Dad advice

[Weaver.b]

I am a fairly new dad I have a little 1.5 year old boy who is getting to be alot of fun and quite a handful. Getting him out on hunts is obviously still a ways off but I cant help but think how much I hope he will be as crazy about hunting as I am and how fun the time spent together would be.
I am the only one who hunts in my family so it has just always been in my DNA. I didnt really have a positive mentor starting out. I have just always had the drive to hunt. So I dont really have a mentoring basis that I can use for my kids.
Of course I would never push my kids to take on hunting if it wasnt something they were passionate about but I was just wondering if I could get some dad wisdom from you more experienced guys. What did you do to help your kids get interested or if your kids didnt pick it up do you think there is something you should have done different?

[tgreeno]

I am a fairly new dad I have a little 1.5 year old boy who is getting to be alot of fun and quite a handful. Getting him out on hunts is obviously still a ways off but I cant help but think how much I hope he will be as crazy about hunting as I am and how fun the time spent together would be.
I am the only one who hunts in my family so it has just always been in my DNA. I didnt really have a positive mentor starting out. I have just always had the drive to hunt. So I dont really have a mentoring basis that I can use for my kids.
Of course I would never push my kids to take on hunting if it wasnt something they were passionate about but I was just wondering if I could get some dad wisdom from you more experienced guys. What did you do to help your kids get interested or if your kids didnt pick it up do you think there is something you should have done different?

I am basically a self taught hunter from a non-hunting family. I learned the ropes by trial & error. I took my son hunting with me as much as I could. He still does some duck hunting, but never really stuck with deer hunting. I think every situation is different and every kid's personality is different.

If I had to give you a little advice. The early hunts, are gonna be short, and most likely unsuccessful. They are gonna get bored fast. Shooting something often, makes it more fun for them. Even if it's just a squirrels or rabbits. Too many deer hunts without seeing deer, doesn't help your cause.

[Weaver.b]

I am a fairly new dad I have a little 1.5 year old boy who is getting to be alot of fun and quite a handful. Getting him out on hunts is obviously still a ways off but I cant help but think how much I hope he will be as crazy about hunting as I am and how fun the time spent together would be.
I am the only one who hunts in my family so it has just always been in my DNA. I didnt really have a positive mentor starting out. I have just always had the drive to hunt. So I dont really have a mentoring basis that I can use for my kids.
Of course I would never push my kids to take on hunting if it wasnt something they were passionate about but I was just wondering if I could get some dad wisdom from you more experienced guys. What did you do to help your kids get interested or if your kids didnt pick it up do you think there is something you should have done different?

I am basically a self taught hunter from a non-hunting family. I learned the ropes by trial & error. I took my son hunting with me as much as I could. He still does some duck hunting, but never really stuck with deer hunting. I think every situation is different and every kid's personality is different.

If I had to give you a little advice. The early hunts, are gonna be short, and most likely unsuccessful. They are gonna get bored fast. Shooting something often, makes it more fun for them. Even if it's just a squirrels or rabbits. Too many deer hunts without seeing deer, doesn't help your cause.

Thanks for the advice. I have an opinion that may or may not be true. I know for me the big root of my hunting drive comes from being a kid turned loose with a BB gun. I used to stalk any critter that was in our yard lots of birds and chipmunks and I even remember in the summer time shooting dragonflies and my brother would put them in an empty 2liter hahaha. That alone time just me and the hunt as a kid sparked something in me. And my opinion is that maybe some kids with hunting dads or immediate mentors dont really get the freedom of the alone hunts as a kid because of course us dads are going to want to be right there too. So one of my goals is to let my boy experience some adventure alone like what I did as a kid.

[<DK>]

At the very least just always go home and take pics with them with every animal. Print them out and make an album even.

