hunts for most adults! Well done my friend.

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

awesome job dad. one of my biggest pet peeves in the world is when I hear people I know say "ill take them when they are old enough".. when i know their kids are plenty old enough already. one of my great friends had that maybe later approach. He was selfish. now his kids want nothing to do with hunting. My kids accompanied me when they were in diapers, when i pushed them in a jogging stroller. when i carried them on my back. In my opinion if we want to continue the hunting heritage we have to start them out early. otherwise we lose the kids to video games, and other interests. I never forced my kids. if they didn't want to go they didn't have to go. but they loved fishing and hunting and they wanted to go. Sure for a few years it meant i spent some frustrating days in the field. but now. My son is a Rockstar in the field. His skills with a fly rod or a bow or a shotgun or... are downright impressive. Unfortunately my youngest son passed away when he was 8. But by the time he was 8 he had caught fish and been with me on hunts that most adults only dream of. GET THEM OUT NOW,

Thanks for sharing, and I'm sorry about your son. Life is precious and we should live each day like tomorrow isn't promised. I'll remember your story and your words "GET THEM OUT NOW" every time I take them hunting now.

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

I'm taking my 8 y/o on a spot n stalk archery deer hunt next week...he gets two days off for fall break so we're going to send it!

He's pretty excited to go. I'm going to have a talk with him about it, how it won't be fun the whole time, we're going to get up early, stay out late, walk a ways, could be cold, etc. Not really to scare him off (he won't be deterred), but to give me some leverage when we're in the moment..."remember, you said you could hack it and I know you can..." I'm going to push him, but within reason. At home he doesn't get to whine himself out of things like doing homework or taking out the trash, and this won't be any different. My hope is that we spot some animals from the truck, so that most of our walking is to animals, or back to the truck. Either seem like motivating reasons to keep his legs moving.

My 4 y/o is pretty pissed she can't go, but both of them would be too much.

One thing I absolutely love about young kids in the natural world is how everything can be new to them, how they marvel at things I consider mundane. "Whoa look at this bug!" "Daddy there are like a trillion billion stars."

I pray we have a lot of great times in the outdoors coming...I think it's essential for my happiness and their development as good human beings.

Agree with all of this. Follow up with us here after your hunt!

 

[fatbacks]

My 4 y/o is pretty pissed she can't go, but both of them would be too much.

My 5 year old was pretty enraged when his older brother got to fly in a bush plane. Older brother did his best to rub it in. That resulted in me planning a shorter, road based hunt my 5 year old. 8 year old stopped rubbing it in when we came home with a bull

 

[mooretitan]

I have taken mine since they were basically old enough to walk. My boys I never held back with them. Gave the a bag of skittles and off we went. One of the best lines long ago from my 6 year old at the time. "Dad we are on top of the clouds" during a Idaho chukar hunt. Last week in utah same kid. Dad these mountains are nothing like Idaho.
My girls I have take a little easier route. I dont push them as hard to climb. It has nothing to do with being girls they just dont have the same intensity. So we do a lot of fishing and rabbit hunting with them. The middle daughter will be 12 next year so it will be interesting trying to get her on big game. She has shot a ton of rabbits and has been on a few pig kills with me. Loves it

Pretty lucky

 

[slaton]

I’ve always taken my kids to the woods very early in life. The baby of 3 will be 15 next week and she was checking trail cameras with me before she could walk. She would ride in the chest harness baby carrier and we would travel the property. We would “deer hunt” when she was 2-3. We had a blind about 100 yards behind the house. It would take longer to get ready than we would actually sit but we made it fun. By the time she was 6-7 we would hunt out of lock on stand and could make it 2-3 hours on the warm evening. She seemed to be a little buck magnet and would get pissed when I wouldn’t shoot. At 11 I watched her shoot her first pig on a spot and stalk at about 10 yards and a deer the next day at 25 both with her bow. She shot a few more deer after that but discovered volleyball and became girly on me. And didn’t hunt at all last season. I was elated last week when she ask if we could hunt Saturday morning. Heck yeah we can hunt. She killed a doe that morning with her bow at 20 yards and it made it about 50.

W

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[grossklw]

My key is snacks. And lots of them.

 

[Loebs]

I am leaving with my two girls on Wednesday to antelope hunt in WY. They are 15 and 12. They both have tags, and are excited to go. We have been practicing shooting and shot placement, booth shoot just over 1 inch groups at 100 yards. I gave them realistic expectations. It will be cold, windy, and beautiful. We are going to be safe and have a good time no matter what and shooting an animal is a bonus. They are monsters in the mountains. Both have hiked over 10k multiple times since they were 3 and 5. More than anything I'm just looking forward to spending time in God's creation together.

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[Wags]

A few from this year... mine have been hunting with me since they were tykes. Now my oldest has 7 big game animals in his first 2 years being able to hunt big game... it flies by.

 

[bliner]

I have two sons that I’ve been taking hunting since they were ages 6 and 8. As already mentioned by others I have been careful not to push too hard and give them a bad experience that will turn them off for hunting. My older son has always enjoyed it in small doses, but isn’t in to working too hard for it. My younger son absolutely loves any and every kind of hunting. I think a lot of it just depends on each individual kids personality. I try to support and encourage hunting without getting pushy and taking the fun out of it. My younger son just got a nice whitetail last Thursday that he is super pumped about!

 

[Mantistoboggan]

I take mine (5 and 3) predator hunting. I constantly remind myself it’s for them, not me. We are often unsuccessful but they have fun.