What age did you introduce your kids to hunting?

[Rifleman86]

What age did you introduce your kids to hunting?

What species did you pursue?

Most importantly, do they continue to enjoy hunting and will they likely continue hunting as adults?

I’ve got an almost two year old… Curious when/how is the right way to get him hooked.

 

[DCT1983]

My daughter turned 9 yesterday and she’s just not ready I don’t think. I’ve got her shooting a 22lr and she really enjoys that. She seems apprehensive to shoot the 6.5 cm that my dad had built for her. I’m really hoping we can get her out next year when she is 10. I was 11 when I started, but that was the earliest it was legal to hunt when I was a kid.

 

[541hunter]

My son turned 9 this year and shot his first blacktail buck with a 6.5cm. He has been tagging along with me on a few hunts each year since he was 5. I think he enjoys it. He has said though he loves going hunting with me as long as there is not something more exciting to do, which made me laugh.

I think it really depends on the individual child and only you will know best when they are ready. I reminded my son several times that when the moment comes to pull the trigger, if he doesn’t want to for whatever reason, that it is perfectly ok to tell me that. I tried really hard to apply no pressure for him to pull the trigger. My thought process was if I force him to do something he isn’t comfortable with at the time, I maybe be jeopardizing the chances of him hunting with me in the future.

 

[Like2hunt]

Still have “teen” on the end of my age and I been hunting mule deer and elk for more years then some adults have. I think it depends on the kid on old they should be before they go out

 

[zacattack]

What age did you introduce your kids to hunting?

What species did you pursue?

Most importantly, do they continue to enjoy hunting and will they likely continue hunting as adults?

I’ve got an almost two year old… Curious when/how is the right way to get him hooked.

Gonna follow this thread closely, Mines 1.5 not ready for this year but I’m seriously wondering about him tagging along on a squirrel hunt next year.

 

[cuerro viejo]

My daughter started shooting deer last year at 8. She shot 5 does. She has been hunting with me since 2.

I have a 4 year old that may never be able to have a rifle, she is feral

 

[Trr15]

Introduced my oldest daughter and my son at 7yrs of age. Planning to do the same with my youngest daughter in a few years. Went all in, elk, deer, antelope. My oldest likes to hunt with me but won’t likely hunt as an adult on her own. My son will definitely keep up with the family tradition. Youngest remains to be seen.

 

[wapitibob]

Both daughters at 12, oldest didn't like it. The youngest, a vegetarian, enjoys it.

 

[4fletch]

What age did you introduce your kids to hunting?

What species did you pursue?

Most importantly, do they continue to enjoy hunting and will they likely continue hunting as adults?

I’ve got an almost two year old… Curious when/how is the right way to get him hooked.

Every kid is different. I made sure my children knew as soon as they could comprehend it that what they are eating is animal and plant and that those are/were living things. To respect life, that we must consume life to live and how it gets to the table. The older kids still like to bird hunt but are busy during deer season. The youngest is chomping at the bit but lacks the ability to sit still just yet.

 

[willtim]

I have two sons. They killed their first deer at six and seven years old. They are early 20's and very accomplished hunters.

 

[Rifleman86]

Gonna follow this thread closely, Mines 1.5 not ready for this year but I’m seriously wondering about him tagging along on a squirrel hunt next year.

I actually had him in the kid carrier while I walked around with a 22 today. It wasn’t really “hunting” but more just getting him used to being in the woods with the chance of shooting at squirrels.

He’s far too young to understand what’s going on, and too “squeaky” to really see anything, but it was something to do to get out of the house, and a way to get into the woods during my favorite time of the year without any grief from the wife.

 

[Jd259]

My boy turned 4 this year and he’s coming with me to Colorado for my third season deer/elk hunt and he couldn’t be more excited about it it’s all he’s talked about for the last two months fingers crossed all goes well and he gets hooked you defiantly have to adjust your hunting to cater to them but I’m all about that if he gets hooked on it…

 

[CoStick]

Mine are 8&5, I don’t think either will hunt. The love to eat elk, help scout and break down animals. They are pretty solid little backcountry hike,campers but prefer to fish. They have had a bunch of exposure but prefer other endeavors at this point.

 

[TN2shot07]

I’ve carried my little brother since he was 3-4 whitetail hunting, shot his first one at 8. I always used a blind when he was small, plenty of room to stretch out and let him have fun. Plenty of snacks, a couple small quiet toys and he was happy as could be. Don’t take it too serious and make sure it’s fun for them. It cost me a couple deer but well worth it. You can introduce the suck part of it as you see them developing a real interest. He’s almost 16 now and is only getting more into it

 

[nodakian]

Mine helped with infield gutting by age 3 but were too noisy to hunt. I took a few years off after moving to ND then started taking them at 6-7. They are now 13 and 15--older one has shot a couple does and a good buck but isn't very interested. The other one is all in on shooting stuff though.

 

[Keep On]

Took my son along hunting starting at 10. He is in college now and seems to be getting out of it, he may return later, he may not. He never got bit with the hunting bug like I did. He still comes along fishing.
When they are little, make it about them. Short trips are best, make sure they've got snacks and don't get too cold or bored.
Some of my favorite memories are being out hunting and fishing with my son.

 

[137buck]

My son has been hunting with me since he could walk, I started him out hunting out of blinds and moved from there. Now at thirteen, he's been on multiple back country back packing hunts and he can't get enough and prefers to bow hunt over rifle. Now for the not so good parts, as a young kid, they can't sit still or be quiet for too long, and as such, he did chase game off, but I'd rather have had him with me to enjoy it than not have him with. This year though, he did 90% of the calling for elk, and he had multiple chances to shoot an elk with his bow, but it didn't happen, now we have two weeks left of general season and he's killed his deer and I got a bull, so the rest of the season is for him and hopefully it happens, if not, I do know he's hooked hard on hunting and that's awesome.

 

[grossklw]

I’ve been taking my 3 year old pheasant hunting since he was about a year old. I throw a set of headphones on him and off we go, I’m a much shittier shot with him up there but I do not care. I retrofitted his carrier to my stone glacier so I have the comfort of my western hunting frame

 

[dieselchessy]

Started going along as toddlers, first pellet gun at 5, 22 at 6, completed hunters safety and started hunting at 9 with their own 20guage and 7mm-08’s. Both had harvested elk, deer, turkey, grouse, ducks, geese by 12 or 13.
One loves hunting and fishing like I do. The other goes along about half the time and could probably take it or leave it.

 

[30338]

We started bringing them early. It was just about them having fun and I sacrificed hunting time to make sure it was a good time for them. They are in their mid 20s now and both very accomplished hunters. We have great hunts together these days.

If I was a young dad again, I'd be buying multiple suppressors for rimfires and centerfires. It makes shooting more fun and I think will go a long ways towards having them enjoy the sport. Good luck.