All 3 of my kids were in the big middle of everything when they were 2 - 3 years old. They saw the deer in the truck, strung up, them cleaned. It was a family deer camp, and they watched as we dressed the deer out. They asked questions, felt of the deer, and learned what was on their plates. I think the better suggestion, instead of worrying about their being bothered is to teachthem, talk to them, let them see, feel, and learn from you. Communication is the most valuable asset you have with your childrem. Let them be a part of your world, and teach them about your world in the process.

Good luck

Good hunting

God Bless

thanks for all the great advice. Not one bad post.

I don't think seeing a dead animal will scar a child! If anything it gets him ready for hunting and doing the shooting himself! I took an ex-gf's boy hunting a couple seasons and he had never even seen a dead animal! He knew I hunted and that we ate wildlife quite often! I'll never forget the first time he went in the woods with me! He was about 8 yrs old, and we were grouse hunting! Well about an hour into the hunt we come around a corner and there's one running down the trail. I throw up quickly and get a good shot! The bird starts the death flap and bouncing around! I look back at the boy and he's white with his jaw about touching the ground! I'm just about to ask him what's up and he say,and I quote,"OMG what did you do to that bird!" So we sat there and had a 5 minute talk about hunting and such! So we go to get the bird and he says "can I carry it to the car!" He was clearly not ready for what happend, but it all worked out good! He is a hunter!!!

Never gave it a thought. You see a deer at the check in station or proudly strapped to the hood of a car or on the shoulder of a guy riding down the street in WVand you point it out. Hey, he got a deer. I will admit my friend and I were scared if his son ever did see bambi in the first grade. He always said bang bang when he saw any deer.

I think that it depends on the child. I took my son squirrel hunting when he was 2 1/2 but even before he had seen deer that I had killed. He has never had a problem with death.

Great post, I was actually close to posting a similar post. My son being 3 and has taken many pics of me with various animals but asked me recently why do you hunt deer? I was not exactly sure how to explain as I had never had it explained to me. I am a only hunter in my family and a obsessed one at that. Intersting to see how people explain it, why we hunt for food when we are not exactly starving.

I live in the sticks somy daughterssee road kill all the time. They started seeing dead hogs and deer, Ibrought home,at a very young age. My daughters started watching me butcher deer at about the age of 4 . Not until they understood what was going on did I butcher one in front of them. At about the age of 5, my youngest daughter started helping me butcher the deer. She would turn the meat grinder and hold bags open for me, etc.. I think a lot of it depends on the child, and how much exposure they have had prior.

This thread will give you some insight into how it's been handled at our house... http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1703564&mpage=1&key=big%2cdoe%2c down&#1703564

Having a loving, supportive wife sure makes it a whole lot easier. My wife helped me walk grid searches for a downed buck I saw fall in some waist-high standing soybaens when our son was four months old; she threw on one of those papoose-style carriers and brought him along.

We've got an enormous video collection, and he's probably seen more deer die than other kids have seen Barney hug other kids...

I'd say it's working out pretty good... Here's his first bowkill