Is it just me that has a problem with little kids taking pot shots at game?

I say pot shot as no way can it be described as is hunting as we know it. Surely very young children are not mature enough to understand the complexities of this blood sport and all that goes with it?

In your opinion at what age is generally a child considered mature and responsible enough to hunt and shoot game? Too often I have witnessed guns set up at live targets where the young do nothing more that press the trigger. Whilst I am all for the practice of shooting and firearm education surely there must be limits? Unilaterally (except countries such as Somalia) there are stringent regulations and age limits regarding the ownership and use of firearms and I presume this has something to do with maturity?

Some years back and when my son became thirteen I felt he was old enough to hunt and more importantly physically able and mentally prepared to follow up and dispatch a creature if need be. What was supposed to a pleasant and important experience for us both turned out to be a nightmare of considerable proportions. Without going into gory details the subsequent trauma upset my lad the extent that nowadays and some eight years later he has absolutely no interest in hunting and will only carry a rifle for protection. Subsequently I made the decision that my second oldest would only be introduced to hunting when he could hold down half a dozen liters of beer.

Old folks in my parts say: "fox - when twelve, roebuck - when sixteen"...

I cannot remember how old I was when I started shooting birds with an air rifle with the help of my grandfather.

I shot my first gazelle with a 22 rimfire rifle at about 8.

So I cannot really see what is the problem with young kids hunting, as long as they are educated about it properly.

I have a 7 year old daughter who has been shooting for sometime.

From last year she can put all 10 shots into a coke can at 100 yards with a Ruger 10/22 from a rest.

My young brother, who won the Olympic Trap Gold Medal a few years back, used to sit on my lap and pull the trigger on a 410 while I had the shotgun on my shoulder - we used to shoot flying doves this way.

I cannot remember how old he was then, but he was too small to hold the shotgun himself.

It all boils down to responssible training.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I have a 7 year old daughter who has been shooting for sometime.

From last year she can put all 10 shots into a coke can at 100 yards with a Ruger 10/22 from a rest.

I've seen grown men on safari that couldn't do that!

I agree with Saeed, it's all about training and I'll add about letting them go at whatever pace they're comfortable with.

My oldest daughter never showed any interest in hunting although she often did the ancillary stuff... camping, helping put up tree stands, etc. Her choice.

My youngest daughter, when 9, asked to take the hunter's safety course required by DNR. I took her to the classes and she made a 98 of 100.

That fall, under some relatively controlled circumstances (youth stock on an H&R rifle, 7.62x39, good rest, etc.) she shot a wild hog.

She's been hunting ever since, albeit, with dating and girl-stuff being probably more important, but always going to the deer lease with me three or four times a season. She even asked me to give her a safari to Zimbabwe and South Africa for her graduation present from high school. (Since she earned a free-ride with her grades, it was not very hard to say yes!).

She's decided that next year she wants to kill a buffalo and she is the one doing the research about that for next year. I already had some trips booked, but understanding PH's have let me move them a year. I guess they have daughters, too!

For my child, nine years-old wasn't too young, but I made sure that she did it at her own speed. I gave her some goals. I told her how well she'd have to shoot and the practice required. I never either encouraged her or chided her. I just facilitated what she apparently wanted to do.... and she made it happen, not me.

Not many young ladies at college have a nice whitetail on the wall and a zebra rug on the floor at the sorority house, but mine does.

I have 9 year old twins and they have been going hunting with me since they were 3. They saw me shoot deer with muzzleloader and bow for a few years, and got to understand hunting. Then we began shooting, and when they were able to shoot well enough to prove themselves accurate enough to responsibly shoot an animal on their own, I began letting them hunt. Their range is still limited (by me), but they have cleanly killed deer and turkeys- on their own.

Last year I got a crossbow and practiced with them. I wouldn't take Drew until he could shoot a 2" group at 25 yards. This was the result, and you can see the shot placement. He had to watch the deer for over 10 minutes as it came in from 125 yards, scraped, rubbed, etc. Then it was in at 25 yards for 2-3 minutes before he got the right shot angle. He was patient as dad was a total mess. This is one of our best memories, his and mine. He looked at the mount on the wall last week, and said, "That was the best day of my life". It was the evening before his 9th birthday...


