I have a couple of girls. Too bad they are only 1.5 and 3.5 yrs old. Of course they both already have their own rifles although they havent seen them yet. I was just curios when yall may have started your own kids out.

You start them when they WANT to try it which could be never.

I love this topic because it is near and dear to my heart. My sons (now 15 and 13) started hunting and actually killed their first deer when they were 6, but being a young father anxious for my sons to enjoy what I do, I know now that I pushed my oldest into it. Though he was successful and actually good it, he has since lost all interest hunting. My younger son on the other hand was really ready at 5, but I held him back until he was 6. He, too, was successful his first year and is a very good hunter still today. He loves all kinds of hunting and is in the process of training his first Lab for a duck dog.

You mentioned your daughters having their own guns. I also have an 18 month old daughter, and I am picking up her Marlin 336Y (youth) 30-30 tomorrow. I am unsure at what age she will start hunting, but I am going to let her tell me when she is ready. My advice to you is to let your girls hunt when THEY are ready, and not when YOU are ready. You can lead them, or you can pull them. Leading them is easier on both of you.

My youngest son had a very successful season this year in killing his two largest buck to date.

I killed my frist game at 5 yoa a varmint( starling getting into the bluebird house.)
Been hunting ever sense.

Getting them shooting as young as you can. take them on short hunts as soon as you can show them pictures and tell them hunting stories.

Don't let them watch Bambi unless your there to tell them deer taste good.

Never to young to get them started

My daughter shot a lot when younger, once she was 14 or so, she lost interest and hasn't shot since. My son loves to hunt and has been to Africa, etc., you can't count on them liking it and you sure can't push them to do it. It just doesn't work, you'll find that out as your two get older, you're still a learner as a parent! Unfortunately, so am I and my youngest is coming on 19.

the 3.5 likes shooting my brad nailer (with my help)

I started at 6. Got my first .410 shotgun and my dad took me 3 times a week.

I think this decision is based on responsibility in the child and how strong it has been reinforced.

I think it depends on the maturity level of the kids and their interest. My 8 year old shot his first deer this year, but his younger brother is so far from being ready. My oldest at 6 was ready to shoot a deer, but his mom wasn't. He has been going with me since he was 4 hunting. My younger son say he likes to go, but has no patience and we are lucky to get 2 hours out of sitting.

We keep it fun when they come - shoot BB Guns, play darts, play UNO, try this or try that - take a long 4 wheeler ride. They love to go.

I started my son shooting at 10 and at 14 he went on his first hunt. He did not get a deer that first year. The next year he killed two doe's with his muzzleloader within 30 minutes of each other on the opening day of muzzleloader season.

I plan on taking my Nephew on a hog hunt to watch in the near future.

He is 4 btw

I go along with the concept of measuring the maturity level of the child in question, and not just emotionally and intelligence, but also in physical stature.

Unless a parent is willing to dedicate the time and money toward putting together an outfit properly sized for the kid, so it won't be hard for them to learn to shoot with or won't scare them half to death with either recoil or muzzle blast, then they might want to wait just a little longer.

I think that taking a kid, boy or girl out hunting with you if possible starting at 4 or 5 would be a good time to introduce them to hunting. Don't limit it to just hunting, but also to the gun range when sighting in and take the time to explain in terms they can grasp, the importance of being accurate with your shots and the importance of safe gun handling.

Then, if possible take them out rabbit or squirrel hunting, buy them an air rifle and take them out and let them start with that.

The most important thing is to not push them into doing something that they will become afraid of doing. Done right, you will have a built in hunting partner for life, that you will share wonderful memories and experiences with. Done wrong and there will always be a point of contention in your relationship.

One final point that I have seen work, is that even when they are just tagging along at 4 or 5, help them get accustomed to death and the idea that the taking of another species life is some thing they need to accept as a sacred responsibilty, and that the taking of that life, was done for a real reason.

As long as they enjoy the experience, I'd say any age.

