Taking the Kids Hunting

sjc1987

Well-Known Member
I was browsing the forum tonight and noticed a thread about the best clothing for taking kids hunting and it got me thinking. What age do you think a child is old enough to come out stalking?
My son is now 4 and a half and although he has seen the deer hanging in the larder and understands how they get there I have never shot anything when he has been with me.
As I said he understands the process, which I think is hugely important, he is interested and asks lots of questions and he loves to eat the venison but I’m not sure why I’m slightly reluctant to take him out.
I’m interested to know your thoughts?
 
Don't force the pace. Let him come when he's ready, but in the meantime involve him as much as possible in the larder work and butchery, and right through to the final stages in the kitchen. That way, by the time he does come out shooting with you, seeing the animal killed is just another logical part of the processes he's already been involved with.
 
My lad started coming out rough and Pigeon shooting with me from ~5, witnessing rabbits gutted and pigeon's/pheasant's de-breasted, although he didn't witness his first stalk until ~6. He is very immature generally, but has always just 'taken' to the shooting pretty naturally. This was his first successful stalk with me and he was putting his little hand around mine on the knife as I completed the gralloch and asking me to explain every last detail of the contents. He is very immature in almost every other way and suffers pretty severe dyslexia. Only you can judge when they are 'ready'.

IMG_0113.jpg
 
Keep him involved in the process and let him " help" in any way he can , make it fun he will let you know when he is ready, he is only a kid for a short time so enjoy that part of his childhood as long as you can
Cheers
Ray
 
When I took my lad out beating he was about 11yo he saw from close quarters a roe doe put down by the land owner, I was further along the line and found out later of course, this incident cost me my shooting companion.He will not shoot any more and enjoys fishing instead.

BC.
 
My son started shooting cow pats with a 410 at 6 years old and saw me shoot rabbits around the same time. He came stalking for the first time at 7 but didn’t shoot a deer until he had his FAC at 14. This coming week (16 years old) he is coming after hinds in Scotland so it definitely hasn’t put him off!
 
Great to see examples of youngsters getting involved in stalking. When it comes to letting them use firearms just make sure you are all complying with the law. This frequently comes up on facebook where people are flouting the law then bragging about it; not very sensible.

I have seen a couple of occasions where something that was once very special (young lad shooting his first deer with his father) has been turned against the father in a later custody dispute and, because the law is clear and the evidence is there in terms of photos/FB posts etc, it is impossible to wriggle out of.
 
My kids came with me from a young age. Probably five or six years old. They have always been the ones wanting to come. Nothing was ever forced if they didn’t want to carry the rabbits or whatever they didn’t.
They did cause a bit of a stir with the what I did at the weekend essays at school. However a firm conversation with the teacher stopped her “that’s cruel comments”.
I will add though consider hearing protection as youngsters have more delicate hearing.
 
Just let them tag along, all mine quite happy to shoot air rifles. No 1 son shot first roe in mid teens, no 3 had a hare when at similar age. They all been out pigeon shooting and no 3 and 5 had first shot gun lessons last year, as yet not been decoying as no suitable 20 bore. All have seen deer/rabbits in some form of dismemberment. Just see how it goes.

D
 
Make it fun is the most important thing. Build a den, basher or tent, light a fire, shoot a pigeon, catch a fish, eat a pigeon or fish, but have sausages and baked beans as well go to sleep.

And at home make "African Chocolate" - it's what we all ate as kids in the African bush when proper chocolate was unavailable due to sanctions and sugar rationing.

Very easy

Take a haunch or shoulder of venison - cut into long thin strips

Grind up 1/3 each of corriander, salt and black pepper. Lay venison strips into a bowl, sprinkle on spices lay another - basically cover the strips. Add a bit of red wine - ideal is the 1/4 bottle that wasn't drunk the other evening and going slightly vinagery.

Tie a long string across the kitchen, open up some paper clips and hang each peice up.

Do this whilst the long haired controller is out - for obvious reason

Leave for a few days to dry.

Go hunting and take the African Chocolate.

Any similarities to Biltongue are purely incidental.


There is a brilliant book called "Cradle to Canoe" by a Canadian couple who started wilderness canoe camping with their children when still in nappies - lots of good advice.

And my earliest memories is the feel of stinging knees from the long grass as I tramped after my Pa through the African bush to shoot guinea fowl and then falling asleep across the front bench seat of our Renault 4 on the way home. I suspect these were not that long hunting trips, but they were epic adventures!
 
I have quite a limited ability to take YPM on hunting adventures, given that opportunities are pretty thin on the ground in London. That said, we have ambushed a couple of grey squirrels in the garden successfully, and he understands the theoretical need for patience and silence. Now actual patience and silence is harder to achieve... I've also taken him fishing three times in entirely unsuitable circumstances (driving rain on Bodmin Moor, blazing sunlight and 30 degrees at mid-day in Syon Park...) two or three times, so that he can catch, cook and eat a fish. Unfortunately, the fish hasn't materialised yet. This is probably partly due to the fact that the fly doesn't spend that much time in the water on these trips. Nevertheless, he understands that we need to come early. Just not how to actually make that happen. The appetite is there, he wants to do it, he's interested. Actually this summer in France, the local fishing club organised a morning's float fishing for kids, for free, and he was captivated by that for a good couple of hours, which isn't bad for a five year old. He put worms on the hooks and did indeed catch a herring fry or somesuch, which we released.