I also don't push the boys to hunt. One of them would rather fish, but hunts some. That's fine, and I encourage that. They are always welcome to go, but never forced or pushed. I want them to do it because they want to do it, not because I want them to do it...

Well then I will have to humbly admit that I am very much mistaken.

Ummmmmm... what about dangerous game then?

I reckon there are very few hard and fast rules when it comes to parenting.

Every parent, every child, every situation and every decision has to be made independently.

And those adolescent years when you get all that shit like, oh it's so unfair & why me etc drive you nucking futs!!!

Mind you, there are some very good reasons to teach your kids to shoot at an early age.

Here's one of 'em:

Butte, Montana November 5, 2009


REMOVED BECAUSE I JUST FOUND OUT THE STORY WAS BS.

Judge, she must have a very good looking mother!

Andrew...on DG...I guess it would depend on the kid, but I would think most would not be mature enough to recognize what was really going on (implications of bad shot, real danger, etc) until they were in their late teens at a minimum. I am sure there are kids much younger that have killed buff, leopard, etc., but I personally don't know any early teens or younger that are mature enough for such an endeavor...(deer and turkey aren't too big of a threat around here )

A good example in my field is found in the area of Contact Lenses.Some children that are 8 years old are responsible and motivated enough to wear lenses succesfully. Some adults are not resposible enough.

The bottom line is that age is not the bottom line.Many other factors come into play and some are much more paramount than the date of birth.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I cannot remember how old I was when I started shooting birds with an air rifle with the help of my grandfather.

I shot my first gazelle with a 22 rimfire rifle at about 8.

So I cannot really see what is the problem with young kids hunting, as long as they are educated about it properly.

I have a 7 year old daughter who has been shooting for sometime.

From last year she can put all 10 shots into a coke can at 100 yards with a Ruger 10/22 from a rest.

My young brother, who won the Olympic Trap Gold Medal a few years back, used to sit on my lap and pull the trigger on a 410 while I had the shotgun on my shoulder - we used to shoot flying doves this way.

I cannot remember how old he was then, but he was too small to hold the shotgun himself.

It all boils down to responssible training.

Absolutely! I can't remember the first time i went hunting with my father, and grandfather, or the first time I fired a rifle. I got my own rifle at age six yrs, and was hunting on my own on my grandfather's Texas Hill country ranch before that with my grandfathers 22 lr single shot, and my uncle's 410 double barreled shotgun. I killed my first whitetail deer at age six as well, and spent the whole of WWII supplying meat for four families that moved onto my grandfather's ranch while their men, including my father were fighting a war.

It is my opinion that it is a mistake to wait till a child is older to start him/her hunting game, and being tought the ethics, and safety factors of useing a gun for any purpose. The trauma of taking game is not as troubling to a small child, but if you wait till they are in their teens, the greenie's propaganda has already subcounciously take a toll on his/her mind. Certainly it is prudant to start the young shooter on small game like rabbits,and birds till they get the jist of what hunting is about, but as I said I took my first deer at six yrs of age, and my first so-called dangerous game at 14 yrs of age, a black bear with a model 94 Winchester 30-30, my first centerfire rifle!
I started all my four children at age six as well. I let them carry their gun unloaded, and I carried the ammo till they were trained where the rifle was to be pointed. When it was time to shoot, I handed them one cartridge at a time till they became responsible, safe shooters!

The rest is history!

Saeed and Tim Herald have it right, so does Mac and the others that advocate starting early, but starting right.

Like Tim Hearld, I had my son out with me when he was three. Not a whole lot of hunting some days, but time together and in the woods or fields.

Patience grew, game was killed. As a result, he is not squeemish and understands the relationship between man and animals, and that animals are food, whether raised on a farm, or prefferably, shot while hunting.

Too many people don't realize that every time they eat a burger or buy a belt or pair of shoes, or a car with leather seats, etc, etc, that they are responsible for an animal's death, even adults. Get the kids over that ASAP.

And my son doesn't just tag along, he hunts now, and has since he was seven. Makes a day's game plan, hunts hard. Started making the day's game plans for us even before he was allowed to shoot living animals.

JPK

I agree that it's all about training and desire.

But this kind of thing can be taken to ridiculous extremes by some people.

I know of cases where a PH has been asked to be what is essentially a babysitter.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
I agree that it's all about training and desire.

