MNarcherFF
New member
- Jan 20, 2013
- 5
I'm so glad to see the right kind of advice here.
Get them started early, as early as possible. My girls have shot bows and .22's since they were 3yrs old because they wanted too. They see me do it and figure it must be fun. My wife doesn't hunt or shoot, but she knows I'm safe and supports it. My oldest daughter no longer is interested, but she shoots with me occasionally. My youngest is head over heels about shooting and hunting.
Go at their pace and make it about them. If you're not ready to manage a child in the woods, or your hunt is more important than their experience, then don't bring them. Its worse to give them a bad experience then to have no experience at all.
Let them experience all aspects. My kids have always had full access as I butcher and process my game animals. When they were little I told them I had to "make it into meat". They understood that much. As they got older I was able to explain where steaks come from and hamburgers or hotdogs because I make all that too.
My wife runs a home daycare and every kid that's ever been through my house knows I hunt and has seen or touched a wild animal. Its part of their education. When they learn it at 3yrs old they don't get freaked out as they do if you don't introduce it until they are 12.
I have two girls, 12 and 10. My 12yr old hunted with me and shot with me up until this year. Shes not interested right now so I don't push it. She still loves being outdoors and thats good enough for me. My 10yr old is cannot get enough of hunting and for that I'm blessed. She was with me last year when I shot a deer. She had her own first hunting license this year and saw several deer in the woods including bucks sparring. She can't wait for turkey season and hunting next fall. She wants to keep shooting her bow all winter and asks to watch hunting videos with me. She is also the top morel mushroom hunter in our house. Its almost worth keeping her around.
Get them started early, as early as possible. My girls have shot bows and .22's since they were 3yrs old because they wanted too. They see me do it and figure it must be fun. My wife doesn't hunt or shoot, but she knows I'm safe and supports it. My oldest daughter no longer is interested, but she shoots with me occasionally. My youngest is head over heels about shooting and hunting.
Go at their pace and make it about them. If you're not ready to manage a child in the woods, or your hunt is more important than their experience, then don't bring them. Its worse to give them a bad experience then to have no experience at all.
Let them experience all aspects. My kids have always had full access as I butcher and process my game animals. When they were little I told them I had to "make it into meat". They understood that much. As they got older I was able to explain where steaks come from and hamburgers or hotdogs because I make all that too.
My wife runs a home daycare and every kid that's ever been through my house knows I hunt and has seen or touched a wild animal. Its part of their education. When they learn it at 3yrs old they don't get freaked out as they do if you don't introduce it until they are 12.
I have two girls, 12 and 10. My 12yr old hunted with me and shot with me up until this year. Shes not interested right now so I don't push it. She still loves being outdoors and thats good enough for me. My 10yr old is cannot get enough of hunting and for that I'm blessed. She was with me last year when I shot a deer. She had her own first hunting license this year and saw several deer in the woods including bucks sparring. She can't wait for turkey season and hunting next fall. She wants to keep shooting her bow all winter and asks to watch hunting videos with me. She is also the top morel mushroom hunter in our house. Its almost worth keeping her around.