He's seen deer hang in the shed, seen me prepare game, he knows where food comes from. We'll get there eventually.

Of course, YPM2 is now on the way so the setup will change once again. Next chapter in the Sporadic Hunting Adventures of the Family Pine Marten.
 
Both of my sons were involved with " Keepering life" from an early age and one hunted regularly on his pony whilst the other had a small lurcher and hunted Rabbits and Hares on the estate(when I allowed).
Both were taught to shoot the old fashioned "No cartridge, until safe" way, and my youngest was an exceptionally good shot on pigeons when roost shooting. Unfortunately they found other furry things to play with in their late teens and gave up on sporting shooting. Neither shoot now, although my younger son's last running dog only died a couple of weeks ago. Conversely a friend's sons had no interest until their late teens, and now are full on Shooting and Hunting blokes.
Let them go their own way and if they want it encourage them but don't push it.
The most unusual youngster was my old Head Keeper's daughter who always helped her Dad but at 18 became a Vegetarian Anti.:cuckoo:
 
Sadly my Daughter no longer jumps out of bed a 4AM with excitement and has zero interest in re-visiting the woods for anything other than what the Gold DOE Award will throw at her. Not even my legendary in-the-woods cooking is enough to coax her back which in hindsight was probably the pre-teens main attraction.

The irony is she could now actually do some shooting rather than simply be my packhorse for dead critters!
:cry:
 
All our kids know where meat comes from and have seen deer, rabbits etc hanging and being butchered by me. Neither of the girls want to shoot an animal but do, to a point, enjoy shooting at targets. Taken son shooting a few times including an open hill adventure when he was 13ish. He enjoyed the day but the bug didn't bite. But that's okay too.
 
All our kids know where meat comes from and have seen deer, rabbits etc hanging and being butchered by me. Neither of the girls want to shoot an animal but do, to a point, enjoy shooting at targets. Taken son shooting a few times including an open hill adventure when he was 13ish. He enjoyed the day but the bug didn't bite. But that's okay too.

Mine are much the same. Very happy to go clay pigeon shooting but no desire to shoot anything else. As David says, that's fine too; they know where meat comes from & see pheasants & deer being prepared often enough so at least they are under no illusions.
 
Miss Heym SR20 is very happy clay pigeon shooting, shooting on the range and eating the proceeds of hunting trips, and we are now filling in FAC and SC application forms.
 
To answer your question mate,

when you feel it's right to take him out, only you know if he will get bored after 5 mins and you will end up packing up and going home,

kids are fidgety and get bored easily,

if he wants to go now at his age , and you want to take him ,then take him,

Go out in good weather and make it interesting / an adventure ( as said above build a den ,have a fire etc. Etc etc)and be prepared for a possible early departure lol lol

we are all different and interested in different things, he will either like it, or not like it

you know your Nipper better than anyone

kjf
 
My boy, age 7 has seen all species of game, wildfowl and deer species present in our area prepared for the freezer and the table since ever. I have been always of the opinion that I will wait till he is well in to his teenage years before taking him out, but.... I have taken him stalking this season and we got two bucks on two separate occasions, he is obviously a lucky charm. He hasn't seen the animal drop, has not noticed the moment I shot them, but was enthusiastic about the gralloch and butchering. He isn't mad about going out all the time, but he asks questions about hunting and environment. He understands the need for population control, and I heard him discussing it with some older kids, made me quite proud. I think it is more important how you introduce them to hunting then when...
 
For me it turns on the general disposition of the child and their interest levels. Another determining factor (and probably the most important!) is when my wife says they're old enough :)

My children have grown up with game of one type or another being prepared and eaten so haven't been phased if they have come out with me after rabbit from about 7-8 years old. That said, whilst my sons are keen as mustard, I've not managed to persuade one of my daughters to come along. The girls seem to take the view that, whilst they're happy to eat game, they can't see the point in getting up at silly o'clock/ freezing/ soaked/ covered in mud/ possibly coming home empty handed/ etc - particularly when there's some daft sod (me) that will go and do that for them.
 
Taken my 8 year old for air rifle practise, to the clay ground and to my syndicate lake which were all relatively successful. As mentioned before especially with boys its their attention span, so about half hour is max before his brain wanders.

Ive tried to do it sparingly as to try and get him super keen for the next trip, however much as I long for a shooting and fishing buddy.

I do hope that at least one of my sons loves fishing as much as I did when I was a boy as I have a cunning plan. Ha ha going fishing with my pals I have to earn brownie points for a weekend away from the boss, but when I finally get to take my boys its called parenting!!! :) Shouldn't wish my kids childhood away but I cant wait...
 
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