But this kind of thing can be taken to ridiculous extremes by some people.

I know of cases where a PH has been asked to be what is essentially a babysitter.

Yep, I have seen that too, so the poor kid can establish some sort of record.

quote: "Ever wonder why good stuff never makes NBC, CBS, PBS, MSNBC, CNN , or ABC news........an 11 year old girl, properly trained, defended her home, and herself"

We all know the answer to that. It's called "selective reporting". You report only what suits the ruling idealogy handed down by network management. Deviate from it at your own risk. They review the stories you pick and what you write in advance anyway and would reject it, and you could forget advancement.

If she had tried to use a gun and it had been taken away and used on her, it probably would have been reported. To news media management that makes a statement, the one they're interested in.

On starting youngsters out hunting, what's important is that first hunt. I'd let a child first see you as the adult or parent make a kill. And that first kill they see needs to be done in a skillful woodsmanlike sportsmanlike "professional" manner. It shouldn't be done in some sloppy way because it's normal for children who've never killed to have sensitivities about this and they really are judging from the experience of their first hunt if they want to continue in this.

I'd also let them see you do some field dressing. And I think it's real important to let them get used to eating wild game at an early age before they go hunting. Some will take right to it and virtually demand deerburgers instead of hamburgers before they ever handle a gun. At least I know of two grandkids who do it that way. One says "grandpa, I want to be a deerhunter too".

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
I cannot remember how old I was when I started shooting birds with an air rifle with the help of my grandfather.

I shot my first gazelle with a 22 rimfire rifle at about 8.

So I cannot really see what is the problem with young kids hunting, as long as they are educated about it properly.

I have a 7 year old daughter who has been shooting for sometime.

From last year she can put all 10 shots into a coke can at 100 yards with a Ruger 10/22 from a rest.

My young brother, who won the Olympic Trap Gold Medal a few years back, used to sit on my lap and pull the trigger on a 410 while I had the shotgun on my shoulder - we used to shoot flying doves this way.

I cannot remember how old he was then, but he was too small to hold the shotgun himself.

It all boils down to responssible training.

I think I was about 8 when I got an air rifle...a Diana Model 17 if I remember right, 12 when Dad bought us a single shot 22..a Springfield and one the most fantastically accurate rifles I have ever shot. I was almost 17 when my father gave up hunting altogether...saying it is your turn now...he would quite often accompany me on hunts but never shot after that....I was 16 or so when I shot my first deer...and a wild boar...witha 450/400 3 1/4"....thats another story

Depends on the child. Mine was 7 when she shot her first deer. Held and aimed the rifle all by herself.


Been on two safaris.


She is still hunting at 20.

Muletrain,

Some great pics and REALLY wonderful smiles there.

Mind you, a couple of dodgy hats!

wow your calling someone's hat dodgy. Have you looked at your self in your hat

I was hunting with Dad as soon as I was big enough to walk. By 7...I was hunting on my own with a .22 or .410. Shot first big game at 9.

My son began hunting with me at a very young age. He was fetching doves prior to shooting them. Just like me when I was young!
He is 23 years old now and his passion is hunting but predominately field trials with good dogs. His peers in our region have told me he is the future of their sport.

I was told in my teens that you (Take your son hunting and you will not have to hunt for your son).
I have found this true within the circles I travel. Everyone I know that has involved their children in hunting has had few problems with them.
I life long passion you can enjoy together.

The first thing that I teach my kids is how to shoot. We spend tons of time shooting first from the bench then from field positions. Both of my daughters can consistently hold a 3" group at 200 yards from various field positions with their scoped .308 rifles.
In between shooting they have accompanied me on various hunts since they were toddlers. Both of my girls have been to South Africa on hunting trips with me and the wife, and hunted with me here in the States and they've helped track and blood trail on many occasions. We also keep Jadgeterriers which we use for blood trailing here. My girls have trailed at least 6 or 7 animals from start to finish with me for other hunters bad days.

So in my opinion the most important first step in starting a kid is exposure and lots of it to both hunting and shooting. We have a range set up in the pasture in which my girls have different shooting competitions with each other and myself all the time. The latest is off hand only shooting of spent .22 shells at out to 50 yards and the little buggers hit them most of the time with iron sighted rifles. I am getting to where I can't even see them at much past 25 yards.