[Bedbug]

I am a fairly new dad I have a little 1.5 year old boy who is getting to be alot of fun and quite a handful. Getting him out on hunts is obviously still a ways off but I cant help but think how much I hope he will be as crazy about hunting as I am and how fun the time spent together would be.
I am the only one who hunts in my family so it has just always been in my DNA. I didnt really have a positive mentor starting out. I have just always had the drive to hunt. So I dont really have a mentoring basis that I can use for my kids.
Of course I would never push my kids to take on hunting if it wasnt something they were passionate about but I was just wondering if I could get some dad wisdom from you more experienced guys. What did you do to help your kids get interested or if your kids didnt pick it up do you think there is something you should have done different?

Slow.. take it slow.
From experience I would go as far to say at an early age your son will recognize something your truly passionate about. Each day he's exposed it will grow on his own level of importance. In reflection to your passion. I hear to many horror story's about father's pushing the envelope with effort to influence their children with hunting. The results favor negative emotions.

At a young age take act on the little things! (Little to us)
I do just that with grate success. I don't talk about this kind of thing much but so far with a 2½ and 5 year old it's working excellent.

[Weaver.b]

I am a fairly new dad I have a little 1.5 year old boy who is getting to be alot of fun and quite a handful. Getting him out on hunts is obviously still a ways off but I cant help but think how much I hope he will be as crazy about hunting as I am and how fun the time spent together would be.
I am the only one who hunts in my family so it has just always been in my DNA. I didnt really have a positive mentor starting out. I have just always had the drive to hunt. So I dont really have a mentoring basis that I can use for my kids.
Of course I would never push my kids to take on hunting if it wasnt something they were passionate about but I was just wondering if I could get some dad wisdom from you more experienced guys. What did you do to help your kids get interested or if your kids didnt pick it up do you think there is something you should have done different?

Slow.. take it slow.
From experience I would go as far to say at an early age your son will recognize something your truly passionate about. Each day he's exposed it will grow on his own level of importance. In reflection to your passion. I hear to many horror story's about father's pushing the envelope with effort to influence their children with hunting. The results favor negative emotions.

At a young age take act on the little things! (Little to us)
I do just that with grate success. I don't talk about this kind of thing much but so far with a 2½ and 5 year old it's working excellent.

Thanks man I like it!

[Rob loper]

I have 3 kids twins that are 12. And a 15 year old two girls and boy. Twins are girl and boy
Last year i got them all including my wife to get their hunting liscence. They all took all the tests they had muzz archery and shotgun They dont hunt really yet my boy has been once he liked it but they all play three different sports lacrosse basketball and the girls play field hockey and track not much time for them
I told them last year once you have your liscences you gave them for life so
If they wanna go hunting or ask too i take them
But i dont push it on them or pressure them at all
I think everyone should really take somekind of weapons class be it for hunting or just outdoors boyscouts girlscouts etc. i would really like to see a weapons familiarity class or workshop offered by state just to educate people about weapons and that the weapons are not the problem its the idîots who pick them up and use them the wrong way. I would say when your child reaches the age he or she can hunt
Give them the options dont hide your weapons and educate them about them. Dont hide them or keep them from handling them. Let them hold them touch them aim them break them down while educating them in a safe way. I think more accidents happen with kids when weapons are in our houses by the childrens curiosity or the dont touch that mindset. The right mindset and education is the key to getting our kids to hunt or enjoy the outdoors
Watch the horrible video games too. They imo are a huge problem. Its teaching young kids that the world is nothing but violence and killing. I know 12-14 year old kids who know more about assault weapons than i do from video games. Remember The youth we are raising right now are our future

[Emrah]

Fishing. My daughter is 5. I've taken her fishing with me for a few years. Just off a dock for bluegill. She even has her own pole. We bedazzled the cork handle with push pin stars, ladybugs, Mickey, etc. It's easy to hammer bluegills off a dock so she catches a lot. That's exciting to her. She's also learned early on that we eat the ones we keep. They don't process the "death" of an animal as such early on, but it does sink in. Teaches that you have respect for the animal.

