Nice to see PA, NY, NJ, ect huntin communities so active in here. You would think that no one in MA, ME, CT, NHis in the woods. Sometimes it feels like hunting culture is slipping away. Only one of my two kids likes to hunt and the woods are full of old guys like myself. Where are the 18 year olds in wet sneakers with old Mossburgs?
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I know sometimes I feel the same way. It seems like most of the young hunters are either learning from books web sights or TV cause the ethics don't seem deep instilled like the way my dad and granddad taught me back in the 50's and 60's. Seems like to them its all about taking the game and getting the biggest and best. Now don't get me wrong I like taking a nice big buck too but thats not what its all about. And even though my Granddad and Dad aren't here any more, every time I hed out to the woods they are right there with me and as always I want to make them proud of me and what they taught me. The single parent home has really taken a toll on our sport.
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The single parent home has really taken a toll on our sport.
The Playstation 2 and IPod have taken far more kids from hunting than the single parent home ever has , kids today have far more distactions than we ever did and most of the don't involve freezing while up a tree .
Three of my 6 grandkids are already interested in hunting , and I plan to keep them that way . I take them out into the woods that surround my home and challenge their little minds with games like "Spot the deer tracks" , or "Who made this track ?" , and they love it . They scout for blackberries and know where the persimmon and white oak trees are just by looking at their bark . Last year each got a turn sitting in my ground blind with me , and even though they didn't get to see any deer they were still facinated with the woods around them . Each has their own 20# recurve , and they're not bad with them for as little practice as they get . Their Daddy won't even let them hunt until they're at least 8 , and they can't wait to go . You have to start them out young or they'll never get the bug .
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Kevin Haendiges
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http://hunting-indiana.com
The single parent home has really taken a toll on our sport.
The Playstation 2 and IPod have taken far more kids from hunting than the single parent home ever has , kids today have far more distactions than we ever did and most of the don't involve freezing while up a tree .
Three of my 6 grandkids are already interested in hunting , and I plan to keep them that way . I take them out into the woods that surround my home and challenge their little minds with games like "Spot the deer tracks" , or "Who made this track ?" , and they love it . They scout for blackberries and know where the persimmon and white oak trees are just by looking at their bark . Last year each got a turn sitting in my ground blind with me , and even though they didn't get to see any deer they were still facinated with the woods around them . Each has their own 20# recurve , and they're not bad with them for as little practice as they get . Their Daddy won't even let them hunt until they're at least 8 , and they can't wait to go . You have to start them out young or they'll never get the bug .
kevin...I have to disagree with you on this one. I started hunting because my Dad (or other family/friends) were hunters. They passed it to me and I have now passed to mykids and and they passed to theirs. I do agree there are a lot more "distractions" than years ago, but single parents IMHO, are the biggest factor.
It is very difficult to find anyone today that is hunter that has never been exposed to the sport or has been influenced by family and friends. I think it's tough to find the time to spend with kids when you only see them 1/2 of the time at best. Just my two cents.
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MA hunter here, go out every MA gun season and hope to hunt NH this year if I can find a decent place to hunt!
I amyoung-kinda (36).
Yes, lots of other distractions these days.I woudl say I-pods and playstaion might take their toll, but I hada walkman and Atari when I was 12.I think youth decline is mostlybecause less and less kids are getting introduced to the sport. My 11 YO nephew loves to fish, has already hunted upland birds and turkeys. (no kill yet) He is jumpiong to hunt deer and will probably go this fall or next. He got this interest from his Dad taking him out, no different than our dad taking us out.
All you can do is take them out when they are young and let them decide if its for them.
I have to agree with Kevin as I came from a single parent
family and myself and a brother are both avid hunters and
both love fishing. My dad didn't and my mom didn't but both
my grandfarthers did. I can remember my mom saying stayaway
from that brook and you would find me right there with a
fishing pole in hand. Same with the woods only I had to borrow
a friends extra bb gun to go out and find a few red squirrels.
However my son likes to play games like those described and
does not care to hunt. Because he thinks it is a waste of time
to hunt and not see anything every time out.
Calling New England...