The biggest mistake I see parents make is buying that first rifle spending 10 minutes on the range and heading off with the kiddo to go hunt something.

My oldest daughter at age 10. One shot with her .308 @ about 100 yards. This was her first "big game" animal.


Here she is at 12. We stalked into the herd together and I sent her ahead of me for the final portion of the stalk. She picked out this cow and killed her on her own. The elk went down to the shot but got up and ran when we were approaching her. After a blood trailing session of about 45 minutes she made a beautiful 200+ yard neck shot to finish the deal.


Another one shot kill this May the shot was at 88 yards another one shot kill.


Here is my little girl's first kill she was 7 in that picture.

This is an article I wrote nearly 30 years ago about kids getting into hunting. My sons are now 48 and 46.

START 'EM EARLY AND RIGHT

If you're a hunter and the father of a youngster, one day you might hear, "Daddy, can I go hunting with you?" Perhaps you already have? In my case, I heard it almost 20 years ago when my two sons felt their shooting competence was ready for the supreme test.

Once a youngster asks the question, two special things might occur. You could gain a life-long hunting partner, and you could become the logical instructor. At least that's what happened to me.

I found the lessons no different from raising the boys as babies. They looked up to me as both a parent and a teacher who would guide them in their endeavor. Now in their twenties, both of my sons regularly hunt with me.

Many children develop an early desire to hunt. Sometimes, though, their desire far outweighs their good judgment. This imbalance could be disastrous when it involves handling firearms on their own.

When my oldest son was about five years old, I bought him a used .22 rifle. I shortened the stock to fit him, and Keith quickly realized the clip-fed, bolt-action was really HIS, rather than one of mine he was only using. Still, the gun remained under my control at all times. I loaded it, pushed the safety on or off and kept one hand on it even when Keith was shooting it. He merely placed his tiny hands on the rifle, aimed and pulled the trigger. While all this was going on, I always explained what I was doing and why.

Long before he could legally hunt big game, Keith constantly asked to go with me on deer and javelina hunts. I simply told him to be patient; his time would come. At the same time, though, I started his in-the-field training on dove and quail hunts. He never carried a shotgun, but I let him shoot my Browning 20 gauge a few times. For an impatient eight-year-old, these day-long trips provided as many thrills as any deer hunt.

In some instances the responsibility of training a youngster will fall to a person other than a parent. When a father has little or no hunting experience, a relative or a good friend often takes over.

My father rarely hunted, so the task of teaching me fell to my grandfather. I spent a lot of time with my grandfather when I was growing up, but my first outing into the brightly-hued woods didn't occur until I was 16. A few years later, Pop moved to Arizona. My wife and I followed. He was already in his 70s, and I was 20. This was actually when my hunting education really started.

Pop taught me many things my urban upbringing had precluded. Among other things, he showed me the fundamentals of sharpening a knife, plucking a bird and field-dressing a deer. Naturally, he taught me how to handle firearms properly and stressed the importance of safety. I retained most everything he told me, including the philosophical things --- matters dealing with the moral and ethical aspects of hunting. He always told me to obey the game laws and do only what I felt was right. If a doubt existed, then don't do it.

As soon as my boys began hunting, Pop shared in teaching them, too. Keith and Scott idolized their "Papa" and listened to his instructions and admonishments intently. If they did something wrong, he corrected them with his favorite reprimand --- "Shame on you."

Of course, any adult who teaches a youngster how to shoot and hunt should have some competence to do so, especially when firearms safety is the subject. The adult also must practice what he preaches.

I went javelina hunting with a friend and his 14-year-old son a while back. Loaded rifles in vehicles, plinking around camp and muzzles pointed at someone's ribs kept me on constant alert. Every time I heard a metallic click, I winced, nervously waiting for the big bang. The boy showed little regard for firearms and even less for those around him. His dad had been teaching him how to shoot for many years before the hunt took place. The father's habits weren't much better, however, and he did nothing to correct his son. Feeling out of place, I didn't say anything either, but since then I gracefully have declined other invitations from them.

So if you think your child's gun-handling instruction needs a boost that you are incapable of providing, seek out more competent persons for the chore. I recommend the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Hunter Education courses. The classes are available throughout the state and provide a good basic knowledge of firearms, safety and other hunting related topics. The course is a perfect refresher for adults, as well.