She's also helped me process deer and wild pig into sausage, burgers, jerky, etc. I make no bones about the fact about what we're eating, but I leave out the gory details about killing, blood, gutting, etc.

If they see you do your passion in a blunt but respectful way, they'll gain interest in it because that's what "daddy" does.

Nature hikes are great too. She's so proud that she can identify coyote poop and why there's hair in it.

She has her own bow she tries to shoot, and we're working on that at her own pace. That's important: when they say they are done, you have about a minute window to say "ok, we're leaving". If they're bored or hangry, it's "we're done NOW!" Lol.

Emrah

[wolverinebuckman]

Two of my little ones (3 yo) really took an interest in the dead deer this year. They see me going out and I tell them I'm going hunting for another deer.
I would say, and I think it echoes another post, let their curiosity and interest develop just from watching you do your thing. Explain to them in short round(don't explain until boredom sets in) your equipment, when they ask. Take them exploring on short trips to the woods.
Bows and bb guns at an appropriate age are an excellent idea (I think I got both at 7 or 8)
Teach them to value and respect God's creation, and to hunt for food; Not to waste their game.
If they see you doing something you love, they're inclined to take interest in it themselves. When they do, they will seek from you the education and guidance, then you will have an open cup to pour in to. Any forcing, and they'll close the lid and won't let you get anything in.

[Zona1]

My advice is to start him young in outdoor activities. My kids use to love looking for crawfish and salamanders when they were young. They loved flipping rocks over and hunting for them. Sometimes that would change up and they would try to find the coolest rock. The point is to let them lead you into activities they find interesting. Just getting them in the outdoors and exploring is the goal.

My 4 kids are grown now, but they all enjoy the outdoors in their own way. Some like to hunt more, some like to fish. All kids will be different in their intensity levels and area of interest. Get them outdoors and help them along their own path.

[huntinsonovagun]

This is an interesting and timely post for me. I’ve got a boy that will be 3 in February, a boy that turned one in December, and we’re having a girl in March...yeah yeah...we know what causes it, as I’ve been reminded by everyone lately

Something that I’ve noticed, especially with the Beast members. Almost everyone here is either self taught or the only one in their family that hunts. It seems that there is something about the struggle of “figuring it out on your own” that hooks a kid. The ones that have the first deer “handed to them” just don’t seem to have the drive to hunt like those of us who struggled for a couple years and had a taste of success here and there. This is something I worry about with my own kids. I WANT them to want to hunt with me. I envision traveling as a family to hunt muleys or antelope or something, but I’m afraid if they have it too easy they won’t enjoy the pursuit. I’m also beginning to think that maybe I should really talk up the deer hunting thing, but only take them small game hunting for a while until they’re begging to go after deer. One of my best friends got his 4yo daughter her first deer this past season....it was a 140 class buck- a true trophy for 95% of hunters and this was her first at age 4. I’m afraid she just won’t have the drive later on because it was just “too easy”. Hopefully I’m wrong, but it seems that’s the case.

I also don’t hold back on what we’re eating either. Just the other day my 2 yo said “i shoot a deer and we eat it!” That makes me proud. My 1yo first word was “buck”...hopefully those are both a foreshadowing to their interests, but I won’t force it upon them (even though I’d choose if for them if I could). If nothing else, hopefully they’ll be into duck hunting or fishing or something. I do little to none of either, but would love to if my kids got into it.

I’d be interested to hear how many Beast members’ kids have a deep interest in hunting...

[E72]

Start with quick fishing trips for bluegills , trout or catfish. TIPS.....Be sure to let them play with the minnows in your bait bucket, Dont be annoyed when they miss a fish because of it. .....Also, Help them hold the rod when a 6-7 lb cat is on the line! . A boat ride is fun too. A walk around looking for sheds, scouting ....ask them to help you spot rubs , scrapes and tracks . Look for mushrooms too. Let them check your trail cam pics with you. Doesn't have to be a hunt ,just get them outdoors and let them explore when they're able. Make it fun. Take them with you in a blind for hunts . Have them come with you to set them up pre season. Take snacks ,hot chocolate ,let them play games on your phone and never expect them to be still or quiet. When you feel they're ready to hunt (started my boy with a crossbow at 7) set your blind up on a field edge and set up a buck or buck/doe decoy . He shot his first buck this way at 8 years old . Help them be successful and make it fun but always let them know there are no guarantees. Teach them its NOT always easy and thats how it should be. I tried a couple hunts where I expected too much from him and it didnt work out as well. My advice, Don't take it too serious too soon.

