At what age should you take your children hunting with you?

Deerspotter

As Sunday looms, some of my deer-hunter friends are getting very excited. One lad was telling me he is taking his son out for the first time - his son is only almost four.
The lad said early September is crap for deer, so chances are low of getting one. (He'll shoot one if he can) He'll do an easy walk with some stalking practice and shoot at a few targets to sight the rifle in. He'll leave you young lad in the car with ear-muffs on while he takes a few shots.

My first reaction was this was TOO young - what if he shoots a deer, is the young lad going to be able to process it?
What if he doesn't, will the young lad get bored and never want to go out again?

Is there a risk, young child and firearms and knives?
Curious to hear opinions on this.
Thanks.

German pointer

Each to his own I had a 3 year old boy and a 5 and a 7 year old girl out for rabbits a while back and they loved it. My 7 now nearly 9 year old wants to come all the time for what she calls bunny hunting. And proudly tells everyone that the BBQ is the best part of it..

I came home about 2 years ago with 3 goats and the younger girl saw them in the van after I had gutted them and ran into the house screaming mammy mammy he got a cute white one as well, when can we cook him?

Or the time I was giving my 6 month old his first solid meal blended down venison and veg while his 3 older siblings were around the table singing Rudolf the red nosed raindeer.

It is not the age it is how they are introduced to the concept of it. Luckily mine took to it pretty fast

TriggerPL

Deerspotter wrote: »

As Sunday looms, some of my deer-hunter friends are getting very excited. One lad was telling me he is taking his son out for the first time - his son is only almost four.
The lad said early September is crap for deer, so chances are low of getting one. (He'll shoot one if he can) He'll do an easy walk with some stalking practice and shoot at a few targets to sight the rifle in. He'll leave you young lad in the car with ear-muffs on while he takes a few shots.

My first reaction was this was TOO young - what if he shoots a deer, is the young lad going to be able to process it?
What if he doesn't, will the young lad get bored and never want to go out again?

Is there a risk, young child and firearms and knives?
Curious to hear opinions on this.
Thanks.

I think 4 is a bit to young ! I my self grew up around a butchers and slaughter house and there pic of my self at about that age in the slaughter house , I think for processing at that age you just think its normal if daddy is doing it so it will lay a gud. Foundation for a hunting interest ,

But that been said from a safety point of view , how you ment to watch a deer and a 4 year old at the same time !

Sparks

From a legal standpoint, so long as the child does not take the shot or carry the firearm, it's all above board.

From the safety standpoint, it's not much different from the question of how you watch a deer and keep an eye out for any random hill walker accidentally walking into the backstop, surely?

Cass

My Father and Grandfather (among friends and other family) had me out since i was able to stand. Back then deer was not on the menu of game so it was mostly birds & vermin.

Everything was at distance so i never was exposed to "the kill". However i was there for rabbits, cleaning, etc and it never done me any harm. After saying that what do i really remember from those days? Not much.

As an adult (no laughing) i have brought my young lad out with me since he was 4 or 5. Mostly on vermin/bird, but not for deer. The reasons was never age, but one of minding them. They can be a distraction more than anything. That sounds harsh/cruel, but for the first week i never bring any kid out with me, mine or someone else's. My mate has a young lad too (only 5) and i see the grief he has with him. Constantly telling him to be quiet, stop moving, don't run out in front of the lads with guns, etc. Now his young lad suffers with ADHD, but that aside it is a handful, and for the first week you want the least amount of grief as possible.

Other aspects for me include the areas we walk. They are hilly, boggy, thick growth, and woodlands. The young lads tire or bore easily and i don't want to be out on the first week and after an hour have to leave because someone's young fella is bored or tired. This happened two years ago when a friend brought his 6 year old with us. The kid wanted to leave after 45 minutes and when we didn't he became loud, annoying, and then starting to whinge/cry. By the time we left, got him home, and turned around it was well into the morning heading towards afternoon time. IOW the morning was lost.

I'm out there for enjoyment of my sport and if my young lad can enjoy that too i'll bring him and encourage his interest. However there are moments where you have to consider (as selfish as it may seem) your needs/wants above their's. The first week, even two, of the season were always off limits for my young lad. As he got older i brought him out more and more, and this year he is twelve and wants to come out. He knows where to walk, to be quiet, has seen me butcher deer/rabbits, etc, and fully understands all the safety aspects of shooting. Plus he is well able to manage the walking bit so he doesn't need as much, if any, minding when out.

So age not really a factor as much as appropriateness. If ya catch my drift.

