What age to introduce kids

[Zane1988]

Hello Everyone,

Subject that sometimes comes up with family and friends, what age to take the kids along hunting?
My thoughts are as long as they can follow instructions and keep quiet.
Go ahead and do it safely.

Better they get involved in the process of where meat comes from.
My son is 6 years old and now starting to come out on the odd stalk.
His patience is not great so I don't take him a lot.

Was fortunate that my father took me along hunting in Zimbabwe (where I grew up)
I was on the hunts from 3 years old.
Shooting my own antelope and pigs from the age of 8.
To clarify, I now feel this age is too young for what I would start my own kids.
Old image is of me with the old man and my first Tsessebe
Other one is me and the Boy a few weeks back

interested to hear other peoples take.

 

[Tim.243]

Hello Everyone,

Subject that sometimes comes up with family and friends, what age to take the kids along hunting?
My thoughts are as long as they can follow instructions and keep quiet.
Go ahead and do it safely.

Better they get involved in the process of where meat comes from.
My son is 6 years old and now starting to come out on the odd stalk.
His patience is not great so I don't take him a lot.

Was fortunate that my father took me along hunting in Zimbabwe (where I grew up)
I was on the hunts from 3 years old.
Shooting my own antelope and pigs from the age of 8.
To clarify, I now feel this age is too young for what I would start my own kids.
Old image is of me with the old man and my first Tsessebe
Other one is me and the Boy a few weeks back

interested to hear other peoples take.

Dad back in the 70's started me at 11, mind you he had me turning over a gauge of concrete at 12 also brazing up small parts after he showed me what to do...
I think fishing is a good lesson as lots of small fish is a positive result in a short time.

 

[ColinBr]

My 8 year old asks to come out with me, and was asking again the other night when I came home with a Stag in the back of the car.

I've been thinking of letting him tag along next time. He understands why I hunt, and is in no way squeamish.

So I'm in a similar situation as yourself, and look forward to what others say

 

[Julian S]

My daughter shot her first animal on fathers day when she was ten ,but that was legal in Canada so did my son, It needs a child to be mature enough to know what they are doing, but they can start accompanying you as soon as you can trust them.

 

[User00036]

I think fishing is a good lesson as lots of small fish is a positive result in a short time.

Agree with this. Kids live in a different age now, if they talk about hunting to their classmates they might just get a very different response to when we were small. Fishing is hunting, but you learn a lot too about wildlife. Dont push them too hard, as my father used to say about playing a piano, if they go to it on their own accord its worth persevering with, if they dont, its a waste of time. As Fathers we like our children to follow in our footsteps, sometimes they do, sometimes they do the opposite. We grew up with guns, back then it was no big deal. Teach em gun safety first, then targets with a mild air rifle. My dad served in WW2. He bought me a 177 air rifle when I was 6, I remember him saying,"If you hand me a loaded gun, I'll give you a wack round the head" Still hear it now. Safety first!

 

[User00053]

Really odd, both self and wife brought up outdoors her farmers daughter i keeper, son no interest in any of it bar hiking in remote places, though like self a very healthy interest in women and girls
Plan was a gradual graduation not unlike training gun dog pup but think more of a show dog.

 

[NoIDeer]

I've been stalking a few times with one of my grandsons from 5 years old, he gets involved in all aspects of the stalk and processing the deer (except taking the shot obviously). He is a brilliant deer spotter.

 

[phillc]

My young fella's eight and we've been fishing together since he was four. Patience is the big problem. If there's no bites for a while he will want to change bait or lure immediately, and is happy for me to make this happen about four times an hour. If he's catching a few then it's OK. Seems to have more patience on the boat than on shore.

I am thinking of getting him an air rifle for Christmas, but I'd probably leave it a couple more years before taking him out hunting. I think one of the biggest issues is noted above - kids can't keep their mouths shut at school and school is probably full of antis. At the moment I don't even get my rifle out when he's around. When he's maybe eleven or twelve, discretion might also be part of his personality.

