Saturday, August 21, 2010

When did your kids start hunting?

My boyfriend and I have a baby on the way. Since we both hunt, we have been talking about when to take our child hunting with us. We were thinking about teaching the responsibility of a gun at around 5 years old. Once he/she is comfortable and responsible with a gun we were thinking of taking him/her hunting around 6 years old. We have plenty of time to think more about this, i was just wondering if that's too young...should we wait longer? What age did you/your kids start hunting?When did your kids start hunting?
I took my son with me when he turned 5. (My Father started taking me when I was 4, but times have changed.) My wife actually would have approved of an earlier age as she hunts too, but we wanted him to learn more about the sport first. My father and I taught him responsible gun safety and use and repeatedly had him start taking apart and cleaning the guns at age 9. My dad gave him a single shot .300 sav at age 10 and I hunted with him for three seasons before I let him start hunting on his own. Of course we used walkie talkies and I stayed fairly close by most of the time. He is 21 now and loves the sport. He is going to be teaching my grandson to hunt pretty soon so it will be fun to watch the course repeat itself.When did your kids start hunting?
He can ride along with you as long as he will behave at 4 or 5 years old. I didn't pull a trigger until I was around 9 or 10 but I rode in the truck and helped carry in birds and watched my dad clean his guns at the kitchen table afterwards. For one thing they have to lose the animals are just cute fuzzy things that most parents bestow on ankle biters these days and secondly they need to lose the aura of guns being something more than a power tool or wrench. Once they are very familiar with the process you can judge for yourself if they are ready for the killing part.
I started hunting with my dad at 6yrs of age. I went along with him, didn't hunt. I got my first BB gun at age 8 and my first shotgun was an H%26amp;R single shot 410 at age 10, 12yrs. old I got my first .22 So I would start taking your child early, like around 6 or 7. Let the child start out with a BB gun at around 8 or 9 and you'll have a future Safe and well knowledged child. Congrats! On keeping the shooting and hunting experience alive for our future children!
Let them move on their own course, with a lot of emphasis on training and learning the skills. I started shooting around the age of 6, hunting pheasants at 11 , and going on deer trips at 12. However you are the camp gopher for a couple of years before you hunt. I got my hunter safety for the rockies when I was 13 and made my first kill at 14. There is a lot to learn to be a successful hunter, avoiding all the gimmicks forced upon us these days. When they can gut one without hurling, they will be getting close...
Might be a bit early at 6 to take them hunting. You could take them to observe then ...yea. But to handle a firearm..I think I'd wait till they get way more meat on there bones..and more common sense about them.





No children of my own just step kids that were grown before I met my wife. I do have a nephew that we took to the woods at 6 and let him shoot a 22. It was almost to big for him for him to hold up so I think I'd wait. he's now 15 and 6' 2';...lol...handles rifles just fine...lol
I started going out with my dad, or my uncle when i was 10. I started shooting at 10, and started hunting around 12. i got my licence at 12, and did my first big game hunt the year i turned 16. I mainly hunted waterfowl, rabbit, and coyote. The year i turned 16 i went on a black bear hunt, whitetail hunt.
When your kid is not spastic like 99% of kids and does not get bored easy and can keep still for hours and quiet is the right time. Many kids are not into it since playing video games and eating candy and chugging soda is more fun.Get a good safe and lock up the guns until their 30. Kids and guns do not mix unless they are supervised.
I took each of my kids with me when they were about 2-3. Everyone of them had a grin from ear to ear each time. They loved dressing up in camo like Dad and taking off in the woods.





I let them shoot a gun (.22) around the age of 5.
It depends on the kids. Some learn things better and younger than others. I began hunting when I was six years old, and I had been taught about guns from the time I was born. There were always guns in the house. I grew up on a farm.
My Dad took us along with him from the time we could walk. Turkey, grouse, sage hen, pheasant, deer and antelope. Gun safety was always discussed in our house and it really never seemed like a big deal. In a small box at the bottom of the gun cabinet, our blaze orange hats and vests still lay in wait.





Due to a military spouse, we lived away from home until three years ago, so as toddlers my children didn't have a lot of exposure. They did go hang out in the goose pit when they were younger than five and we were home on vacation. We lived here for a year while my husband was abroad and I made the tiny blaze orange hats and vests so we could go along with my Dad for deer and antelope. My son was one and a half, my daughter almost four.





My daughter is eleven and will be taking hunter safety next month. She is very eager to join her cousins and the rest of us in the hunt for pheasant and antelope next year. She's already a very active participant in the gutting/cleaning/meat preparation areas.





My son will take hunter safety in the spring around the time he turns ten. According to my Dad and sister, he'll be old enough to bird hunt next fall.

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