ORIGINAL: drdi
For me there are two separate issues. One is just taking them along hunting and the second is actually allowing them to shoot and kill an animal.
As far as the first, I don't see a problem taking kids along atabout anyage. As long as they are warm and comfortable and aren't made to stay out all day, go for it. In fact weren't ground blinds invented just to take kids out hunting? LOL!
Plus walking around the woods just looking for sign is a great thing to do with kids.
The second is a little more tricky for me personally. It's been pretty well studied that kids don't really fully understand the concept of life and death until around the age of 9. Again this is a personal issue with me, but I have a problem with putting a firearm in the hands of a younger child and asking them to take a life before they understand what that means. I won't go into here, but I've had a personal experience thay has really shaped my opinion of this.
x2....well said
I began taking my son at 4, every now and then. A little more each year. At 8 he was itching to "hunt" himself, but I wouldn't let him yet. I just didn't feel comfortable with him pulling the trigger. He did get to see me take a few while we were together (I feel should be a pre-requisite to them taking an animal on their own). At 9 I got him a .243 and he took his first doe...it couldn't have been better. Last year he had just turned 10, and got his first buck...it was awesome and he can't wait till this year now.
I know a guy that semi-forced his son to hunt when he was 7....he took a deer and it freaked him out, now he wants nothing to do with it. Don't press your kids....let them come along at their own pace.