ORIGINAL: kevin1
ORIGINAL: Mike Hill
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.