kids and hunting

Longranger

Hi all, just had one of the best hours I've had in ages. My five year old son asked me if he could help to skin a rabbit! I was so proud, at least I know he'll be a Hunter:D he loved it! Now he wants to go out shooting:cool: it'll soon be time to buy a nice light 20 gauge:D

iTom

That's the job,start them young and keep the keen.

Boiled-egg

Super stuff. I look forward to that day with my 2 boys. It'll be a while though there only 2years and 6 months respectively!!!!

robbie mars

Great to see my eldest two son 12 and daughter 9 are the same and they love eatting rabbit and pheasant sausages both love to go shooting on the Same

session savage

Thats the shot lad. My lads only 1 so Ill be waiting yet but I'm looking forward to having him come along.
While your waiting for him to get old enough for his training cert you should get him one of them toy double barrels in Paul O'Hallorans. They are 50 quid but there class. you put caps into the cartridges and the gun works looks and feels the same as the real deal. May aswell start the training early

Farmlife

Is this what you mean? might pick one up for my little lad,

On a serious side, whats the laws on kids coming hunting? when my boys are 16 i'll be getting them the training licence, but what can i do up until then?

Cass

rgugliel wrote: »

......... whats the laws on kids coming hunting? when my boys are 16 i'll be getting them the training licence, but what can i do up until then?

They can get the training license at 14 so no need to wait until they are 16. Once they have the training cert they can use the gun while under your supervision.

As for before 14, well LEGALLY they cannot be in possesion or use the firearm as they are underage and do not have a license. Legally.

meathstevie

There's no law that states a minimum age for someone to participate in hunting activities with the exception of handling firearms as Ezridax has explained.

If your kids or young relatives enjoy for example an afternoon of pigeon decoying a picking up shot birds for you that's absolutely fine as long as they don't use or have guns in their possession.

J.R.

Don't take it for granted lads that he's going to have the same interests as you -

- I've a son (23yrs old) who I brought out a lot when younger......no interest....couldn't figure out what the buzz was......ended up a 'mad' GAA football & hurling fan & player. Very good player & a great bunch of good friends --- & I'm glad he found something that interests him & gives him his 'buzz'.

I didn't force it on him.....let him try it a few times..........if its not for him.....so be it!

The two lads I go shooting with both have a son each (21yrs old & 26 yrs old) .....neither had the slightest interest and never even went out once to even try it..........it can be disappointing but that's life!

We all need to remember that we wouldn't have liked if our own dad's forced their leisure sport .............sailing - golf - pitch & putt - card playing - pool - billiards - snooker - art - painting - or whatever............ on us & we had no interest.

Deerspotter

Agreed, it is either in you, or it isn't. It is a basic instinct that is either switched on at some point or it isn't. (This is just speculation and is not sourced information!)

kildare.17hmr

My lads 4 and he is gun mad, always helps me clean the guns after a shoot and pickin up birds or rabbits and watchin them get skinned and gutted. Wouldnt bring him out yet because mammy would not approve but when he starts askin to come i wont be able to say no!

fox shooter

my father did alot of hunting and shooting and still does. he took me hunting foxes when i was about 10 and i loved it. after that i went every sunday. i only went pheasant shooting once and hated it felt it was boring no dogs barking no shouting so no excitment for me. i think my father was disapointed. when i turned 16 i got my 1st gun and for a few years i still only shot foxes. then one day i got a red setter from a friend of dads who was going abroad. from that november i fell for game shooting. now from november to janurary i only think about pheasant and woodcock. now my son[11] has started to come with me and seems to like it but i wont push it too much like my father never pushed me.

session savage

rgugliel wrote: »

Is this what you mean? might pick one up for my little lad,

On a serious side, whats the laws on kids coming hunting? when my boys are 16 i'll be getting them the training licence, but what can i do up until then?

