How old were your kids...

JMiller

Member
Ive seen a lot of your posts/pics of your kids hunting .....

My daughter is three, so it is going to be a spell before shes out there with us..

How old were your kids when you took them in the field.. both as an observer and as a hunter?

Ive already got her benching weights so she can pole Dani and I around while I sip coffee and the immortal one eats her DCOD (Disgusting Concoction of the Day)
 
I'd take her as soon as she asks to go...make it short and FUN. Don't go with the thought of getting anything,just take her out and watch nature and answer all her questions.
 
Hah!!!! She's been asking to go since she could talk! :) Better get that john boat up and running soon.
 
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When they Started going hunting with me? 6 -7

Swinging a Shotgun with me on top of them? 8

Killing birds on the other end of the pond from me? 12

I had 2 boys oldest 23 youngest 19. Both are to envolved with other stuff to hunt.

Teach your Girls.. With luck they will be apreciated, loved, and NOT MARY A GOLFER!
 
I've got 2 - boy 9 and girl 7. The boy has come with me since he started walking. In them days we were mostly on armed picnics going after grouse or ditch ducks. He came on a big game hunt with me when he was 6(skunked), 7(nice caribou), 8(got a moose and a caribou), and this year he came sheep hunting with me for the first time. He's totally into though and tough as nails for a little kid. We've had alot of adventures together for sure. I watched him shoot his first birds out of the air this year and it was great. We work well together and he has more days afeild than some guys my age.

When Meg was only 6 months old I'd take her out for a drive for grouse on back roads and we had a rabbit snare line that we checked together everyday. The dog would pull her and I'd pull Mac in tobaggans. I doubt she remembers much of that. : )

She comes bird hunting with me on nice days only usually, and I know a multi day big game hunt would be too much for her. She called in a goose all by herself this fall which was absolutely amazing to see. And she has no interest in shooting herself. She likes cutting meat and feeding the grinder, but that's about it. She's a jazz class/violin lessons kind of girl.

I don't know if you are looking for any advice, but mine would be to keep the outings short, warm, fun, and have good snacks. Safety first.

Mike
 
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well my 4 year old went rabbit and kyote snaring with me last winta and she got 3 [rabbits]on her first nite. she went partrigde hunting opening week this year when i was training daisy for chickens and we watch daisy 3month old pup put up one and i shot it but Makayla say it first and got it before daisy ,it was funny and great on her first trip out took about 20 minutes to be back home i bet she will remember it well on in her years.she wanted to go duck hunting yesterday but came down with the flu so on another day ill take her if its not to cold .ponds froze over yesterday 1st time this year in the 50`s today so there open now.

like the fella say takem if they ask.
have fun
shermie
 
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The grandson Lucas was 5 the first time I took him out in the duck boat on a hunt. He had fun with his pellet gun and loved being out. His mouth ran a mile a minute until the first duck was in the boat and in his hands. After that he didn't say 5 words the rest of the morning. This year he's 7, and were gonna work our way up to his shotgun which is already in my safe.

Hitch
 
I started taking Michael pheasant hunting when he was 2. I bought a old army backpack, cut holes for his legs and threw him around on my back. It sat high enough he could see, and after awhile he would fall asleep. The important thing was I got out. Mom works weekends and it was the only way I could hunt. And, yes I spent a lot of money on youth headphones to protect his hearing.

Starting taking him duck hunting at four. Early season, had a blind/club house he could sit in and move around in. Again, I was trying to find a why to get out and hunt.

The last two years (five and six), he has done a couple open water hunts. I made a tent blind for the scaup, throw a sleeping down for him and a flashlight and he thinks it's great. This weekend I will have him and Eric's son in the boat. Thinking I am going to have to bring the propane heater, based on how cold it's getting.

Andrew
 
and he's four. We had a ball. He rode in the fatboy where the dog would sit, retrieved a greenwing and chowed a bunch of snacks. Then, after we were done, he curled up on the floorboards and fell fast asleep while I poled home. I was a very, very lucky man that night
 
My daughter is six and I started taking her on some pheasant hunting trips this year. I also take her out in the boat to scout for waterfowl but I think she is too young to sit for very long in a cold duck boat. I agree with the other comments....don't count on shooting anything. Just let them tag along and watch the dog and ask questions....and bring snacks and drinks. She sure seems to enjoy it and am glad she asks me to take her.
 
A few years ago I took the kids on their first goose hunt. It was warm and we didn't shot anything but they had a blast as you can see. We also went dove hunting that week. Later that year I took them on a "real" goose hunt and we all had a blast..though the farmer was not happy with me. Something I didn't consider.
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Since then I've taken them on duck, goose and doves hunts and Mitch has been swan hunting. I frequently get calls from friends to help load or track deer and I try to always take Mitch if it's not too late. A few weeks ago he saw his first gut job and there was no trepidation at all from him so I was pleased. Lauren claims she wants to turkey and deer hunt. She'll get the first crack at actual hunting so we'll see if she's able to forget about ballet and girlscouts long enough to do it.

RJ on the other will be a hunting and fishing guide sooner or later.
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I think the key is to keep it short and sweet and be sure they have an integral roll to play in the hunt.
 
I took my oldest daughter at age 6...and the younger one at age 5. They had a great time. When I look back on my hunting career, it is the time with the kids that I will remember most.
I would encourage you to take them as soon as you feel they are ready.
Here's a couple of pics from last year. I've posted here before but thought you'd all appreciate seeing 'em again.
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We have 3 sons, 25, 23 and 11. They all started to go with me at age 3. They all started gunning at age 10 and took ducks their 1st year. Keep them comfortable (easy to do hunting in the warm climes of south Florida). I always had a boat blind so they could play with what ever toy they brought and always had the Red Ryder filled to the top with BBs for us to plink with. I believe that you should wait till they ask to go but after all ...they are young and impressionable... I make them ask. I did not wait for them to ask if they could learn to read...they were always in our laps being read to. I did not wait for them to ask if the could have a trike or a bike. When our oldest was in my arms at 1 day old I told him how we were going to fish and hunt together. I also in formed him and his brothers at their 1st day breathing air that when they were age 6 they get a BB gun, at 8 they get a pellet gun, at 10 the get a .22 and at age 12 their birthday present would be a shotgun. They don't remermber not going hunting or fishing. We ammended the program for Austin ...when he was 11 we gave him his 870 scattergun which he is already putting to good use.
 
Interesting note. I've taken both my step son and daughter hunting with me. My step son would always go but rarely asked or bugged me to go. He would easily get bored during the slow times. He loved shooting but didn't get into the other aspects. My step daughter can have agreat time even if we never fire a shot. She loves seeing herons, song birds, sunrise/sunset, etc. She is a very talented pianist and now fears injuring a finger so I haven't got her to go out for a couple of years.

Tom Wall
 
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