Hello. Need Advice
09-18-2016, 02:29 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 4
Hello. Need Advice
Hello all. My name is Vince and I live in Northeast Pennsylvania. My son is 11 years old this year and I want to get him hunting. He actually asked me to take him. The thing is, I've never been much of a hunter my adult life; I'm 46 now. I did some archery deer hunting in my late teens, and some small game and turkey and deer in my late teens through my mid 20's. I haven't hunted since. When I did hunt back then, I had experience hunting friends with me.
So with that, does anyone have any advice on how and where I should start with him? I'm thinking small game or Turkey? What would be a good firearm to purchase? Any and all advice would be very helpful. Thanks.
Vince
So with that, does anyone have any advice on how and where I should start with him? I'm thinking small game or Turkey? What would be a good firearm to purchase? Any and all advice would be very helpful. Thanks.
Vince
09-18-2016, 03:21 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: N-E PA.
Posts: 1,787
Welcome Vince! I started my son who is now 40,hunting squirrels with a single shot 20 gauge shotgun. Now my grandson is 9 used the same gun when he wanted to hunt,last year he killed a big doe with my crossbow. My thought is to start small and see how he likes it. Good luck...
09-18-2016, 06:25 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 4,264
Once he gets a taste of squirrel hunting, at some point taking a hunter's safety course would be beneficial---it'll probably pique his interest even more and empower him to know what "the lay of the land" looks like across different types of hunting. Based on descriptions of what it's like to hunt different game animals, he might be able to choose what he wants to try next after squirrels.
There's of course no other way to learn well how to hunt a new type of game than by doing, but first you need the inspiration to go after it, at all.
There's of course no other way to learn well how to hunt a new type of game than by doing, but first you need the inspiration to go after it, at all.
09-19-2016, 09:09 AM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,745
To hunt in PA (12 and over) you must take a hunter's safety course prior to purchasing your license. Children 11 and under can hunt certain game (small game included) if accompanied by a properly licensed adult hunter under PA's Mentored Youth Program. A Mentored Youth license is about $2.50 if I recall and can be purchased on line.
Even you, as an adult, must show evidence of having taken a Hunter's Safety Course.
Classes are still available this year. Just go to the PGC site and look under the "education" tab. You can both take the course together.
For a first shotgun I'd recommend a 20 gauge pump - Either Remington or Mossberg. You can always load one shell in it and use it as a single shot until you think he can handle the weapon safely.
Even you, as an adult, must show evidence of having taken a Hunter's Safety Course.
Classes are still available this year. Just go to the PGC site and look under the "education" tab. You can both take the course together.
For a first shotgun I'd recommend a 20 gauge pump - Either Remington or Mossberg. You can always load one shell in it and use it as a single shot until you think he can handle the weapon safely.
Last edited by bronko22000; 09-19-2016 at 09:11 AM.
10-01-2016, 05:18 PM
#7
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,745
He can take the course now because he is 11. That is the youngest age allowed to take the course.