This is my wife 7 months pregnant with her Mule Deer and our 2.5 yr old. Doesn't he look like he's hating every minute of it?

I seen lots of kids from good strong hunting familys not get into hunting because their parents did not give then a little push.

They listen to the modern thought that says let a kid find his own way BS. If you let a kid do his own thing they well end up playing computer games, sitting in front of the tv.

Ask a kid do to most anything and the frist words out of their mouths is no.

A parent as to parent they have let the kids know what is expected of them and push them to higher goals.

One as to take age into acount. I had my 7yoa neice and 8 yoa nephew out deer hunting this year from a non hunting family. They had a great time.

On the frist deer I shot when they were doing a drive. I started to gut it the kids started to say ya yuk gross ect. They started to walk away I made them come back and help by holding the legs. As I gutted I explained to them what was going on I showed them the insides heart,lungs and any thing else they could see.

By the time we did the 2nd deer they were right up there wanting to help. It would have been easy to let them walk off and get away with not helping .

What would they have learned? they would have learned that if we make a fuss and say we don;'t like something we get out of doing it.

When asked if they were ready to come back next year all I heard was them yelling yes.

Iam a firm beliver that a kid needs to be guided down the right path letting them wander around in the wilderness of life is asking for trouble. As parent you are the best guide they can have.

Both my children are in their early 20's so far so good they are getting great grades towards good careers. Both love hunting and the out doors. Both have firm understanding of are right to keep and bear arms.

Any thing can happen but I know I have given them the best guidence I know how.

Wacked my first Mallard Duck when I was 9, Son (30) is a fishing fool and loves to shoot, not interested in hunting. Planning on a South African hunt with grandson (Daughters Son) when he is 10.

quote:

What age to start kids hunting?

At the legal minimum age in your state. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't bring them along on the trips when they're old enough to do that.

Dont forget im in texas. I think most of us start packing when we shed our diapers. Interestind though im not sure of the age required in texas other than having to complete hunter safety.

Texas hunters ed has no legal bearing on when a kid can start hunting. I am not 100% sure, but I believe that the issue comes when they hit 17 and are "legal" to hunt alone. They are supposed to have passed the course before that time. As a matter of fact, Texas won't even give hunter ed to a kid under 12. This was my youngest son's first year to get to hunt in Oklahoma with me, since he was finally 12 (will be 13 this week).
Here is his OK muzzleloader buck.

have to be 12 to take hunters safety but can be accompanied by an adult at the age of poopin yellow.

This is always an interesting subject.

I feel that legal age and when they are ready are two different ages.

In South Dakota legal age is 12 and they must have taken a safety course.

There is a bill in the legislature lower it to
10. The knee jerk reaction from most people is that it is too young. But all of the states that allow true youth hunting, those are the safest seasons having the lowest % of hunting accidents.

My boys ages 8 and 5 have been going with me since they were both about 4.

They have been shooting bows and all types of guns since they were able.

Without a doubt my oldest is ready, he is safe and understands what he is doing.

My youngest is not ready, but a few years will make a huge difference.

I have always felt that this society expects huge responsibility from it's youth, but doesn't give them the opportunbity to excercise that responsibility. But then that's a whole other subject.

I took my son hunting when he was 10 years old.
Gonna take him Black Bear hunting in 08 up in Canada.

