Young hunters

[Sapper]

I was just wondering, at what age do you start taking your young hunters on a backcountry hunt? My son will be 10 in a week and I was pondering the idea of taking him on a backpack elk hunt next year. Not to be shooting yet, but to just go along. He asks every year and is as anxious as most of us were about hunting with dad. What are your opinions on it? Thanks

 

[twall13]

I'd take him, especially if he is anxious to go. Make sure you prepare him for the rigors of a backpack hunt but get him out there. Your odds of a successful hunt will go down with a kid in tow but the experience will likely be one neither of your will forget. I'll be forever grateful my dad took me along with him when I was a young kid. His take on hunting has changed over the years. He's killed enough animals that he now goes more to spend some time with his son's than for a successful hunt... that time together means a lot to both of us.

 

[Sapper]

Thanks Twall! I take him hunting now. He killed his first deer about 2 yrs ago and is now hooked on bow hunting.(missed one last yr!) he loves training with me and backpacking so I've given it a lot of consideration but wanted to hear what others thought. I'm definitely figuring on my chances being tougher but I think it'd be well worth it. Hell, ya never know how long you'll have the opportunity to do it. Thanks again for the insight!

 

[beachbunny]

i would definitely take him,just like taking a kid fishing for the first time,make it fun and don't expect much.
my favorite time with mine was when he actually missed his first deer on a youth hunt,
great story and that was years ago!
enjoy the hell out of it cause you'll never get that time back!
so there we were,just the 2 of us,buried deep in the thicket,he in total camo, me in straight drab wool. this was one of my favorite, goto honeyholes. perfect for a first go for a kid. dawn broke and i saw the stag's feet as he moved quietly along the trail. he slipped out right where i knew he would, we waited til he turned his head and i had my son mount the single 20 to his shoulder..........
yeah,just take him!

 

[Dos Perros]

I think every kid is different, but 10 is certainly beyond some "minimum" age. When it comes time for me and my son, I will ask myself the question "can he sit and glass and not go crazy?" Everything else I think they can handle.

 

[hobbes]

My son hunted with me on several day hunts before he did a backpack hunt. He was 10 when I took him on his first backpack hunt. The hike in was tough (5 miles by trail), but he had been hiking in the mountains with me quite a bit. It was a 3 day weekend hunt so not too many days to start. He wanted to stay longer than my work responsibilities would allow, so apparently he was having a great time.

You have to go into it with the mindset that you will hunt at a pace that your 10 year old can handle and be happy with the time together. Killing a bull would be fantastic, but you'll need to adjust your goals to make it a great experience for your son. If you go into it placing a lot of pressure on him to perform at the level that you would hunt on your own, your're asking to crush his dreams of becoming a backcountry hunter. That's my opinion. My son is 16 now and my 45 year old legs are doing good to keep up with him now. I've still got him by a hair if you add on a full pack, but that isn't for much longer, and he still has to follow because he's lost if he doesn't. Teenagers.........

 

[Sapper]

Thanks Gor your thoughts and opinions! I appreciate it! I would definitely be into that trip. A bill would just be a bonus!!