What Age for Kid to Go To Camp?
 

My son is 14 now and has been hunting since he was 6. We have a bunch of guys who go up for buck camp every year. 7 or 8, sometimes 9 guys. My dad is one of them. I was thinking about including my son when he was 16. But, my dad is 85 and I don't know how much longer he would hunt. Would you take a 14 or 15 year old to buck camp?

Unless the other guys raise a big stink why not?! It's not like the kid is a rookie if he has that many seasons behind him. I started when I was 5 and this will be my 64th season coming up!

Scott,with out a doubt,i would take him. He will most likely take a rubbing from the others.
My hunting cabin was my Grams house with 4 uncles and their friends and i loved it.

For me, that would depend on what happens at camp. Do you have foul mouths using the F-word every sentence? Are there loud and obnoxious drunks in the crew. I ask this because those things are not uncommon at some deer camps. If the crew of members are decent folks who would adjust their behavior if necessary because a child was present and the clubs by laws allow members to bring a child, go for it.

The things I would question are:

1.) at 14, he cannot hunt by himself. So, he would kinda need to be babysat.

2.) not sure if the guys would feel like they couldn't let their hair down with a kid around. Not like getting drunk, but maybe just watching what they say :D

3.) He would be missing 3 days of school.

The first one is the biggest, and why I was going with the 16 year age cut-off in the first place.

This is our cabin - my buddies are guest for buck camp. But, the kids get to come up every weekend and we pretty much cater to them. Buck camp is the one time that is adults only. So, it would be a change.

No, it's nothing like that. Nobody ever gets obnoxious or out of hand. I'm sure a curse is said here and there, but nobody is a foul mouth. All decent citizens. Maybe a dirty joke here and there. :D

If Grand pa is that old get him involved now while he can enjoy gramps and gramps can enjoy him !!!!

^^^^^^ Couldn't have said it better!!! My time growing up with my great gramps made me the hunter I am and have always been. My old man taught me to shoot and some basics to hunting, but it was great gramps who taught me the real ropes.

And OT, you must not be around teenagers much these days. They have worse mouths than most any sailor I ever met! Granted you wouldn't want the adults cracking off the F word every other word, but believe me, it isn't anything they don't hear on a daily basis.

Scott, I think your worry is that buck camp is the adults "alone time" away from the kids. Well, that "alone time" , while important, isn't the MOST important thing. Your son is! If the "adults" aren't adult enough to accept a young hunter among them, then I wouldn't want them in my camp in the first place.

I say take him, for the time to spend with grandpa and because he will be a man one day. There is going to be a time in his life when his eyes will be opened to what men are and how they are, I find it best to at least introduce him in an environment you know, enjoy and trust. Plus, your father may end up taking him with him to hunt and if need be help him get the deer out with his age and all.

You may make a call to your buds and father though just to give them a heads up, instead of plopping it on them, a FYI, we are welcoming him to the man club.

Why not pose the question to the group?

That is exactly what I did when I brought my 2 nephews out Pheasant hunting last year. Nobody had issue with it. I just stayed back with them when the other guys went to the bar.