Just wondered how many of you take your kids (or someone else's) hunting.
Starting out, what kinda setup and equipment do you use as far as stand, blind, weapons, and such?
Ever had any trouble with kids that are only partially motivated?
Any good hunting stories with the kids?
Taking the Kids Hunting
- SouthernHunter
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Re: Taking the Kids Hunting
SouthernHunter wrote:Just wondered how many of you take your kids (or someone else's) hunting.
Starting out, what kinda setup and equipment do you use as far as stand, blind, weapons, and such?
Ever had any trouble with kids that are only partially motivated?
Any good hunting stories with the kids?
Last year my wife started hunting so if we both wanted to hunt we had to take the kids. One is 1 year old and the other is 3. Usually one of us would get out and walk, while the other one would find a lease road to park the truck on and just sit with the kids. If it was possible we would try to co-ordinate things so that the one walking might push deer to the one with the truck.
As for stories, well one day, despite dad's warnings, mom planted the pickup in a great big hole. Dad had to walk 3 miles to find cell service, the only person he could get ahold of was their pastor who owned a minivan. So dad had to walk a few more miles to get to meet the minivan, ride back to town and get his work truck, and then head out and pull the other truck out of the hole. It was wonderful, the pastor might have used the term "bad parenting" under his breath a couple times. But it sure beat watching "Big Bang Theory" re-runs.
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Re: Taking the Kids Hunting
Great story, you can laugh now but I'll bet you didn't that day.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Taking the Kids Hunting
My niece went hunting for the first time last muzzleloader season- it was awesome!
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16765&hilit=niece
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Re: Taking the Kids Hunting
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
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Re: Taking the Kids Hunting
My 15 yr old son has hunted since he was 12 and shot 3 deer so far. My 16 yr old daughter has deer hunted twice for a total of about 4 hours. We walked to one of my far spots last year for the youth hunt. A big doe came in and she was excited to be able to shoot something, but a smaller one was behind the big doe. I made her wait for the smaller one so I would have an easier drag and the big one winded us. Both deer disappeared into the cattails. My daughter decided then that deer hunting wasn't for her. She actually said that she didn't understand how all the big bucks are shot in 30 minutes on TV and we didn't even see one. I just laughed and said that I didn't know either.
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- SouthernHunter
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Re: Taking the Kids Hunting
I took my stepdaughter on a rut hunt when she was almost 12. I decided to take her to an awesome rut funnel that I found a few years before. We were late and it was already good shooting light when we setup but I was not worried. I knew this funnel well and deer would be filtering through all day. We setup on the ground where the funnel choked down to about a 25 yard wide lane with thick brush on both sides were she would have a close shot. After 30 mins a doe started coming through and locked on to us right away. We sat there froze while this doe starts slowly circling downwind stomping her feet a few times and trying her best to get us to move. After a few minutes she worked her way behind us and then a young buck walks out of the thick stuff right in front of us 50 yards away!! I was worried that the doe was still watching us but decided we had to take a chance and told her to slowly shoulder the rifle. By the time she was looking through the scope the little 5 or 6 point buck was standing broadside at about 40 yards. Perfect!!!
She was shooting a H&R Handi Rifle, single shot, break action, so she had to pull the hammer back first to fire.
I whispered to her, "pull the hammer back". After several seconds she didn't move and I repeated. Still she didn't move. I pulled closer and repeated a third time. Still she was froze looking through the scope. It had been probably 15-20 seconds I looked back at the buck and he raised his head and looked right at us and then walked away.
I asked her what happened? Why did you not shoot?
She said "after looking at that buck through the scope I just couldn't shoot him. He was too cute. We need to find an ugly buck. I think I could shoot an ugly one. "
I couldn't believe it. I guess girls will be girls.
She was shooting a H&R Handi Rifle, single shot, break action, so she had to pull the hammer back first to fire.
I whispered to her, "pull the hammer back". After several seconds she didn't move and I repeated. Still she didn't move. I pulled closer and repeated a third time. Still she was froze looking through the scope. It had been probably 15-20 seconds I looked back at the buck and he raised his head and looked right at us and then walked away.
I asked her what happened? Why did you not shoot?
She said "after looking at that buck through the scope I just couldn't shoot him. He was too cute. We need to find an ugly buck. I think I could shoot an ugly one. "
I couldn't believe it. I guess girls will be girls.
