What age to introduce kids

[alberta boy]

I had both of my daughters out with me when they were seven , my oldest is 40 and still hunts with me , as does my youngest . They were both keen on the outdoors , all I did was give them some encouragement . It also provided me with some of my most cherished memories . I don't think that there's really a set age , every child is different . I do , however , think it's important to start them out as young as possible and make it a positive experience . I've seen people push to hard and the kids got turned off by it .

AB

 

[John Doe]

I would make sure that they develop a love of the outdoors in general first before I took it in a hunting direction. Hill walking, night hikes, playing in the woods, campfires and stuff like that.

 

[Covert]

Working as a keeper my 2 sons grew up with it , both now in their 30’s and working in the industry.
The eldest never really took an interest in shooting as a child , the youngest was a complete nimrod.
Didn’t push them into anything , can remember my childhood, whatever they wanted to do we encouraged them.

 

[Mt Al]

Started taking my daughters with me when they were 3 to 4 years old. Just made sure it was a fun adventure, safe, weather fairly nice and lots of candy/snacks!! They thought walking in the dark to get set up was the most epic thing anyone could ever do. When my oldest was 6, first critter we saw was saw a mangy coyote, then a skunk walked right up to our ground blind. Scared him off then a big porcupine ("quill pig" in Montanan) walks up. Then we shot a whitetail doe. 20+ years later and she still talks about that day. Hunting with my daughters was the main activity until they got old enough for other activities with friends. Fantastic memories and we still hunt together sometimes.

 

[User00047]

My son was out hunting with me aged 2, but he couldn’t really even talk or walk very far so it was difficult. Getting him to wear hearing protection was ok but being quiet was a challenge. I generally had to carry him on my back for most of it. He loved it all, especially being involved in cutting up deer carcasses and having a go on the buttolo call and cherrywood roe call and that sort of thing but we’ve had to scale the shooting right back now because of Covid lockdowns/post covid world ****up affecting my work situation and so on.
He’s 5 now and he asks to go hunting quite a lot but at the moment we are prioritising paying the gas bills.
Occasionally we hunt/trap rats and squirrels and other varmints but it’s not quite the same.
He has his own little collection of skulls and antlers going on in his bedroom so he’s heading in the right direction.

 

[sir-lamp-alot]

When they ask to go

Ive taken my son of 11 a few times when hes shown interest and ive let him knock the odd pheasant off the roost whith his .410 and use the .22lr to shoot at targets. At the end of the day its about what they want to do and not what they will tollerate being dragged along to

 

[VSS]

Just let them grow up with it. Having guns, traps etc about the place is no different from having spanners in the workshop and a rolling pin in the kitchen. They're just everyday items that are part of a normal rural upbringing, and there's no reason to treat them any differently.
Let them have a go when they want to have a go, but keep it within the law for all our sakes, otherwise we'll end up with the laws being tightened. (And if you are going to break the law by letting a youngster have a go with a 22lr, then probably best not to post about it on an open forum!).
My kids all had the same opportunities, starting out doing a bit of mole and rat trapping, then using an air-rifle from the time the youngest was about 7, also going beating on the local shoot etc.
None of them was ever particularly interested in shotgun shooting though. All three have been involved in carcass prep since they were toddlers, and all are keen to eat the results.
Only one of my kids has taken things further and is making a career of it. She got a FAC at 14, and shot first deer with her own rifle at 16.

 

[long_range_rob]

I took my lad at six, this was when he showed real interest rather than just a casual request. He’s now stalking himself, picking up and eating everything he takes. I’m very proud of him and a little proud of me and what I’ve instilled in him.

 

[Bowland blades]

i never pushed instead i facilitated ! Two daughters eldest a really good shot with rifle or shotgun caught her first trout as a toddler wasn't ever interested in live quarry though and i wouldnt push that ( she is now grown and very shortly will become a doctor in the NHS) , younger one had it available and is very much into it , not bad at all with a rifle and could out shoot most and likes shotgun but less successful with it Done some fishing and she enjoys it had a few fish . She is the only other person besides me who can handle the dogs

I think the trick is to facilitate not force , i have seen many push their kids into it when they are just too small and young . If they aint talking to you over it and others then chances are they aint as passionate as one might think .

I despair sometimes when i see a guy push shooting a 410 at the clays to a child who is plainly just out of nappies and i do think too many folks think young Girls are not really part of the hunting , shooting, fishing thing . Its mainly the younger men strangely and both my girls have commented to me about it , the Old guys really cannot do enough to encourage and often comment how good it is we now see more girls and women entering and doing rather well in field sports.

 

[mudman]

My start was beating on rough farm shoots from the age of 10, ferreting from 12, air rifle from the same age. First 12 bore age of 16, shared with my slightly younger brother, we took turns when pigeon shooting or rabbiting. Did not shoot a pheasant or a duck until 18, did not stand on a peg until my 20’s. Maybe not ideal, but very close. I think we could have started a couple of years earlier, but we both seriously got the fieldsports bug and lived and breathed same for the following forty years, so it was pretty good to an ideal start IMO.