Good topic! However its a question with no clear-cut answer. The best I can offer is to give them every oportunity to know what YOU're doing from the earliest age and NEVER discourage them from participating, be it riding along to the range or watching a video. When they are ready to try a shot BE CAREFUL!!! Don't make the mistake of giving them more than they can handle and risk souring their enthusiasm. First shot (except for air guns) should ALWAYS be a rimfire. My boys tried a .410 too young & it set them back a little. Still loved the .22's but took at least an extra year to warm up to shotguns.
There's a lot more kids are involved in these days and life is so hurried that hunting too often just doesn't fit the schedule - THAT is the biggest thing to worry about! Make time for shooting & hunting. They'll want to but if baseball, soccer, scouts, etc... take all their free time hunting will languish. More importantly, shooting & hunting is something you'll actually do TOGETHER instead of sitting on the sidelines watching them play ball. Put it first and if there's time for ball, so be it!
I've been teaching Hunter Ed for many years and I'm a strong advocate for no minimum age to obtain a license. It is the conscienious instructors job to weed out those who are not ready. I've had six-year olds pass with 90%+ scores but suggest eight as the youngest age. Statisticly the under 20 set are the safest hunters and 30-50 year-olds are the most dangerous!
Most importantly though is to play off the kid. If they're not interested don't push it, but make sure you instill the principals and especially gun safety and conservation ideals. Even if they don't hunt they will at least learn we're not the destroyers of wildlife we're depicted as all too often.
Good luck, all of my best hunting memories involve family from Africa to squirrels in the local woods. Its the experiences and you'll cherish later not the game taken!

Well, I started hunting when I was 12, which is the legal age in PA, but I can remember going with my dad (no gun) when I was much younger. I've been shooting since I was old enough to hold a gun. I'd say start them as early as you can - and start them RIGHT.

I'll have to agree with those who say "when the kid is ready." I can't help but to believe that many youngsters are pushed into activities - hunting included - by overenthuastic parents.

It is my belief that a person is either a hunter or they aren't. If the urge is there a person is a hunter for life. If not, they hunt for a while and then move on to something else.

The urge to hunt hit me hard and at a young age. But my father would have nothing to do with it. He did all he could to discourage my interest. Dad said "You won't get anything anyway, so why bother?" Followed by "If you do kill something you'll have to gut it. That's so gross and disgusting you'll regret ever having pulled the triggger." And then:"Once you do all of this what will you do with the animal?" (Gee, pops, maybe eat it?) All in all, according to Dad hunting was a no-win proposition. My uncles took me hunting but they spent more time in taverns than in the woods.

The urge was not to be denied. I didn't get the chance to hunt until I was 14. Didn't kill any game until I was 24. After that I never looked back. Nearly 500 big game animals have fallen to my rifle and I've never regretted a moment of it.

I'm a confirmed bachelor, never had any kids. But if I did have a son or daughter it would be perfectly normal and understandable for me to want to re-live my youth through them. Stick a rifle in their hands and drag them afield because that's what I wanted to do when I was their age. Pressure them to shoot an animal because it is a powerful and important part of my life. Doing so may not insure that the youngster will become an avid hunter any more than my father's attemts to discourage my urge kept me from hunting.

My 11 year old daughter has been hunting with me since she was 4 years old. We hunt for small game and deer here in Michigan. She has been shooting her own 22lr. (rifle & revolver) since she was 7 years old. While we were in the UP. over Christmas, she asked when could she start hunting with me? I told her I was waiting till she asked me, I was not going to push. This spring we will find a Hunters Safety class to take together. As far as age goes, I couldn't care less, I look for maturity. She told me when she was ready.
Thanks, Doug

I have seen many sides of this coin since I have four kids from 7-20. I never tried to get my oldest involved, "just let them show interest," only recently has he shown interest. he did however develop into one hell of an athlete, making it to the national level in boxing as well as excelling in all sports offered at school. my oldest girl never cared for hunting, probably never will. my 11 year-old girl loves to hunt since I took her and her little brother with me everywhere I went when they were smaller due to their mom's work schedule. they went scouting with me, hunting with me, they were there when I got bucks and bulls. this fall while walking along a backroad we came upon a spike witetail buck and my daughter was carrying her 22 and begged me to let her shoot it! so now I'm putting together a little centerfire for her to use this coming fall. she has already passed hunter ed but I make her go everytime it's offered here. I think it's neccessary for the kid to have interest before it's forced on them but it also has to be an option that's offered. like the response by P dog shooter, if he let the kids walk away they may have just kept walking, good job man!

