How to Introduce a Kid to Hunting

[Dogpaddlin]

I think my son is getting old enough (4yrs) I can start taking him hunting. He has gone to the lease with me previously to shoot and just have fun stomping around. My question is how do you introduce them to the actual hunt? How do you explain the kill to them? It's hard to make a young one grasp the concept of conservation.

I love the outdoors and look forward to having lots of adventures with him. I have been very careful when introducing him to other things (canoeing/kayaking, camping, hiking, etc.) going to great measures to keep each of the outings short & fun. I would like to make sure I don't do something stupid when introducing him to hunting.

Any suggestions?

[Bigrock]

First suggestion....relax. and be patient. It happens over time.

I would start him with an introduction to firearms that he can handle and learn safety and proficiency with. A pellet rifle or grasshopper 22. Shoot targets and don't worry about the kill.

Yeah, a 4 year old will have trouble grasping the concept of conservation...all at once. That's why you give him little bits of info constantly, consistently and set the good example with your own conduct. He will begin to understand that the kill itself is not the thrill... or something horrible. He will see the challenges of the hunt, the preparations, the safety measures and the care taken to make a clean kill. Then he will see the respect given the game through cleaning, preparation, and consumption. Something like a dove may be easier for him to see taken than a deer the first time out.

Good Luck!

[artman23]

I started my son around the same age and I think it was an appropriate time. I would start by saying patience and flexibility are key. I started taking him on dove hunts which tend to be a bit more casual compared to a deer hunt. Safety was the main topic with us as well as the idea that if the animal is taken it is going to be eaten. Although I see hunting and fishing as a sport I push the concept of sustenance and self sufficiency.

Make the hunt as comfortable as possible for him-- a good jacket , an extra blanket, snacks/breakfast etc.
Most importantly remember you are not there to hunt, as much as you are taking him hunting.
Lastly, be prepared to cut a few trips short when he is done. There is no point in forcing him to stay once he has lost interest, and leaving a bad impression on his mind.

[Dogpaddlin]

First suggestion....relax. and be patient.

Good advice!!!

My dad also started us off with a bb gun. I am from the panhandle and we only hunted fowl. The first year we went into the field we were not allowed to carry a firearm. The second we carried an unloaded gun. If we showed we had the maturity to hunt safely we got a loaded gun the third year. I am a stickler for gun safety and he will be brought up the same way.

What I am really struggling with is the subject of taking life. While I can have the cull/conservation discussion with an adult I don't know how to breech the subject with a 4yr old. We went to the lease a few weeks ago and had a pack of juvenile pigs come to the feeder. I passed on the shot because I didn't want his first experience with seeing blood spilled to be a "baby".

[GetBent]

A life is a life baby or mature. I feel it is what you do with the animal that counts. Clean it and cook it or give it to someone who will. It is a difficult subject. I grew up with gun safety but little direction in conservation.

[Mythman]

I raised two boys and both are good hunters/conservationist, as adults.

I would say be patient and understanding that his attention span is going to be way shorter than you ever thought. Take him on hunts that don't require lots of still, quiet participation. I would take him without a gun and wait until he asks for a gun............then start him with a bb gun or pellet gun. He can gain a lot of useful experience plinking with a bb gun around camp. The best training he can get is observing you and how you handle things.

As far as him seeing dead animals and blood.............kids generally accept what you accept. Just act as it is all normal and explain that you are harvesting meat for the family.

My advice, let him go at his own pace............each child is a different person!

[Hirsch]

Spend time and teach by example. Teach one lesson at a time until the master it before moving to the next. Better to whisper on stand and answer questions missing seeing a deer that turning him off by boring him to death. Relax and make it fun.

My oldest son is now 36 and an avid hunter. You ask him what he remembers most about his first year on a deer stand with me and he will tell you its the maple nut goodies (his favorite) that I always had plenty of.