Hunting and children

[MJ75]

Has anyone here taken their kids hunting in Africa? And if so at what age?

I have an eight year old son who's too young now but I really want him to experience an African hunt while he still can if I can find a suitable outfitter etc. I'd be interested in knowing at what age youngsters start hunting there. And yes I know, he'll need to be able to shoot correctly before taking aim at a live target.

 

[Sika98k]

If you take a look at the forum.Africanhunting.com you will see in hunting reports that a number of, mainly Americans, bring their youngsters to hunt with them.

 

[ejg]

I grew up in the cape and eastern cape. I would go along on hunts from around 7. At around 10 I had the 12ga loaded with SG & AAA. Recon it depends on what type of a hunt. Back then we didn't even have water along, nowadays one would need at least a 2 l bottle for the day.
edi

 

[bowji john]

Some youngsters who live in Southern Africa never see the bush - let alone go hunting

Others grow up in it and hunting becomes an extension of play and adventure which then becomes more formalised and structured with age

I think I was playing in the bush from 8, armed with an air rifle from 10 and a ''terror (ist)'' by 12

 

[ColinJ]

Years ago I worked as a photographic Safari driver/guide. We recommended that clients didn’t bring children under the age of 12, simply because younger children struggle to sit still for any period of time.

 

[long_range_rob]

 

[Pine Marten]

I've only started taking YPM (8) shooting this year. He asked if I would take him stalking and I said no. "Because you can't be completely quiet and not move for four hours, can you?". To which he agreed and more importantly said he wouldn't enjoy it.

 

[Apthorpe]

Take him anyway. It will save the outfitter the expense of a goat for bait.

 

[Dama]

Easiest thing in the world to organise.
Many SA hunting areas have set ups for bow hunters, high seats over waterholes for 30 - 40 metre bow shots. They are happy to let kids shoot a rifle in these bow only areas.
Not my idea of hunting, but when my boy was 11 I was hunting in South Africa and he wanted to shoot something and we were taken to a bow hunting area and he shot an impala at about 40m and a couple of days later a blesbok at 60m on a different waterhole.
It was great for him. Gave him confidence with easy shots, last thing you want is for a youngster starting off to wound an animal.

 

[Bushwack]

Years ago I worked as a photographic Safari driver/guide. We recommended that clients didn’t bring children under the age of 12, simply because younger children struggle to sit still for any period of time.

Still the same...but hunting is more exciting than sitting and see trilions of Impala in a game park...

 

[MJ75]

Some youngsters who live in Southern Africa never see the bush - let alone go hunting

Others grow up in it and hunting becomes an extension of play and adventure which then becomes more formalised and structured with age

I think I was playing in the bush from 8, armed with an air rifle from 10 and a ''terror (ist)'' by 12

I first hunted Africa with Guy at Wild Horizons. I met his young son who was hunting mad. Unsurprisingly he has now followed in his fathers footsteps to become a PH which I think is greaqt. So I know they start quite young there.


Thanks for the replies. With the recent proposed trophy import ban I'm more determined than ever to take him there.

 

[dobber]

It is such a game rich environment in SA that the option is there, anything from the springhares at night with a .22 or warthog/impala with a .243.

 

[Heym SR20]

Well I was first taken duck shooting on Lake Chilwa aged about 10 days old and still in a Moses basket.

Earliest memories are of tramping through the bush after my Pa shooting guinea fowl and partridges in Rhodesia and then falling asleep on the front bench seat of his Renault 4.

But most excitement was when Pa had bring the National Parks to move some problem elephants. The game warden stayed with us. I remember him letting me help him clean his elephant rifle, but he said that aged four i was little young to go with him, but he would take me when I was a bit bigger.

I was looking through my parents visitors book and there in 1973 was his name. His grandson posts on a another forum. I contacted him last year recounting the above promise. He spoke with his grandfather who recalled the conversation- and yes get my butt out to Africa and he would take me

 

[Big Buff]

Has anyone here taken their kids hunting in Africa? And if so at what age?

I have an eight year old son who's too young now but I really want him to experience an African hunt while he still can if I can find a suitable outfitter etc. I'd be interested in knowing at what age youngsters start hunting there. And yes I know, he'll need to be able to shoot correctly before taking aim at a live target.

Try Kowas safaris in Namibia +264 812114900 Danie & Ansie Strauss. They are a family run family friendly outfitter who offer ethical trophy hunting for most if not all of the big five and excellent value for money management hunting. I’ve been there a few times and rate them as highly as anywhere I’ve been to in Africa. Jaques is an excellent PH and you will all be well looked after from the moment you step foot in Namibia till you check-in to leave for home. 10/10 in my book.

 

[A Guy Out West]

Assuming you have taught the child to shoot and he/she is mentally prepared to go hunting, age 14 or 15 would be a perfect age. At that age, they are mature enough but not yet into the “I know more than you do” age. Plus, they will remember it a lot better than if at a younger age. Make sure they have bagged game before they go.

 

[enfieldspares]

Has anyone here taken their kids hunting in Africa? And if so at what age?

I have an eight year old son who's too young now but I really want him to experience an African hunt while he still can if I can find a suitable outfitter etc. I'd be interested in knowing at what age youngsters start hunting there. And yes I know, he'll need to be able to shoot correctly before taking aim at a live target.

I'd do it sooner than later the way Carrie Antoinette is telling Johnson to do this and do that it'll soon be as illegal to take a child overseas for hunting game as it would be to take a child overseas for sexual abuse. In fact it'll probably be soon illegal to even advertise overseas big game hunting in the UK. If that's thought "daft" remember the banning of such exhibitors from the Shooting Show at the NEC in the year before covid.

 

[JohnSmith]

In Canada I got my hunter safety when I was 12 and was hunting whitetails the same year. If I was travelling abroad on an exotic hunt I imagine having a couple years of hunting under my belt would be important, for experience and safety’s sake. All depends on the kid, their abilities and maturity.

 

[Heym SR20]

Looking back at this post, I think a lot of it rather depends on you.

Are you looking to have a holiday with your kids, introduce them to a magical experience and perhaps take the odd animal. But first and foremost its about you and your kids.

However if you want to hunt seriously and you consider your kids to be a distraction then go on your own.

However when you are sitting in your rocking chair which will be the more important memories.

And kids grow up very fast. Little Miss Heym is now almost 20, and we had lots of adventures as she grew up, which have made her into a wonderful adventurous young lady who can out shoot, out walk and out ski and probably out think her father. And just a moment ago she was little person following in her daddy’s footsteps.

And the other thing to consider. At age 8 kids are wonderful, and still at the enquiring and magical age. Leave it three or four years and many turn into horrible smelly hormonal creatures, and just as they come out of it they leave home for college, work, university and last thing they want to do is spend time with their parents.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

I think that a lot depends on your child. I'm one of nine children,we all grew up out in the bush, the family ranch house being 136 miles from Bulawayo, the nearest 'big' town. We all had the same opportunity to hunt and fish with dad,grandads and a myriad of uncles.
Not all of us stuck with it, me and one elder brother being the only ones that really took to it. Depends on your child, you know them better than anyone else.

 

[Kano383]

My kids came on hunts since the day they could walk. Of course they'd stay on the vehicle most of the time, but at age 2-3 they'd start stalking guinea fowls or rabbits with the crew.

And they knew to stay away from water and crocs, and to never run around the camp after dark...