Alsatian

I'm interested to hear what experiences any of you may have had taking your children with you as observers while deer hunting.

Last year my daughter, then 9 years old, watched closely while I skinned and quartered my doe in my sister-in-law's backyard. I thought she would soon get grossed-out and go back inside. Didn't happen, and she was very interested. When I followed this activity up by cutting up the meat and packaging she wanted to participate, so I let her write the appropriate information on the packages and place them in the freezer. I took a doe opening morning and a buck the second day of the season, filling all my tags. I continued to go out to the hunting ground to take my son hunting, and on the afternoon visits to the hunting ground I took my 9 year old daughter along with. We walked around the hunting ground, well away from my son's location, and I pointed out deer sign and deer food and talked about all this to my daughter. She is very interested in all this and wants to deer hunt herself.

Now this daughter is 10 years old but still too young, in my judgment, to deer hunt. It occured to me, however, that it could be a good idea to take her with me and have her sit with me while I hunt. It seems the worst case is that she may spoil my hunt by fidgiting or making noises, but I won't be crushed if I fail to take a deer under these circumstances. I could explain things to her. She could watch and learn a lot through this process. She could find out if she really wants to do this or not. I warned her she might not like seeing a deer get killed and that sometimes the deer might not just drop dead on th spot, that the deer might suffer a bit and may require a second shot.She seemed OK with this and offered the practical suggestion that if this bothered her she could just avert her eyes. I know that I'll need to make sure she doesn't get cold, that this would be a big hunting turn-off for her (or any kid). I plan to take a sleeping bag and let her pull this up over her feet and torso to keep warm, assuming something like this is needed. I also plan to provide her with ear protection -- I don't imagine she will like the loud blast of a rifle shot (I don't use this ear protection during the actual hunt, only on the rifle range). If she can't keep sufficiently quiet or still, I figure I'll just lose one hunting opportunity -- either a morning session or an afternoon session -- and I can leave her at the house for future hunting sessions.

Have any of you done something like this with young children? Has this worked for you? Any difficulties or problems I am not anticipating?

130woodman

I have taken my daughter in my bow stand for early bow season a couple of times in the last two years. She seemed to enjoy it but she did get fidgity. The best bet is to try to take them out for shorter sits. When I do bring home a deer she is all over it. I think someday she might like it better. She is only 7 and other games are more interesting. I would say take her and sit what is the worst thing that could happen (one night of not seeing anything) or you could have a new hunting partner.

Criggster

I would suggest that you set-up a blind in the area you want to hunt. This way her fidgeting won't spook the deer and the blind will help to keep her warm and knock the wind off. I set a blind near my food plot this year so I can hunt when it's raining hard and so that my wife can join me on a hunt. I put a folding chair in it so that it will be very comfortable. Good luck and kudos to you for getting your kids interested in hunting!

DevoMR

Taking your kids out hunting with you is a great idea.I started bringing my boys with me when they were around 7 or 8 years old. I didn't take them out on opening day, but I always planned ahead when they could come with me. Sometimes I'd take just one of them, and sometimes I'd take both of them.

You are right to worry about keeping them warm. The first timeI took one of them out with me we brought a sleeping bag, a Harry Potter book, a flashlight and a video game. It seemed like waaay too much to bring, but in our situation it worked out well. He actually spent most of the morning completely inside the sleeping bag (head and all) reading his book and playing his video game - both were done very quietly, and we had sides on our stand theat prevented any minor wiggling from being seen. Occasionally he would come up for air and see how things were going. Keeping them warm and comfortable is the ticket to keeping them interested. After that day, it just got easier.

Both of my boys have been along to see me take deer, and now my 13 year old has a couple of his own, too. Like your daughter, they've always shown great interest in the field dressing and have never been grossed out (with the exception of one gut-shot deer...).

I haven't gotten my daughter (now 11) to show any real interest in deer hunting, but I still ask her on a regular basis if she'd like to come out with me - but I make sure she knows what it will be like and what she may witness.

If your daughter is interested, by all means take her along!

swamp rooster

This is a very important subject for rooster,my 2 girls started going with me on after noon bean field hunts at 6 years old,we didnt kill much but we had alot of fun,ate to much candy most of the time..If they didnt want to go i told em it was ok ,never pressured them are made them.But everydeer that come in the field they wanted to shoot they didnt understand Q.D.M ALL THEY WANTED WAS A DEER IN DADDYS TRUCK.At 8 years old they were dropping deers.Now at 13 and 9 years old they hunt with me on a reg,basis if its not to cold for em..What ever age you decide to start your kids is up to you,but once they start going and get that fire inside going your hunts will never be the same.Just make it fun for them and they will love it ,,PS my two girls sound likea pair of mules coming through the woods so dont exspect then to be quiet walkers.

one on one

my two boys have been following me in the woods since they were around 3 yrs. old.my oldest son killed his first deer when he was seven and my youngest son killed his first, last year, he was eight. they love the outdoors.i have to take off work, if i want to hunt by myself.i really enjoy takening them. remember our hunting future depends on us takening a kid hunting.

Gunslingergirl

My guess is that a lot more women would be hunting now if they had been encouraged when they were girls. If she's showing an interest, take her.

It sounds like you have realistic expectations of how things might go, and a plan to help make it enjoyable. I wish more fathers would do this for their daughters.

Let us know how it goes.

GSG

swamp rooster

Thats a good lookin pair of boys you got there one on one ,bet they love huntin dont they,great job on the deers,,just wait when the oldest gets his drivers license when them two boys get out the deer want have a chance,,And i know what you mean about huntin alone ,,got to take off work,,A couple of times i would be huntin a good buck back in the swamps and my girls would be wanting to go but the area was just to rough for them,i would try to leave and make it about mile from the house ,it would make me sick to my stomach that i left my kids at home wanting to go huntin then turn around and go get em and take em to a bean field knowing i was missing that chance on a bigun back in the bottom,i didnt care ,all i know was we went huntin and it felt great.One day theyll be all grown up and the huntin might taper off who knows ,but as long as they are wantin im taken em..

Angus74

Take her out! Take some snacks and books or games for her, keep her warm and comfy, and try not to let her get bored. I think boredom and cold are big limiting factors for kids getting into it. I used to take my nephew out with me, now hes 16, and for the last two years my son has come with me, hes 4 now, and will tag along every time I let him. He got to sit next to me and watch me take a turkey last year, and was more excited then me, and that really hooked him. I plan to take him along to our deer lease later in the season on a few evening hunts, and maybe he can watch me take a doe, if one comes out. He went a efw times last year, and got to see me miss a doe,lol he had to tell everyone daddy missed a deer. I cant wait till hes old enough to shoot on his own, and understand hunting enough to take his first deer, probably about two more years, hopefully.

Grasshopper13

You won't regret time spent with your child in the woods. My daughter is 7, and actually took her first deer a few days ago. Don't let other people's perception of what a girl should be, define yours. My daughter gets excited about deer, and she can tell you alot about them. All the time I spent preparing her for her first hunt this year, was time with her. I couldn't have found a more worthwhile endeavor.


GH