My oldest son will soon be 7 years old. He has accompanied my on deer hunts and squirrel hunts the last three seasons. At first he could not sit long and we left when he asked to go. We then shot BB-Guns or just went for a walk or back home to warm up. The point is I made it fun for him early on. Often we did not get anything and that was Okay. Last season he sat on stand with me for 5 hours straight and loved every minute of it. He has seen me shoot squirrels, quail, racoon, and various other animals. He has helped bitcher deer and antelope. He now shoots BB-Gun, I keep fitting longer stocks as required, a .22LR, and a cut down .30 Carbine. He does very well with all these guns and has gotten a couple squirrels last year. We shoot paper targets but also shoot reactive targets, water bottles, skeet targets, and crackers in order to raise the fun factor. I plan to try him out on a .250 Sav later this year. If he does well with it, he will take it hunting this fall. In MO as long as he is accompanied by a licenced adult he may legally hunt on a youth licence. He must be 12 years old and have hunters ed to hunt alone. Until then he can hunt with me. I plan to start taking my youngest son out on the same type of outings this fall as well. He will be 4 this year and was already asking to hunting with me last fall. He too has a cut down BB-gun we shoot together focusing on safe muzzle direction and simple easy targets to build confidence.

At this age you have to bring lots of snacks and juice, keep it fun, and be willing to leave when they get bored. Make it not fun for them and they will not want to go with you later. Sacrifice some prime hunting time now and their interest will continue to grow.

I think it is very important to have them accompany you on hunts before they actually shoot an animal themselves. Their reaction will tell you a lot about them being ready.

So like every has already said, there is no definate age. Each child is different and you must take into consideration how they may react or handle seeing something shot and decide if they are ready to handle shooting something themselves.

Good topic!

I started taking my boys when they were 6 on the first, and still in diapers for the younger ones. Not for big game but fair weather outings for jack-rabbits or target shooting. I kept the sessions short, brought snacks and drinks along and made sure things stayed fun. My youngest is now nine and we are taking the hunters ed class together. My middle son is legal to hunt big game for the first time this fall and he's exstatic.

I think the younger they are when you get them started going along the more likely you are to have an Outdoors Partner later. Nate

Here's me at age 8.....



Dad didn't know it at the time, but he was creating a monster!

Cheers,
Canuck

I started going along w. my Dad on elk hunts on our ranch in MT when I was ~3 or 4. They weren't much more than Dad taking his sons, and his rifle, out for walks, but we followed trails, and were told how to keep quiet, etc. My brother and I were both hunting alone by 3rd grade -- again, part of it was because the amount of time we spent being exposed to hunting as kids (not really possible unless you live on a ranch.) and how disciplined we were around guns.
We didn't have toy guns, at least not until we were much older. Dad bought both of us guns before we were born, and we were shooting long before we were in school, but unless it was a water gun, that looked nothing like a real gun, we couldn't have it.

In Manitoba, Canada, you have to be 12 to hunt big game and birds, but my two boys have been hunting since they could walk. My oldest boy Dakotah was shooting before he could TALK! No kidding! I used to take him out for magpies and varmints behind the house all the time. I used to carry a little three step stool out back with us. I duct-taped a pillow on top of it and when we spotted a varmint I would set it up, put the fore stock of the rifle on the pillow and stand him behind it. Even the chipmunk rifle we had was too long for him at that time. He'd line them up and waBAM! He would giggle and squeak and say other little critter things that only he and maybe his mother would understand and then I'd have to run him inside before the coyotes and wolves came to eat us.

This year he turned 10 and I took him to Globe Arizona with the Predator Masters Hunt for coyotes, Bobcat, Mountain Lion and Javelina. He shot 3 coyotes and a Javelina. Personally I think 12 is too old since by then most boys don't find hanging out with Dad "cool" anymore. Start them young and you will have a hunting partner for life.