TriggerPL

Sparks wrote: »

From a legal standpoint, so long as the child does not take the shot or carry the firearm, it's all above board.

From the safety standpoint, it's not much different from the question of how you watch a deer and keep an eye out for any random hill walker accidentally walking into the backstop, surely?

Add a 4 year old to it as we'll sparks , u have enough to watch if your hunting on ur own.
But like I said it a gud way of setting in his mind young !

Because antis are targeting these kids in schools at that age and older trying to wipe out any chance of them thinking about hunting

Deerspotter

All very interesting replies.

So is age a less important factor, but the more important factor is that he gets a gentle introduction?

Would I be right in saying that if a deer was shot, it might be better that the young lad does not see it whilst being skinned, butchered or even up too close etc.?

I know this boy, he is not even four - he goes around with a toy rifle the entire time and talks about hunting non-stop.

His old-man only hunts deer and swore he'd never take a kid out...

Cass

Deerspotter wrote: »

..........- he goes around with a toy rifle the entire time and talks about hunting non-stop. .

As you know it's a huge difference between liking to play soldier and then seeing a deer shot, cleaned, butchered, etc.

As you said yourself a gentle introduction.

snipe02

Waited till my lad was nine hard but he doesnt get bored understands the process eats the shot game enjoys training the dogs and can walk a fair distance

wildfowler94

I shot my first duck at 11 I was only given a gun then by my uncle who shoots with me to this day, I was brought out for days in the pigeon hide, in the jeep lamping or out with the dogs after pheasants since I was 10, it got me interested but never let me get bored, i think it was the right age too early may ruin the child or god forbit the hunt

yubabill1

Was brought shooting at 4 and caught bug right there. Fed rabbit from earlier than I can remember.

back then, chicken came with giblets......

PL05

Deerspotter wrote: »

As Sunday looms, some of my deer-hunter friends are getting very excited. One lad was telling me he is taking his son out for the first time - his son is only almost four.
The lad said early September is crap for deer, so chances are low of getting one. (He'll shoot one if he can) He'll do an easy walk with some stalking practice and shoot at a few targets to sight the rifle in. He'll leave you young lad in the car with ear-muffs on while he takes a few shots.

My first reaction was this was TOO young - what if he shoots a deer, is the young lad going to be able to process it?
What if he doesn't, will the young lad get bored and never want to go out again?

Is there a risk, young child and firearms and knives?
Curious to hear opinions on this.
Thanks.

If the chap wants to bring his little lad along thats fine, i take it hes planning on going out with just him and lad. the reason i say that is, i would,nt be best pleased if someone was zeroing his rifle on any stalk never mind the first day, this as you know should be done by now, no wonder september is always crap for him if thats what he does.

garv123

Id be more concerned about why he cant get a deer in September really..

dodderangler

Shot my first rabbit at ten. Shot my second two mins later.
My father took me out when I was around 5ish and I carried what he shot. I gutted rabbits at that age. He showed me the ropes as I will e doing for my daughter ( she's not afraid of dead rabbits and does carry them to the shed when I skin em).
I remember at around 8 my dad shot two hare down in Galway on land we had and I carried both of tem all day.
Il never forget that weight.

One shot on kill

My young lad is 3and a half. And is talking a out shooting foxs and deer. We were out the other day and I had to get him a gun for shooting deer and my daughter (1and a half) a gun for shooting foxs all his idea. Cap guns obviously.

So we went for a walk yesterday evening Round the field. Infairness he was very good at listening and was even telling me not to stand in front of his gun. When we seen birds he was aiming and shooting. I'd a pain in the hole loading his gun and he was haven great crack. He brought his mam home a feather of a bird we shot and we go 2 foxs and a deer. (Seemingly).

I'm happy with this he really enjoys it and I can teach him the basics and still have fun and start introducing something else every time we go out.

I personally wouldn't bring him out with live ammunition no way sorry. I would hind the game from him when is shot but I wouldn't be very open and showing him either if that makes sense.

Birdnuts

I was taken Duck shooting around the age of 9. Remember being deaf for a few days after:o Started my interest in the whole scene though and by 15 I was hanging out with and doing odd jobs with lads from the local GC.

Cass

Birdnuts wrote: »

Remember being deaf for a few days after:o .