 

[paul o']

Soon as I could hold the 410 on target .303 smle by 10

 

[Taff]

My grandson has come goat shooting since he was 7 it depends on the terrain, my kids were brought up seeing deer and assorted game in the shed hanging up, as have my grandkids, no chiller in them days.

 

[NullMac]

43.

Kids are a bit older, bit further advanced in the salary stakes so have some dosh to throw around. Let them pay footie or gaming or whatever and they will come to it with some disposable income later on

 

[Zane1988]

My young fella's eight and we've been fishing together since he was four. Patience is the big problem. If there's no bites for a while he will want to change bait or lure immediately, and is happy for me to make this happen about four times an hour. If he's catching a few then it's OK. Seems to have more patience on the boat than on shore.

I am thinking of getting him an air rifle for Christmas, but I'd probably leave it a couple more years before taking him out hunting. I think one of the biggest issues is noted above - kids can't keep their mouths shut at school and school is probably full of antis. At the moment I don't even get my rifle out when he's around. When he's maybe eleven or twelve, discretion might also be part of his personality.

Patience is a big issue at this age. Realize that as a kid I was obsessed with nature which included hunting. I pushed my old man to hunt more than the other way around.
My son is not a fan of the gutting and meat processing, but it's a good opportunity to teach him gently about nature and food.
Both my son and Daughter who are 6 and 3, are allowed to come watch and participate in the butchery.

The school issue is a good point. I had not thought about to be honest.
Thankfully the boy is confident, many kids at the school have parents who shoot so not a weird thing to them.

 

[Zane1988]

Soon as I could hold the 410 on target .303 smle by 10

All my early years of hunting were with a .303. Loved that rifle

 

[Pro_carper]

I took my larl lass from a early age teaching her why I do what I do. Started with catching moles and checking the larsen traps. And now comes out with the quiet gun as she calls it(air rifel) shooting rabbits and loves it.
Her favourite food is venison steak and pigeon breast.
Just hope the boy follows suit.

 

[David T]

Think there are two questions here. What age do you start taking them hunting and what age do you let them shoot their first animal. Took our kids hunting from when they expressed an interest, probably 6-8 years old. That was enough for the girls. Son had own his .410 when he was 9 or 10 to shot rabbits. Sadly the interest didn't last but we are all individuals with our own interests.
The important thing is they understand where meat comes from and the process involved in getting it

 

[rem284]

My kids were introduced when they wrre still in prams/buggies. Used check some of my easy access traps and rifle came along too when we couldn't get a babysitter and mamma had to work to supplement meagre wages.

I dont think there is a best age but keenness needs to be harnessed

 

[angusb1]

Dad got me shooting a BSA Cadet at 4 in the garden. Teaching a child of that age ball games, swimming, riding bikes, and when they're big enough on private land, driving, gives them a huge advantage in muscle memory over people that only pick these things up at a later age. I have a mate who raced motocross from when he was old enough to sit on a bike and he's got a level of skill on a bike you can't get to if you don't start at that age. Whatever it is, if they're not interested they'll not keep it up but if they do they'll have a solid grounding.

 

[Andrewslater]

My middle son is 9 now but came stalking with me at 8. We had three unsuccesful stalks before a succesful one but he had his own binoculars and we saw deer on all visits which he loved. He bumped a few deer by talking too loudly but a lesson i was glad for him to learn. He has now been on five or six trips with me and has loved them all. He spent mornings on the peg with me since 5 on our syndicate pheasant days and last season went off with the beating line. Comes to all our work partys and does a days graft.

In contrast my oldest son (2 years older) has been on a number of phesants days but only been stalking with me once and not asked to come again. No interest in the beating line.

 

[angusb1]

All you can do is encourage their interest

 

[Mungo]

First came with me aged 5. He saw the deer before I did.

Now comes often.