Perhaps the most frequently asked question is, "When do I start?" Well, a concrete answer is impossible. There's more to it then chronological age, which is usually the poorest gauge. Some 10-year-olds exhibit more maturity than some 15-year-olds. The key is readiness --- both mental and physical. A child should be able to understand and appreciate what's going on. Starting him too early is a disservice that occasionally leads to early failure.

You usually can spot the readiness by watching a child's actions in everyday life. A boy who still tries to fit a quart of milk into an eight-ounce glass, or one who swings his croquet mallet at his friend's head because the friend won the game should not handle a gun. Even though the proverbial cliche, "Kids will be kids," is true, letting an immature child handle a firearm on his own could prove disastrous.

The evaluation of a youngster's maturity should be neither too critical nor too protective. Instead, it should be objective and realistic. Does he take care of his belongings and respect the property of others? Does he handle chores with regularity and obey house rules? Does he control his emotions well and make good decisions most of the time?

As a rule, judging physical capabilities is a bit easier. If hand-eye coordination is lacking, a young shooter might get discouraged in short order when he constantly misses the target. If he has a hard time keeping both feet under him, he probably would have a difficult time in the field, too.

Once little Johnny shows a level of mental and physical maturity that you trust, it's time for the training to begin. The training can take many forms. Some parents teach best by example. Others are better at telling. Some use props and films.

Regardless of how it's done, patience is a must. Making a boy feel inadequate if he fails at something the first few times can be damaging. You should also avoid making everything into a competition. The parent who says, "Well, let's see who can hit the most cans," and then proceeds to outshoot his kid has gained nothing. In contrast, challenging the youngster to beat his previous score is a healthier competition because it provides encouragement for HIS improvement.

As I mentioned earlier, the gun I chose for the Keith’s training was a .22 bolt-action rifle. Most instructors would agree it is an appropriate firearm for the beginner. You can usually find an inexpensive used one or a new rifle for under $100. Although the rifle I bought had a detachable clip, I normally left it out and loaded one round at a time. Hoping the repetitions would help, I eventually allowed Keith to put the safety on after each shot, load the gun and push the safety off again by himself. This single-shot training carried over to his first shotgun, too.

Many parents believe a .410, because of its light recoil, is the ideal first shotgun for a young shooter. In contrast, I think this is a bad move. While the .410 does have less recoil, watching every dove fly off with nary a ruffled feather can be very discouraging to a beginner. In fact, it can humble an experienced shooter. I consider myself a fair shot with a shotgun, but my rating drops drastically when I shoot a .410. Another disadvantage of the .410 is the price and availability of shells. They are rarely on sale, and few stores stock them in quantity. Taking this into consideration, I gave Keith a Savage single-shot 20-gauge for his tenth birthday.

Moving up to a big-game rifle presents even more problems. Here again, too many parents harbor an erroneous belief that a 30/30 lever action carbine is the only gun for the beginning hunter. Yet these guns, traditionally typified by the Winchester Model 94, are heavy and pack a healthy recoil. A far better choice is one of the lighter calibers like the .243 or .300 Savage.

I was lucky enough to find a .300 Savage, Model 99 lever action with a cut-down stock in a pawn shop. The rifle fit Keith perfectly. After a few trips to the range, he was shooting decent groups out to 150 yards. Knowing he was ready, I sent in our permit applications for deer and antelope, and we drew both.

When September rolled around, we headed to Chino Valley, north of Prescott. We set up our spotting scope the next morning, spotted a respectable buck and stalked to a small knoll about 250 yards away. Because of the flat, open terrain in front of us, getting closer was impossible. The range was too far for the Savage.

"We'll either have to wait to see if they move closer, or you'll have to use my rifle," I whispered.

Keith, looking somewhat disappointed, nodded. "I'll use yours."

I had brought my Winchester .264 magnum. Keith had never fired anything that powerful.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

When he nodded, I immediately grabbed my daypack and placed it in front of him so he could rest the forearm on it. I cranked the scope to nine-power and handed the Model 70 to him. A minute later, the .264 went off, shattering the early morning stillness. The buck dropped without taking a step. Naturally, I expected a jubilant reaction typical of an 11-year-old who had just made a one-shot kill on his first big-game animal.

Instead, he turned to me and said, "That rifle didn't kick as much as I thought it would!"