Thats the one

czgalway

session savage wrote: »

Thats the one

where can these be got i know he said paul o hallorans but where is that?for 50 quid its a good idea,gives a young lad a bit of resposibility and a bit of practice holding correct and the likes

EPointer=Birdss

I found I always had the interest in dogs & nature in general. Guns, the kill etc were always a necessary but not the draw.(for me) To go & walk just for the shot can be exciting but not everyones cup of tea but to go & watch & train your own dog has a different appeal. It's a bug that can bite you at any age.
A buddy is one of 3 boys who comes from a family of 3 boys before them. The previous generation were stone mad shooters with 2 of the 3 into it 24/7. Both parents came from hunting backgrounds & would either kill clean or cook game between them exposing the boys as young as they can remember. It was a way of life to see pheasants hanging or game of some sort cooking.

Of my buddys lot of 3 he is the only one remotely interested. We've discussed it numerous times & reckon his mother had an influence on it all & there's a theory in there possibly. She'd not be anti hunting persay but not a fan either & into other things. 2 of the boys preferred to travel with her & go places at the weekend where's my buddy would rather go with his auld man & fill hoppers do vermin control etc
We are all wired differently but I do feel parental influence plays a part. It's not a formula you can crack but exposure to the hobby in a positive light from both parents & as part of every day life can only be a good thing...

session savage

czgalway wrote: »

where can these be got i know he said paul o hallorans but where is that?for 50 quid its a good idea,gives a young lad a bit of resposibility and a bit of practice holding correct and the likes

Sorry, Paul O'Hallorans is in Drangan in south tipperary. I'm sure you'll get them elsewhere though I've only ever seen them in O'Hallorans.
I think they are great because the operate the very same as a real firearm only fire caps. Great way to introduce an eager child

Longranger

czgalway wrote: »

where can these be got i know he said paul o hallorans but where is that?for 50 quid its a good idea,gives a young lad a bit of resposibility and a bit of practice holding correct and the likes

Tom kelly in laherdane(between pontoon and foxford) definitely has them. I think you can get them in mcgreeveys toy shop in westport too cos they sell the caps and the mini cartridges.

Mr.Woodcock

on my 16th birthday was in the garda station filling out my app for my licence, my mother is a total anti, and father was only into the fishing, but from a young age my grandad filled of storys from when he shot threw the 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's, the storys alone hooked me, a year after i had the gun and dog, the ol lad decied to see it was all about about and came for a shot with me, and he too took the bug, he was 47 at the time, the bug can take you any time, you just never no when!!

meathshooter1

I have 6 kids and from the age of 4 they have all came shooting with me bar one she's only 9 mts.and they all love it and the older ones come with me Deer stalking all the time,one is now getting his own licence,and one has me tormented for a training licence,my father did the same with me 37 years ago and have the bug since .they all love venison the plates are always left empty .make sure there ears are well protected make sure they wear ear defenders.its amazing how quick they spot things and learn them the dangers of firearms.

lb1981

meathshooter1 wrote: »

I have 6 kids and from the age of 4 they have all came shooting with me bar one she's only 9 mts.and they all love it and the older ones come with me Deer stalking all the time,one is now getting his own licence,and one has me tormented for a training licence,my father did the same with me 37 years ago and have the bug since .they all love venison the plates are always left empty .make sure there ears are well protected make sure they wear ear defenders.its amazing how quick they spot things and learn them the dangers of firearms.

+ 1 with the ear protection, im 31 and my hearing is knackered being firing guns since i was 6 with out ear protection, paying for it now,very frustrating when your in a crowded pub and you cant hear people talking.

pheasntstalker

i have a 7 yr old daughter who pesters me every season to go shooting with me:D:D she is never happier to be up to her eyeballs in fur ,feather and guts helping mum in the kitchen plucking gutting cleaning and cooking any game i shoot and bring home, she,s helping mum since she was 3yrs old , mum comes from a shootng back ground so im blessed, all i have to do is the shooting ,mum and daughter do the rest ,i hope she will keep the interest in the shooting side an i will be a very proud dad the day she takes her first shot:D:D:D:D:D