Scott Stauffer

I plan on taking my 9 Y.O. son on his first deer hunt next fall.I want to make sure it's a good exp.As I don't want to turn him off to deer hunting.
my 17 Y.O. had a poor exp. his first time and hasn't wanted to deer hunt since
we all squirrel and rabbit hunt together and love it. I wish he shared my love of the sport, as I really miss not having my bud with me.
I hunt public land in indiana and sucess takes a lot of work and time. I dont think a 9 y.o. would have the attention span to put in the time with out getting discouraged.
I have thought about booking a ranch hunt for he and I,as the sucess rate is much higher.
what do you guys think?
If I book a hunt at a ranch where do I start? IT would have to be Near home(Indiana,ohio illinois michigan or kentucky)
Any recomondations for ranches in these areas any do's or don'ts would be appreciated

Scooter

Make it fair chase
if not whats the point

model722

First and most important thing is to teach him safety(sounds like you already new that). Next thing is have patients, try to remeber what it was like when you where his age. Take him out scouting with you a show him what some of the deer signs look like. Then teach him that good things will come to those who wait, just because you're in the woods doesn't mean you're going to get a deer. Teach him that the kill isn't important, but that the hunt is what counts. There is almost nothing better then spending a day out in nature with a child. If he wants to scout around go ahead and do it, let him do some of the stuff that he wants to. Just always remember your there as father and son and that is what is important...

Tazman

Scott I am not saying a ranch hunt is a bad thing, but I will tell you my twins expressed an interest in hunting with dad when they were nine, I told them fine and explained hunting is not what we watch on TV, hunting is what daddy and most other hunters do, it is an awful lot of time and work to get a deer and even more to get them year in and year out.

When they were 9 I took them out preseason scouting and one at a time let them sit on stand with me during gun season, I also had them help me butcher last seasons buck.

When they were 10 they shot thier first gun just to where they would know what that was like, they learned more about preseason scouting and help me set up stands, the helped me drag and load the doe I killed this year, they went to the check station, watched me field dress the deer, helped me hang it and skin it, then butcher it.

I will be buying them thier first gun, a single shot 22 for thier 11th birthday in march, once they have proven to me they understand gun safety and they show me they can shoot well enough to squirrel hunt, they will take the hunters safety course, then will squirrel hunt that season, and continue to sit on stand with dad for deer and do all the scouting and stand setting.

If they do all of this and are still interested in deer hunting, they will already be hunters and will be ready to go deer hunting.

This is just my opinion, and we all know what opinions are like, but I feel that if you want to hunt, you have to learn how to hunt before you even carry a gun, little lone harvest an animal.

I really feel that if you take someone to a ranch where everything is done for them and all they do is shoot, that this leaves the person/child with the impression that hunting is easy, and with a child when he starts to really hunt, he will quit because it is to much work compared to the ranch hunt.

My twins at this point in time have probably spent 200 hours so far in papa Taz's hunting school, they love it and they also know that it will be another 2 seasons before they ever get to deer hunt. I will tell you this, they are at this point in time far more of a hunter than half of these folks who go to a ranch every year, shoot their deer, come home and wait for the meat to show up.

I guess what I am saying is I feel you will wind up with a much better hunting buddy and hunter if you teach him how to hunt, before he hunts.

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

SW Iowa Hunter

I have nothing against a ranch hunt but wonder if this would provide unreal expectations in the future.

I would suggest that you go slow with your son. It may not make for your idea of an ideal hunt but it may help you to have many hunts in the future. If or when he gets bored or impatient simply do something other than sitting. Still hunt or you may have to call it a day.

I will give you an example that may or may not fit-- I took my son (three years old) and I know his attention span is much less than your son, squirrel hunting this year. We get to the woods me with the .22 and him with his "rifle" which proved to be too much for him to carry so we left it leaned against the tree near where we came in. We then proceeded to walk hand in hand through the timber (so he didn't fall down) until we found a tree to rest at. I got out the squirrel call and hit it a couple of times, he then wanted to try (like dad) so he proceeds to "call" squirrels. I finally get the call back and get a squirrel to bark back at us, he then jumps up and down yelling I hear one. We get up and walk hand in hand towards the now vanishing squirrel. Sit down and start over. Discuss the hole in the ground by a tree he is sure contains deer and coyotes. After an hour he appears to be getting cold so we head back up the hill the 100 yards to the pickup and call it a day.

I must say this is not my idea of a great squirrel hunt if you are looking to shoot squirrels. I will say that it was the best hunt of any kind I have ever been on. Just got back from a mule deer / antelope hunt in Wyoming and I would trade it in a heart beat to spend that hour "squirrel hunting" with my son.

Just be patient when he loses his. Most bad experiences happen when it is no longer fun for the kids. You have to hunt at thier pace not an adult pace. You have to be ready to not harvest anything but just enjoy the outdoors and wildlife. Make it fun for them and you will have a hunting partner for life.

I suspect that your 17 year old enjoys squirrel and rabbit hunting so much because there is no pressure. Just the two or three of you enjoying each others company in the woods. Who cares if that big squirrel gets away there will be another one. Make deer hunting like squirrel hunting take the pressure away. Don't make it a job make it a vacation.

Sorry if I rambled and I hope you gain a hunting partner for life. It sounds like you are headed in the right direction.

The success rate of the hunt shouldn't be measured on whether you harvest an animal or not, but by the overall experience with each other.

Good Luck
Jeremy

" Anyone can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a Dad"

NE Hunter

My son is 11 and this is what I do. We hunt when he wants and when he's tired ( bored) and wants to go home we go no complaining ( on my part). I try and get him to stay a litle longer each time but I don't push it granted we wont get a deer this way ( and he knows it) but I keep it fun
for him.
one thing I've found that helps is to take some snacks and a some drinks along ; when the fidgits start I break out the food.

Good luck

FlDeerman

Game Boy is the key.LOL I have taken my 9yr old grandson and when he got tired he played his game boy muted.This Friday I'm taking him on his first anterless hunt and he's going to be the main shooter.But if he gets bored or cold we'll get down and walk and look just to keep him interested in the hunt.

Hunting is not a sport,it's a lifestyle.