Keith took a while before he realized what he had done. On the other hand, his feat filled me with a sense of pride almost immediately. That's how it had been all along, though. When he hit his first can with the .22 or his first dove with the 20-gauge, I felt a sense of fulfillment equal to the day he came home with his first report card full of "A"s. I was both a proud father and a teacher and felt privileged to pass on the tradition my grandfather had passed to me.

**********

My hunting buddy of the time, Roger Beagle, and Keith. Note the excellent camo clothing of the early 1970s.

quote:

Originally posted by eezridr:
I was told in my teens that you (Take your son hunting and you will not have to hunt for your son).
I have found this true within the circles I travel. Everyone I know that has involved their children in hunting has had few problems with them.
I life long passion you can enjoy together.

My son is only 10, some of my hunting buddies' sons are older. Those that hunt with their dad's are a good bunch of boys. Some that don't have little self discipline.

I believe that those boys who hunt learned the discipline both from their fathers' imposing it and from the easy observation that self discipline leads to success.

Sometimes I do wonder if their isn't some cause/effect relationship though. Ie. No self discipline - not taken hunting, leading to a greater lack of self discipline...

The other alternative is impatient or selfish father who doesn't want to imperil his hunting time or success, both of which are to a degree inevitably impacted when hunting with a youngster.

Can't wait to see the first young girl hunting with us. Its coming too, a buddies daughter has expressed an interest in joining us - gunless - in the duck blind. I hope it leads to her taking up the sport.

My own daughter enjoys shooting, but isn't interested in hunting. I hope that will change, but don't push her.

JPK

Years ago I used to guide on fishing trips. I will never forget one trip. I had a retired Judge that presided over a court for juveniles as a client. He told me that on the 20 years he served on the bench, he asked every kid that appeared in his court in trouble if they had a fishing or hunting license. He said he never had a kid in trouble that had one. I asked him why he thought that was the case. He said, it could be sports, or camping, church, or hunting but it was the involvement the parents had with the kids. If your kid is going hunting with you in the morning at 5 am,, he probably will be in bed early, at home, and out of trouble. He made sense to me and I took mine everytime he asked to go and gave him the opportunity. He used to sit in my lap in a deer stand at age 2 with his "pop" gun. we almost scared a few deer to death, we made lots of noise and made lots of memories. He went from "pop" gun, to B gun,, to 22 to shotgun, to deer rifle.. Not because I wanted him too,, but because he wanted to hunt. He shot his first deer by age 7, now he can do it all from skin,butcher, tan the hides, make buskskins out of them, make great sausage, etc. He likes it, not he like it because I wanted him to..... Giving him the first gun was a lot smarter than when I gave him the drum and guitar! I am not sure if I am hard of hearing from guns or music...

quote:

Originally posted by drwes:
Years ago I used to guide on fishing trips. I will never forget one trip. I had a retired Judge that presided over a court for juveniles as a client. He told me that on the 20 years he served on the bench, he asked every kid that appeared in his court in trouble if they had a fishing or hunting license. He said he never had a kid in trouble that had one. I asked him why he thought that was the case. He said, it could be sports, or camping, church, or hunting but it was the involvement the parents had with the kids. If your kid is going hunting with you in the morning at 5 am,, he probably will be in bed early, at home, and out of trouble. He made sense to me and I took mine everytime he asked to go and gave him the opportunity. He used to sit in my lap in a deer stand at age 2 with his "pop" gun. we almost scared a few deer to death, we made lots of noise and made lots of memories. He went from "pop" gun, to B gun,, to 22 to shotgun, to deer rifle.. Not because I wanted him too,, but because he wanted to hunt. He shot his first deer by age 7, now he can do it all from skin,butcher, tan the hides, make buskskins out of them, make great sausage, etc. He likes it, not he like it because I wanted him to..... Giving him the first gun was a lot smarter than when I gave him the drum and guitar! I am not sure if I am hard of hearing from guns or music...

Thanks for that sir!!

I have a 3 years old son that since he was born has had nothing on the brain but hunting. Since he turned 2, per his request, we don't watch cartoons but watch duck hunting and africa dvd's. I've done nothing to push it on him, it is just the way he is and with that I do whatever I can to foster that excitement he has. As soon as I feel he is capable of pulling the trigger on a live animal whether it be a bird, chipmunk etc.. I will support that. I would rather him be out in the yard right now with a toy gun and binoculars hunting robins than sitting in front of the TV.