[Rome]

Some great tips on here, can't really add too much. Just have to start small, never push it, expect to be done quick, but prepare to be out there longer so when they can make it longer, you have what you need to stay out there longer. Nature, nature, nature. Catching minnows and crayfish with a net. Bluegills or any fast action fishing. Kayaking and canoeing. Hikes. Shed hunting. Scouting. Take lots of pics when you hunt or fish, with or without them. Show them when you get home, tell about the hunt. Take them glassing/shining. My son LOVES his mini binoculars. He is the first to grab the spotting scope when glassing these days though, which I don't mind as he has a great eye.

I think every kid is different, and that's key to recognize when deciding when to start letting them tag along for each type of activity and each type of species to hunt. My son was ready for things at a much earlier age than I would've expected to be honest. He is 7, turns 8 in March, so I've got a long ways to go yet, but thus far his fishing and hunting interest is off the charts. He plays sports, and I already can see how that is going to conflict, but he's the type of kid that can play a basketball game and do archery league in the morning, and ice fish in the afternoon...that was this past weekend. We live where we can fish in 5 minutes and have a lot of public and some private within 10-30 minutes for hunting various game. It's been fun going back to catching bluegills and bass, as I'm a musky fisherman. He's gotten into musky fishing already, but much like deer hunting, I never pushed him on those. He worked real hard the last few years and he caught his first 2 this past year. It's also been fun shooting squirrels, geese, ducks, and now that we got a new pup this past year, pheasants again. I hadn't done those too much for quite a few years, mainly focused just on bucks and muskies, so it was really fun doing it with him tagging along. He is a part of a lot of my hunts these days, and it's been a blast to watch his enthusiasm grow for it more and more.

There's no doubt some sacrifice involved, and I think that's key. There were times I knew it was a great night to deer hunt, but he wanted to duck hunt. Or, he wanted to leave deer hunting right before prime time. For me, the decisions are easy. I've shot bucks, I've caught muskies. I only have so much time to continue to fuel his fire for the outdoors. I also have a very supportive wife, and I think that's key as well. She will drop him off/pick him up from the boat launch or hunting property so I can fit in more personal hunting and fishing time.

[JoeRE]

Give them the experience and help them understand what you do. Why you hunt, and why you love the outdoors. But don't push them into it that is a recipe for either them pushing back or them getting spoiled rotten. If they want to do more and more in the outdoors, I think they will let you know loud and clear. Then you just slowly work them into it. That is what I am trying to do anyway...

I've got 3 and 4 year olds. The other night they invented a game all by themselves - "elk hunting." They would take turns crawling around on the floor, the other one would sneak up and "shoot" the elk. Then the "hunter" would grab the leg of the "elk" and drag it off to a corner of the room to be cut up and eaten. So far, so good.

[stash59]

Just get them involved. Do things with them. Start out carrying them in a backpack kid hauler on hikes. Stop and look for bugs under rocks on land and in water. Eventually catch frogs, etc. Take them out in nature and teach them about it.

Eventually include talks about the cycle of life. Including death. Kill a small animal with them. Let them touch it. Leave it where you killed it. Then go back every so often to see how it decomposes. Teach them about the respect for life.

Make or buy a small bow and arrow set and help them shoot it. Work up to a BB gun, .22, etc.

When older. Teach them about the hard work involved to make a successful kill. Include them on small scouting missions. Try and let them help decide where to sit. Instead of just giving them an "easy" kill on their 1st deer.