The first two were taking while practicing here in Manitoba. He didn't shoot anything as it would be illegal. These were staged, and he only got to shoot a few targets after we were done. In case you are wondering that is a factory Model 7 in .204. Only a few were made under special order for one particular store. The rest were taken in globe. One coyote was not photographed because it was too hard to get to.

My 12 yr old just finished Oregon Hunter Safety Course.. He is in boy scouts and also has the rifle shooting merit badge.. so he had a lot to draw on for the course and did well...

There were some kids in the class that were about 8 or 9.. and several were girls at that age,

I think it best to expose them to it, with good habits, at an early age so they don't get into the PETA propaganda early... Download some of the comics for kids off of PETA's web site if you want to see how stupid and lefty those fools are...

My cousin who lives in WVa, started his kid out at 5 years old on his farm... deer are pretty plentiful.. the kid couldn't hold the gun up, but was able to put the forearm of the stock on the crosswire on a barbed wire fence...

He shot his first deer at 5, with a 257 Weatherby!...he shoots them all the time evidently as dad goes down and secures Orchard Permits for his apple orchard...My cousin tells me the harder the rifle kicks the more his son loves it!!! At 8 or so he was shooting dad's 300 Weatherby! Still had to prop it up on the fence, but he still pulls the trigger and nails them...

Course I think Trevor is a little extreme.. I am sure he will be an 18 yr old with a 4 x 4 Truck with 44 inch monster mudders when he starts driving....

With my blue dot loads posted here on AR, I got an email a while ago, by a Granddad from the Texas/Oklahoma/Arkansas Area. He had taken my load recommendations for Blue Dot loads with a 100 grain bullet, for a 257 Roberts.. He took his grandkids, like age 11 and 12, hunting on family property in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. These two boys don't have a dad around.... but a proud grandpa, sent me an email thanking me about the load data, and gave me an update.. the two boys had taken 7 deer, out of an opportunity for a total of 8....

I really cherish getting that news... especially in a world that tries to convince our kids hunting is cruel and bad...and all that other lefty liberal BS...

No kids for me as yet, but a couple comments: hunting buddies of mine have kids, and those that have been taken along from a young age (3-6) all are enthusiastic about accompanying Dad, and in how all our hunts without them have gone. Also, from a different perspective, my Dad never was into much outdoorsy stuff. Thankfully, he took his kids camping and exposed them to a bit of fishing. I took to the fishing immediately, and was a fisherman from a young age (my brother decided it wasn't for him, but he at least had something to base it on). As I had no one to get me shooting or hunting, I had to wait until I was in my late 20s to decide to say screw the waiting for someone to come along, and got to learning/teaching myself. It's a work in progress, but I do OK. The point, I guess I'm trying to make is that I regret all the years that went by that I missed in my youth *not* hunting, as I didn't have someone to expose me to it (inner city kid). I guess my feeling is definitely for exposing kids to outdoors stuff, and bringing them along on short outdoors fishing/hunting outings. If they don't seem to like it, then don't push too hard to get them to like it. If they do like it, well then happy days all around.

I forgot to add this...

some of you gentlemen have posted some beautiful pics, showing hunting with you kids!

My compliments...I'd rather take a youngster out hunting than hunting myself...it is much more fulfilling...passing on the future...

Generally boys like to break and blow up stuff. Therefore, recoil and noise is not as big and issue with them as they are willing to tolerate the discomfort to see the results of their efforts. Girls are more drawn to the experience of hunting. They seem to see shooting as a means to the objective and not the objective itself. They have much less tolerance for recoil and noise because of this and their physiques. Make shooting sessions as painless and noiseless as possible with your daughters and they will enjoy spending time with you doing what you enjoy doing. Generally, boys want to shoot all the time...I know I did. Generally, girls only want to shoot when it is necessary and hunt for reasons other than the light and thunder.