I would be wary about burning out any latent interest by introducing too much too soon. It should not be too easy.

 

[mudman]

i never pushed instead i facilitated ! Two daughters eldest a really good shot with rifle or shotgun caught her first trout as a toddler wasn't ever interested in live quarry though and i wouldnt push that ( she is now grown and very shortly will become a doctor in the NHS) , younger one had it available and is very much into it , not bad at all with a rifle and could out shoot most and likes shotgun but less successful with it Done some fishing and she enjoys it had a few fish . She is the only other person besides me who can handle the dogs

I think the trick is to facilitate not force , i have seen many push their kids into it when they are just too small and young . If they aint talking to you over it and others then chances are they aint as passionate as one might think .

I despair sometimes when i see a guy push shooting a 410 at the clays to a child who is plainly just out of nappies and i do think too many folks think young Girls are not really part of the hunting , shooting, fishing thing . Its mainly the younger men strangely and both my girls have commented to me about it , the Old guys really cannot do enough to encourage and often comment how good it is we now see more girls and women entering and doing rather well in field sports. View attachment 275805

Looks like a proper goose, a foreshore goose, well done both.

 

[BenBhoy]

My eldest is 9 now. She's been checking larsens (she informs the occupants it's time to "donk & die"! & fenns with me for couple years. Crow decoying with me when she was 7. Had first night rabbiting this summer. She plinks with air rifle & plan this half term to shoot her first rats. But she's also helped me pick out fat lambs & take them to slaughter/Market etc

 

[bullet chucker]

My lad was air rifle shooting at about 8 at targets only,then at the clay's with a 20g, Beating,then a chance of a position (supervised) on the beaters day aged about 11, Then in the beating line one season a roe deer hit a fence post in panic and was injured the gun nearest' head shot the deer right in full view of my unsuspecting young lad with a 12 bore, well' you will not be surprised to learn that he will play no part in shooting since. I lost a partner because of that event.

BC.

 

[Farmer_J]

I must of been young when I started as I really can’t remember a time when I wasn’t doing it! My sons now 5 asks to go shooting near enough everyday. In February I hope to pick him up from school and go straight to roost shooting pigeons. Be a while before a stalk I think, school will probably disneyfy deer before too long though so might have to act quicker than anticipated.

 

[Ronin]

Been taking my stepson out since he was six (now 8) he is patient, can follow instructions and keen to learn

One day I’ll build him his own rifle

I had hoped that my other two kids would engage but I’m not sure that will happen now

 

[Mungo]

Been taking my stepson out since he was six (now 8) he is patient, can follow instructions and keen to learn

One day I’ll build him his own rifle

I had hoped that my other two kids would engage but I’m not sure that will happen now

My son has already asked when ‘that man with the spooky misty picture’ will be making him his gun

 

[Ronin]

My son has already asked when ‘that man with the spooky misty picture’ will be making him his gun

Brilliant

 

[Ratel]

My two sons as Keeper's lads were brought up around guns and taught safety when about nine and seven years old. They developed into safe and in the youngest's case excellent shots.
The eldest was more interested in hunting and went to all local meets on his pony. This of course led to things with bumps and fur in the pony club and shooting went out the window and never came back. The youngest continued for a while, shooting four out of every five whatever he shot at. He eventually turned to rugby and inevitably the bumpy things. Both in their fifties and neither have shot since their twenties but have increased the indigenous race by nine, some of whom have already bred four more. Wish they had stuck to shooting.

 

[260madman]

My daughter sat in a blind with me when she was 6 on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon of about 40 degrees and snow on the ground. I took a doe and she thought it was the bees knees. She’s now 14 (high school, ugh) and has killed a few bucks the last 3 years. I let her pick the blind locations and shooting lanes so she has “some skin in the game”. It’s Youth Hunt weekend but unfortunately it’s also Homecoming for her school so there’s a dance tonight and no hunting today but tomorrow afternoon we’re going out to sit. She hates target practice for groups but shoots very well so I will let it slide until her proficiency degrades, I can shoot all day every day and never tire of it. Her gun is an AR and prefers it to a bolt action even though I bought one specifically for her.

Between figure skating and school activities I realize I’ll lose her at some point but I’m hoping she realizes that hunting is something to keep you grounded and she can always hang out in a blind with me.

Fishing


first day with me and had to take her BB gun


first buck


her last

 

[DevonRifle]

Our little lad (nine) is begging me to go out stalking. He has been rabbit shooting with me twice but scared more away the last time due to boredom (not good at attention) but it was in the dark. I have persuaded my wife to come with him and hold back watching so I get both involved!

On the subject of the fluffy fraternity we also foster. Almost all the kids we’ve had (mostly short term) have watched me butcher dear and the foster company encourages it! The current one is cooking Chilli Con Carne at school soon and has asked the teacher if he can use venison mince. They were all very interested.