I also have a young son (just turned 4) who's coming up through the ranks. He's had a cap pistol and rifle since he could walk, and we regularly went on bird hunts through the neighborhood. He never misses.
He got his own BB gun this past Christmas and we continue our lessons of gun safety and especially muzzle control and finger off the trigger.

I am having an issue now, however, as he is right handed and left-eye dom. He's made several "hunts" with me, and this fall, I brought him along on his first duck hunt. This was his first time to see me kill anything and I was worried how he'd take it. He was also sitting quite close to the duck pile. A while after we had quite a few ducks, I felt something on my arm. He had a duck and was making it "bite" me. I guess he's not too bothered by the killing part.

We also go camping and horseback riding fairly regularly. IMO, that is all part of being a dad. He's shot a .22 a few times, but it is never really out of my hands. Don't know when the time will be right for the bigger stuff, but hopefully, by putting in the time now, safety and respect will always be a part of his hunting foundation.

Maybe I'm the oddball here, but I tended to learn hunting on my own. Father wasn't interested in it at all. I guess it was just in the genes that skipped a generation. Once I got a pellet gun at about age 11 I was hell on the birds, rabbits and squirrels in the woods behind the house. Later graduated to deer in my teens whenever I'd get an invite from friends. Eventually on to waterfowl, and later Africa.

As for passing it on, I tell my 9 y/o son that I will never force it on him, but we're not going to let his bunny hugger mother (ex-wife) stand in the way if he wants to. The way he enjoyed playing the Cabela's African Safari video game gives me hope.

The answer is 'it depends'.

My oldest son shot his first game (a Florida hog) at the age of 10. This year he will hunt another hog and whitetail. Then we will see about plains game in Africa when he is 12 or 13.

On the other hand, his little brothers, the twins (now 7) will likely not be allowed to use a firearm until they move out of my house, provided they haven't burned it down by then.

quote:

Originally posted by cable68:
Maybe I'm the oddball here, but I tended to learn hunting on my own. Father wasn't interested in it at all. I guess it was just in the genes that skipped a generation. Once I got a pellet gun at about age 11 I was hell on the birds, rabbits and squirrels in the woods behind the house. Later graduated to deer in my teens whenever I'd get an invite from friends. Eventually on to waterfowl, and later Africa.

As for passing it on, I tell my 9 y/o son that I will never force it on him, but we're not going to let his bunny hugger mother (ex-wife) stand in the way if he wants to. The way he enjoyed playing the Cabela's African Safari video game gives me hope.

My case is the much the same as yours except I started with an air rifle 5 years ago and hope to go to Africa for the first time this year.

I wish my old man had taken me hunting when I was a kid.

I have guided a fair number of children on dangerous game hunts. Youngest was 9 (ele and Buff) with several 11 and 12 year olds. Swainson's Safaris used to run a kids programme every year to use up their female buff quota- bunch of kids, bit of bush teaching, bit of shooting skills, shoot a buff cow...all at a price that didn't eclude 'ordinary middle class kids.

On AVERAGE, I would say I have enjoyed guiding kids more than their fathers. They generally wnt to learn more and appreciate more. There are obviously huge exceptions to this statement..sme clients have sucked every ounce of knowledge out of me - they have made the hunt a major tutorial.

I would always recomend kids start with plains game...for the simpl reason that they oten get as much real satisfaction out of a good impala than many a man gets from a buff...and tomorrow they can shoot a Kudu and be really extatic.

Only ever had two little twerps that were desperately in need of a good talking to with a sjambok...but in both cases their fathers were even more deserving candidates

I know I am in the minority here, but I tend to agree with Fairgame. If a kid can't hold the weapon by themselves, they are too young.

Here is another thing that I don't understand: if a kid is still playing with toys, esp toy guns, he is still a kid. And too young to be given a gun.

Perhaps I am too narrow minded due to the way I was raised. My father was a hunter, but he didn't let us have guns until we were 16 (and my brother who is one year younger at 15). I can remember clearly accompanying my father on bird hunts as a kid; we didn't carry a gun, but it was some of the best hunting of my life.