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Re: Taking the Kids Hunting
SouthernHunter wrote:I took my stepdaughter on a rut hunt when she was almost 12. I decided to take her to an awesome rut funnel that I found a few years before. We were late and it was already good shooting light when we setup but I was not worried. I knew this funnel well and deer would be filtering through all day. We setup on the ground where the funnel choked down to about a 25 yard wide lane with thick brush on both sides were she would have a close shot. After 30 mins a doe started coming through and locked on to us right away. We sat there froze while this doe starts slowly circling downwind stomping her feet a few times and trying her best to get us to move. After a few minutes she worked her way behind us and then a young buck walks out of the thick stuff right in front of us 50 yards away!! I was worried that the doe was still watching us but decided we had to take a chance and told her to slowly shoulder the rifle. By the time she was looking through the scope the little 5 or 6 point buck was standing broadside at about 40 yards. Perfect!!!
She was shooting a H&R Handi Rifle, single shot, break action, so she had to pull the hammer back first to fire.
I whispered to her, "pull the hammer back". After several seconds she didn't move and I repeated. Still she didn't move. I pulled closer and repeated a third time. Still she was froze looking through the scope. It had been probably 15-20 seconds I looked back at the buck and he raised his head and looked right at us and then walked away.
I asked her what happened? Why did you not shoot?
She said "after looking at that buck through the scope I just couldn't shoot him. He was too cute. We need to find an ugly buck. I think I could shoot an ugly one. "
I couldn't believe it. I guess girls will be girls.
Gotta start them young, my daughters think deer are cute, they stillwant to watch me "pull the bones out." When their little they accept whatever you tell them is normal, once they get older its harder.
They say millwrights can fix anything except a broken heart, but I've even got a tool that can do that!
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Re: Taking the Kids Hunting
yes take my 7 and 12 year old sons with me my 4 year old has gone woodchucking with me my 16 yearold never has gone hunting with but likes too fish
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Re: Taking the Kids Hunting
I started both of my boys at age 10. I never had any motivation problems with them, both of them just wanted to kill something
I started them in gun season. Hunting with a bow is a bit harder and both wanted to do it but gun season was easier to teach the basics and get them going. I didn't worry about stands, we hunted from the ground. With a pair of hand pruners, I taught them they could make a blind anywhere. I told them they would have to "earn" hunting from a stand. I also bought a bi-pod for the guns and taught them they should always use a rest if possible. So, sittin on the ground with the gun on a bi-pod, all they had to do is sit quiet (relatively) aim and shoot. Worked pretty good. I'd take a short stool, thermos of coffee and enjoy the morning while they hunted. They killed some deer. My oldest son's first kill was a doe. He was so excited he hugged it when we walked up to it
I think when startin kids hunting, it's important to keep it fun. Don't put a lot of pressure on them about killin big bucks only, and all the hogwash you see on the outdoor channel. They'll want to kill big ones but will still be excited to just kill one. They'll always remember those first few hunts regardless what they kill and look back to them as the most fun hunts they ever had.
After that first year I began to teach other principles in hunting and gradually worked them into pretty good hunters. I've seen some people put way to much pressure on their kids and try to teach them things that can only be achieved by seasoned hunters. It never works. Remember they're kids. Have fun
I started them in gun season. Hunting with a bow is a bit harder and both wanted to do it but gun season was easier to teach the basics and get them going. I didn't worry about stands, we hunted from the ground. With a pair of hand pruners, I taught them they could make a blind anywhere. I told them they would have to "earn" hunting from a stand. I also bought a bi-pod for the guns and taught them they should always use a rest if possible. So, sittin on the ground with the gun on a bi-pod, all they had to do is sit quiet (relatively) aim and shoot. Worked pretty good. I'd take a short stool, thermos of coffee and enjoy the morning while they hunted. They killed some deer. My oldest son's first kill was a doe. He was so excited he hugged it when we walked up to it
I think when startin kids hunting, it's important to keep it fun. Don't put a lot of pressure on them about killin big bucks only, and all the hogwash you see on the outdoor channel. They'll want to kill big ones but will still be excited to just kill one. They'll always remember those first few hunts regardless what they kill and look back to them as the most fun hunts they ever had.
After that first year I began to teach other principles in hunting and gradually worked them into pretty good hunters. I've seen some people put way to much pressure on their kids and try to teach them things that can only be achieved by seasoned hunters. It never works. Remember they're kids. Have fun
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