What age did you introduce your kids to hunting?

[mxgsfmdpx]

I’m the only hunter in a family of 6 kids. Really just depends on what the individual child is interested in. I’ve seen first hand that forcing your kids to partake in YOUR hobbies is only going to turn them off even more.

My oldest son is 4 and so far he talks about how he can’t wait to hunt with my wife and I. He’s gone on some scouting trips with me and got bored quite quickly though.

We’ll see how it goes in another few years.

 

[hunt1up]

My daughter is 10 and my son is 8. They started going deer hunting with me 2 seasons ago and my daughter got behind the gun last year and my son this year. Both have killed a few deer now and are really interested in it. We only ground blind hunt at this point but will start into double ladders soon.

My kids are resonably patient for their ages so I've been testing that patience by making a point to get in the blind a little earlier than necessary on evening hunts. I've got them pretty well conditioned that a 3 hour sit is expected and the mininum. I find that a little planned boredom early in the hunt helps them see that it isn't just go out in the woods and shoot a deer, that it's a process. So far that strategy has worked pretty well.

Turkeys and antelope will be next in the progression.

 

[LBennington]

Mine are only 6,3, 6 mo. So I guess time will tell, but they have been going along since before they could walk. Either in a backpack or on a horse. Sometimes it’s just scouting because of the weather but they have a blast. My 6 year old is already planning when she gets to go and shoot for herself. I don’t force them and if they don’t want to go that’s fine, but it’s kinda what we do as a family so they are introduced to it very young. They enjoy the whole thing. Pictures below of them with moms antelope, riding out a sled full of elk quarters, helping with meat processing

 

[Djacker]

My daughter's first hunt was at 6 weeks old. She tagged along for a WY antelope hunt. She did great, slept the entire trip. I hope she like the outdoors.

 

[ebonnette0118]

I got divorced when my daughter was 18 months. That's when it all started. She went with me on all the adventures. Hunting, checking trail cameras, fishing, ATV rides, game processing, etc. We mostly did short evening deer hunts the first year. The next year we turkey, deer and squirrel hunted. Most hunts were from a blind and I brought blankets, paper and colored pencils, snacks and my backpacking stove to make hot chocolate. If it was cold I brought a heater. I knew I had to make it about her those first few years and make our outings enjoyable for her. If she was with her mom (which wasn't often), I would take every single animal I killed to her mother's to show her. I wanted her to feel like she was a part of those hunts even if she wasn't physically with me. I could tell from early on she was very interested, so I started buying and setting up guns and a crossbow for her. When she was 5 we started shooting .22s and she was a natural. When she was 7, we didn't get much opportunity to hunt due to my work schedule, but she did pass up one opportunity at a small doe. This year (8 years old), she has matured a lot and was really excited to hunt. We shot her crossbow and Ruger 77/357 and she was little miss deadeye. We crossbow hunted a lot and she finally got an opportunity and hit a small buck far back and low. We searched for hours the next day and never found the deer. She was really upset about not only not finding the deer, but that she had wounded it and it was suffering. We had a long talk about it and it did not deter her from wanting to keep hunting. A few days later she killed an awesome 8 point during our youth season. I've never seen her so excited and torn up! Same with me, definitely my best hunting experience by far. Lots of time preparing her (not pushing) and equipment for that moment.

Side note...a tripod and hog saddle type mount is the bees knees for kids.

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[roadrunner]

Young. Way before any legal hunting age.

 

[loganwayne]

dont have kids yet myself. But growing up my dad only grouse hunted. there's pictures of me crawling through the house with his puppy and a grouse wing. i can remember being 6/7 years old going out with him with a single shot 410 that broke down, and plenty of times him breaking it down and sticking it in his vest because i couldnt carry it any more.