I started my daughters hunting with me in the dove fields for very short hunts when they were 4ish. Ear protection, plenty of drinks and snacks and they participed by retrieving for me and picking up my spent hulls. When it came time for them to hunt for their own critters I started with BB guns. Our hunts were fun. Grasshoppers, dragon flys, frogs at the pond and sparrows in the barn. We progressed to 22s at the range blasting fun targets and working on our firearms safety lessons. They went on more difficult hunts such as turkey or early season deer hunts to teach them patience and to be quiet. From these trips they learned about nature few people who don't hunt never get to experience. We progressed to big game capable, but recoil appropriate, caliber center fire rifles such as a 6mm Rem, 223, 7.62 x39 and 44 Mag a the range and then to a game ranch so they could be certain of see good numbers of game animals and be given a good opportunity to kill an animal. Now the girls are both taking up the bow, shotgun and handgun and I look forward to expanding our hunting opportunities in the future.

My oldest, who is 14 now, love to hunt and will hunt on her own or with my friends and family. She things of herself as a lioness and is proud to tell people she helps feed her family. My youngest, who is 12, loves to hunt with me simply to spend time with her dad doing what he loves to do. She hunts for the trophy and only wants to kill the biggest available. They are both very good shots and have killed a few heads of big game. We are having deer steaks from my eldest daughter's kill for diner tonight.

quote:

Originally posted by PWN375:
We are having deer steaks from my eldest daughter's kill for diner tonight.

Any chance of a grizzled Uncle getting in on that?

Cheers,

Brian

Both my sons, now 12 and 10, started started moose hunting with me when they were 6. The oldest went to Namibia with me in '05 and is now "infected" with African hunt fever since he's continually plotting his return. His younger brother is now in quest of that 60" Alaskan moose. I wonder how enthusiastic he'll be when it's down and he's gotta pack it!

Pictures, pictures PICTURES!

quote:

Originally posted by akpls:
Both my sons, now 12 and 10, started started moose hunting with me when they were 6. The oldest went to Namibia with me in '05 and is now "infected" with African hunt fever since he's continually plotting his return. His younger brother is now in quest of that 60" Alaskan moose. I wonder how enthusiastic he'll be when it's down and he's gotta pack it!

My sons started walking out with me when they were around 6 or 7 years old and these were mostly "adventure" trips --- when I was fishing they liked to throw rocks in the water and of course they jabbered like magpies when we were hunting birds, usually pheasants, but they soaked up the experience and enjoyed being with the grown-ups.

The 2nd phase was getting them familar with firearms and here I used a .22lr bolt-action and a 28ga O/U shotgun --- both cut down to fit them. They never carried a gun in the field until I was satisfied with both their marksmanship and how safe they were with a firearm..... this took about 3 years and that included a lot of tin-can and paper targets with the .22lr and quite a few clay targets with the 28ga. By the time they were 11-12 years old they were as competent in marksmanshp, safe gun handling and being a good sportsman as 90% of the hunters I've been around --- but for me the big thing is they paid attention, listened and were courteous.

They've never (mid-30's now) really been interested in big-game but are both avid bird-hunters and enjoy shoot skeet and trap with me when their schedules allow. I can truthfully say I've never seen their muzzles pointing the "wrong" direction or claim a bird someone else shot at.

I've started working with my 10 year old grandson and while he seems to a natural shot with the little 28ga he isn't close to being ready to hold a loaded firearm unless he's right next to me but he's ready to walk the fields, empty handed, on our annual pheasant safari to Kansas next year.....hopefully we'll be able to load him down with birds to carry and the thought of actually hunting with us will get him a little more focused.

I took these photos of my younger son's 1st pheasant --- the fellow dropping into the grass is my Dad who walked in and flushed the pheasant. Grass is high enough you can't see the dog. Shot with a telephoto lens and motor-drive. Shot hits the pheasant at about 25 yards and he was using a 20ga Citori with 10z of #6's. I've posted these before but I love the pics as a perfect example of keeping your head down and following thru on the swing...as I told them, bird -- belly --- beak ---BANG.

That's awesome! Good camera work too!