Not having a gun when I was 3 certainly didn't have an effect on my love for hunting.

At the risk of throwing gasoline on a fire, I would say using a gun is sort of like having sex; there is just a certain level of emotional maturity one needs to have, especially if that kid is shooting/hunting without adult supervision. At least we can watch when young kids shoot a gun.

I have 2 boys, now 26 and 19. They have both been around guns for a long time. They have been hunting with me in some form in some fashion since a very young age. This may have been sitting under an oak tree with a 22 shooting squirrels. It may have been a trip to Africa.

I took my oldest son to Africa the first time when he was 10. He handled his gun very safely. One day he spent almost 2 hours crawling on his stomach just to get a shot at a rather large kudu. He took it with a single well placed shot at about 250 yards. At the time, this kudu was in the top 5 for cape kudu. It is now full mounted in our trophy room. At the end of the hunt, the PH got me aside to compliment him on his gun safety , manners and his love of the hunt. I can guarantee that if you asked him today, that would be his number 1 hunting memory. I would not trade that for anything.

When he went off to college, when the fall came around, he didn't want to talk about football. He wanted to discuss where we were going to put his deer stands. He loves it to this day.

My youngest has shot less than my oldest. Regardless, he has exhibited a similar love for the hunt. On one of his last trips to Africa, at the ripe old age of 12, he sat perfectly still and watched a lion walk up to the bait. The lion laid down in the grass and looked right at us. He waited about 20 minutes until it moved broadside and took it with a single shot. He didn't lose his mind and do something stupid. He was safe the entire time. This is also an experience he will never forget. He will remember it when I am long gone.

I can understand about some bloodthirsty kid who is not capable of shooting the gun. Mine were not like that.

My ex wife and I used to fight like crazy over taking them hunting. I used to say, "When they are 16, do you want them smoking dope with their buddies or wanting to go to the hunting camp with me?" They went with me. Luckily, I have never had a single problem with either of them.

I really value the memories of hunting with my kids when they were little. I don't regret it a bit.

I plan to start mine shooting, if they want, at 5yo. (two girls, currently 4 and 2) as far as hunting goes. when they're old enough to think about dating boys their old enough to learn to shoot critters!

Red

I have a 7 year old daughter who has been going hunting with me since she was 3. Whether it was sitting in the tent blowing on game calls, pulling goose feathers, spotting deer for me, and just goofing around, having her afield makes a great day even better.

I think being afield makes her understand where food comes from and understand "the circle of life". She can't wait to get her new bow this summer, can name most African animals, and can't wait to hunt plains game in Africa with dad. An older trapper that I knew always said,

"If you hunt with your kids, you won't have to hunt for kids".

Here is a pic of me 5 (on the left with a hat) next to my brother 3 and our old man on a spring morning after a succesful roebuck hunt.



Tho my brother did his share of bird and varmint shooting time ago, you can't push him to do it anymore. With same opportunity that I had, he just didn't pull it trough. He is still very much in the nature – with camera tho...

quote:

Originally posted by Ganyana:
I would always recomend kids start with plains game...for the simpl reason that they oten get as much real satisfaction out of a good impala than many a man gets from a buff...and tomorrow they can shoot a Kudu and be really extatic.

IMO a very valid point!

I was going hunting with my father since I can't remember and did a lot of shooting on the range. Then came the crows, jays...shot my first fox when 12 and buck when 16... Oh I was tempted along...but kept on leash (imagine a racing horse just moments before they open the gate...). Still to become a hunter on my own I had to pass 1 year as an appy and a rather tough exam...just to become of the prime age to be a GI...for 12 full months. Finally on the early morning, June the 26th 1991 after passing my final exams of my 1st university class – it was 3.30AM – a bloody war broke out...it was only on August the 2nd of the same year, I managed to get my first buck on my own...16 years after that pic was taken!

A true hunter is born and instead of pushing usually needs a certain amount of brakes to be applied – world and hunting is not going to end tomorro – there is always another day and it takes a fair amount of common sence and luck to stear it in a way that should last for a life time...it is still all about the chase, not so much about the killing.

quote:

Originally posted by PSmith:

On the other hand, his little brothers, the twins (now 7) will likely not be allowed to use a firearm until they move out of my house, provided they haven't burned it down by then.

Having met the twins, I understand the above!