Its all a matter of how the kid gets introduced. A father who takes the kid out and helps the kidexperience all the great things there are toexperience by being in the great outdoors, maybe the kid won't be so disappointed if he doesn't always get to pulla trigger.

I've worked with kids for years as a scout leader and seen the whole spectrum. The kid whose dad drags him to camp and spends the weekend before getting blotto with the gang and then takes the kid outfor three hours and spends the rest of the day leaning up against the bar biatching about no deer probably wont get the kid to come back. The father that takes the kid out for squirrels and points out that hawk, turkey, raccon, woodpecker etc etc and makes an experience out of it is far more likely to have a hunter for life.

It's not that the harvest isn't an important thing. It is of course. But some guys make kids believe it's the only thing and that guy is the one who is driving youth away from hunting.

The kids I see staying with it have fathers (or mentors) that help the kid learn to enjoy the whole experience. Not just killing or seeing bunches of deer.

Oh and on the instant gratification thing, I agree, our kids have been proframmed for it. But just like the video game thats the hottest thing going one month and a doorstop the next, instant gratification gets old and gets tossed quickly. true challenges that arent instantly successful are better appreciated when success comes and it makes for a much more long lasting interest.