 

[Klbeeks]

Age 4 for my daughter. She started tagging along with me on my better weather whitetail hunts. She's 6 now and still goes with me every chance she gets

 

[jthreeidaho]

I have two boys 6&9 that want to go with me every chance they can get. The patience is lacking but it is getting better. The 9 year old is working on his online portion of hunters ed. He will be able to apply for tags next year so we will see how it goes.

 

[gholson1]

My son has been hunting since he was 5 with me. Took his first doe with a slug gun at 5

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[PorterNY]

I have 4 kids… they all started around 10 years old running coonhounds with 22 rimfires….. they soon graduate to big game at 13 in our state. I have enjoyed watching youth hunters first hunts / harvests as much as any hunt I have had personally.

 

[Titan_Bow]

My son went with me on an antelope hunt when he was 7 but I pulled the trigger. That was his first real hands in experience with it. At 8 he shot his first rabbit. At 10 he shot his first turkey. At 11, his first deer. He shot his first archery deer at 12 and his first nice nice buck and elk at 14. He’s 16 now and more focused on school, friends, etc. and does not really want to go with me now. Hopefully after puberty and teenage years he will want to get back at it. He’s shot more stuff than a lot of grown men I know lol


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[lastcast33]

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.

last year at 8

 

[Southern Heritage]

Been taking my little girl and boy since they where 2 ish
she is 8 now and shes Missed one but will get it down. They turkey hunt, duck hunt, deer Hunt, quail hunt etc.
sometimes we hunt hours. Sometimes we make it 20 mins and then start a new adventure in there eyes.I have no idea if long term they will stick with it. However I don’t go in the woods with out asking them first if they want to go.

 

[coloyooper]

Great thread. I took my four year old out turkey hunting this past spring. He had a blast gobbling out the pop up blind window and wondering why no turkeys were coming in. He and I went pheasant hunting the other day which turned into a lot of me hiking him around in the backpack but man is he hooked. It’s all he talks about. He’s getting a Red Ryder for Christmas and I know he’s going to freak out. I’ll get my younger boy out with us soon enough.

 

[Glory]

Took my then 7 year old bear hunting and on a stalk for a big black bear, could tell it stressed her a little so backed off hunting a bit with her. Try again this spring at 9 y/o. My 2nd child is fearless.

All my kids have been a part of hunting since birth though. More road type hunting stuff. The up close and personal bigger stuff you need to tread a little more carefully with in my opinion. Will probably take my 7 and 9 y/o on a long range black bear trip this spring.

 

[Coues123]

With 5 kids who hunted now in their 20s and 30s, a couple of observations.
You can't start too early. You will have to taylor your hunt to their needs. They will each be different in desire and aptitude. The sooner you can figure out what they enjoy and then do it, the more they will enjoy it. You'll have more fun watching your kids hunt than hunting yourself. There is no pressure like guiding your own kids who have seen you come home from almost every hunt with something. You think a 4 hour car trip is a long time, a 10 hour hunting day can be entertaining. Thankfully there is a nap at noon.
They will learn more on a week hunting trip about life than in school for a semester. Take them out of school and go hunting. Take their friends with them, They are going to miss some trophy animals because of inexperience.
They will remember more adventures along the way, than actually harvesting the game. Good luck with fall sports and hunting. Kids will tell which one is more important to them. If you've ever driven all night after a Friday night football game to be on the horses at 4:30am to get where you want to be at daylight, it's worth it for your kids. Don't get caught up in the harvest, enjoy your time together. I say that with the caveat that all my kids killed elk, deer, turkeys and lots of other critters by age 12.
Enjoy the ride it will be over before you know it.

 

[mississippilpj]

My kid was 4 but he was turning 5 in 12 days, shot his first rabbit with his 410

 

[knale87]

Took my daughter turkey hunting last year and she was 5. She now doesn’t understand why she can’t go out every time I go.

 

[Southernhunters]

Started my oldest at around 3….he’s obsessed. DVR at home chock full of hunting shows kind of obsessed, just shot his first deer at 6….with zero assistance from me, jaw dropping kind of proud of him!

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