On that note young kids should always have ear protection. They are more prone to damage that can effect them into adult life so protect them now and save them a torturous life of poor hearing.

zlezlius

My young fella loves going out with me shooting rabbits, was out after fox at the daylight couple of times and also duck. No trouble helping me skinning and washing rabbits. He said he wants to go after deer next week, I said maybe next year I'll take him. He's eight now, started going with me last year. The only thing is i never pushed him to be interested in what his dad does, I promised myself that I wount (no matter how much I love it myself )because I believe if you push him at something too early he might loose interest in it for good. It has to come naturally.
Now I have my best shooting partner-my son:)

ah sure !

i think 4 is way too young for you to actually enjoy the stalk. 100% agree with Cass , it is not so much about safety but about enjoying yourself out there. Getting close to a deer is hard enough so doing it while answering questions after questions etc ..
My oldest has no interest in hunting but his 11 years old brother talks / sleeps / eat hunting. He is mad about going out in the field and has been for years now.
Never heard him complain that he is tired or cold. To be able to share your passion with your son ( or daughter ) is great. By now he knows all about safety , signs to look for when out stalking.

wexfordman2

In seriousness though, I had my young lad out once or twice on the deer last year and he is eight. I hope to get him out a bit more this year depending on his interest

syklops

I was taken out looking for pheasent, woodcock and snipe from about 5 I suppose.

Although to me, its not so much the age, its the receptiveness to instruction that the child is. If you tell him or her to stand behind you, will they or will you have to keep reminding them? Just like a dog that doesn't do as its told, a child which is not complying will ruin the day out. On the other hand, having your son or daughter out with you, and having he/she doing what their told in a safe manner, might add to the experience.

Sparks

Tweaked the title of the thread...

Deerspotter

My hunting buddy has backed out of bringing his young boy with him. He realised it would take away from his own enjoyment of the day.
He also thought (after reading this thread) that he'd rather another few years of peace and quiet out hunting in a kid free sanctuary.

The idea of going for a walk with the toy guns and pretending it is a real hunt is a great idea - especially to drill safety in to kids.

With regards to the thread title, it never crossed my mind - I don't think like that about children! I have tried to edit it, but I cannot figure out how!

Mods - can you please remove the irrelevant posts? Thank you.

THANK YOU SPARKS

wexfordman2

Deerspotter wrote: »

My hunting buddy has backed out of bringing his young boy with him. He realised it would take away from his own enjoyment of the day.
He also thought (after reading this thread) that he'd rather another few years of peace and quiet out hunting in a kid free sanctuary.

The idea of going for a walk with the toy guns and pretending it is a real hunt is a great idea - especially to drill safety in to kids.

With regards to the thread title, it never crossed my mind - I don't think like that about children! I have tried to edit it, but I cannot figure out how!

Mods - can you please remove the irrelevant posts? Thank you.

THANK YOU SPARKS

Apologies deerhunter, didn't mean to offend if I did.

One shot on kill

That's what I was saying a couple of cap guns and a few caps and the young lad will bring his imagination. THATS ALL YOU NEED.

Believe me lads quality time let him do what it takes to enjoy himself and explore the country side in no real danger and try teach him safety with no pressure or time limit or consequences.

Father and son out enjoying time together. And when there imagination gets going it takes you back.

I personally enjoy watching him be his own little person. Watching him thinking talking and wondering.

German pointer

I use an airsoft bolt action rifle, a K98 to teach the kids the basics of how to handle firearms safely, point in safe direction, cycle the bolt without the BB attached to the case etc. etc. All good clean fun without anyone being put in danger while at the same time letting the inquisitive little hands handle the "bunny guns" as they call the .22.

Brazzill

I was 5 when my father brought me out hunting rabbits, he told me he shot 2 and i picked them up off the Springers, threw them over my shoulders and said "come on so dad". Never looked back after that he brought me every where. Last year i would always bring my daughter out running the dogs but she kept crying when i wouldn't bring her with the gun, hunting! It would kill me leaving her there until one day i brought her out and she comes when she has the time now, she is 11 now but 10 when i brought her with live ammunition, helps skinny rabbits etc.....! My young son is 5 now and he is starting the same carry on of crying when being left behind. But will leave it another year or 2 at least, till he knows whats what. Some kids will mature fast and some won't as fast, so age shouldn't matter too much as long as the kids feel and are safe. :D:D

Deerspotter

Well Said!

Cass

How did you get on this morning.

Did you or your man bring the young lad?

Deerspotter

I wasn't out - but I know the guy went out and left the kid at home.

welsummer

you will have no comfort bringing them out till they are able to cross a barbed wire fence on their own.

syklops

welsummer wrote: »

you will have no comfort bringing them out till they are able to cross a barbed wire fence on their own.

What sort of hunting are you doing?