Your kid's first hunting trip. (take your kids hunting)
12-02-2003, 12:20 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,693
Your kid's first hunting trip. (take your kids hunting)
First let me say thanks to Tazman for posting awhile back about taking his kid out hunting. That inspired me to take my son out. I've taken him to the woods plenty and we shoot bows together, but never have taken him on an actual hunt. He's 10-1/2.
The hunt results are less than glamorous for we didn't see a single deer in two hunts. Why post this then? It's the whole point of his first trip - that kid was so wildly pumped up that he finally got to go deer hunting with dad. I wish we would have at least seen a doe, but I don't think it mattered to him as much as just getting to go. We set up a blind together, had him rattle and grunt and be my lookout man. When we got out of the blind one night, I said to him, "Ok bud, I'm following you - get us out of here, no flashlights either." He proceeded to take us 80 yards in the exact wrong direction. But I got to teach him a little about woodsmanship. He loved it.
So I urge you, if you haven't yet, take your kids hunting. Being in the woods or on the range with us helps and they love it, but when they actually get to go "deer hunting", their whole perspective changes. It was priceless.
The hunt results are less than glamorous for we didn't see a single deer in two hunts. Why post this then? It's the whole point of his first trip - that kid was so wildly pumped up that he finally got to go deer hunting with dad. I wish we would have at least seen a doe, but I don't think it mattered to him as much as just getting to go. We set up a blind together, had him rattle and grunt and be my lookout man. When we got out of the blind one night, I said to him, "Ok bud, I'm following you - get us out of here, no flashlights either." He proceeded to take us 80 yards in the exact wrong direction. But I got to teach him a little about woodsmanship. He loved it.
So I urge you, if you haven't yet, take your kids hunting. Being in the woods or on the range with us helps and they love it, but when they actually get to go "deer hunting", their whole perspective changes. It was priceless.
12-02-2003, 12:26 PM
#2
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 380
RE: Your kid's first hunting trip. (take your kids hunting)
On my eighth birthday, my dad took off work and woke me up at 4 am. My dad and I watched the sun come up from the middle of an oak hammock, and I killed my first squirrel with a .410 shotgun. I still remember the way that sunrise looked, smelled, and sounded. I haven't missed an opportunity to hit the woods with him since.
12-02-2003, 12:33 PM
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location:
Posts: 11,472
RE: Your kid's first hunting trip. (take your kids hunting)
Great post badshot. Glad to hear of the time you had with your kid. I remember that post by Taz too. I was inspired to take my 9 year old out with me during bowseason this year.
Well I may have made a mistake. I had him come out with me and a couple of friends to move 2 treestands in the am(9:00). I wanted him to get a graspe of the companionship that goes along with hunting. We moved two ladder stands and put a lot of miles on our feet that morning. The guys were great with him and we were pointing out and explaining everything we could think of. He was having the time of his life. Being one of the guys!!
We finished moving a couple stands and went back to the lodge and had something to eat and changed out of our sweaty clothes. Hanging around telling war stories the kid was in his glory.
2:00 rolls around and I take him out to one of my ground blinds with a couple folding chairs (another long walk). Well about 3:30 hits and I feel a thump on my shoulder. He zonked out!!!!!! I thought of waking him up, but there's nothing like taking a snooze in the woods after a hard days work. about 4:00 my arm is completely asleep. I couldn't draw my bow back if I wanted to. I just kicked back and covered him up with my parka and let him sleep til dark. It was incredible. Kinda a weird first hunt, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.
When I woke him up to head home, he looked around and had no idea where he was. He said he was trying to snore and make a grunt noise for me to draw a buck in like I taught him. lol.
Mom won't let him go during gun, so I'll have to wait for bow next year. Thanks for the post Bob brings back good memories.
Well I may have made a mistake. I had him come out with me and a couple of friends to move 2 treestands in the am(9:00). I wanted him to get a graspe of the companionship that goes along with hunting. We moved two ladder stands and put a lot of miles on our feet that morning. The guys were great with him and we were pointing out and explaining everything we could think of. He was having the time of his life. Being one of the guys!!
We finished moving a couple stands and went back to the lodge and had something to eat and changed out of our sweaty clothes. Hanging around telling war stories the kid was in his glory.
2:00 rolls around and I take him out to one of my ground blinds with a couple folding chairs (another long walk). Well about 3:30 hits and I feel a thump on my shoulder. He zonked out!!!!!! I thought of waking him up, but there's nothing like taking a snooze in the woods after a hard days work. about 4:00 my arm is completely asleep. I couldn't draw my bow back if I wanted to. I just kicked back and covered him up with my parka and let him sleep til dark. It was incredible. Kinda a weird first hunt, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.
When I woke him up to head home, he looked around and had no idea where he was. He said he was trying to snore and make a grunt noise for me to draw a buck in like I taught him. lol.
Mom won't let him go during gun, so I'll have to wait for bow next year. Thanks for the post Bob brings back good memories.
12-02-2003, 12:34 PM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 13,220
RE: Your kid's first hunting trip. (take your kids hunting)
Sorry you didn't see any deer, but I would've figured (correctly, it seems) that he'd love the whole experience in the outdoors with his father, regardless of the deer. I hope that this is the beginning of a long and strong tradition for the two of you.
12-02-2003, 12:46 PM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
Posts: 250
RE: Your kid's first hunting trip. (take your kids hunting)
AHHHH, I to remember that post.
I had the fortune to take my 6 year old daughter, that's right daughter, out this past week for an afternoon hunt. She had been bugging me and bugging me to take her. I thought she was to small right now for it. She was determined to go. We set off to the farm and got set up in a ground blind. We were only ther an hour and a half before she was ready to go home (4:00). With the best time of the day at hand I gladly said "if that is what you want to do , then we will go home." She looked at me and she could tell that something was wron. She then almost made me cry. She looked at me and said "I'm sorry I ruined your afternoon of hunting." That was the last thing I expected from her. I told her that the afternoon was all about her, and she was gald to hear it. I carried her out to the truck and pack up the gear and then on the way out, she looked up and said "Daddy, look at the baby cow" I was too late in looking and before I could look at the cow she had already calved. My 6 year old watched a baby cow being brought into the world. She thought that was the neatest thing in the world. All in all it was a GREAT day. I spent the afternoon in the woods with my daughter and she saw something that half of the world would never see in their lives.
I had the fortune to take my 6 year old daughter, that's right daughter, out this past week for an afternoon hunt. She had been bugging me and bugging me to take her. I thought she was to small right now for it. She was determined to go. We set off to the farm and got set up in a ground blind. We were only ther an hour and a half before she was ready to go home (4:00). With the best time of the day at hand I gladly said "if that is what you want to do , then we will go home." She looked at me and she could tell that something was wron. She then almost made me cry. She looked at me and said "I'm sorry I ruined your afternoon of hunting." That was the last thing I expected from her. I told her that the afternoon was all about her, and she was gald to hear it. I carried her out to the truck and pack up the gear and then on the way out, she looked up and said "Daddy, look at the baby cow" I was too late in looking and before I could look at the cow she had already calved. My 6 year old watched a baby cow being brought into the world. She thought that was the neatest thing in the world. All in all it was a GREAT day. I spent the afternoon in the woods with my daughter and she saw something that half of the world would never see in their lives.
12-03-2003, 10:03 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,693
RE: Your kid's first hunting trip. (take your kids hunting)
Great stories guys. Rather cool. I only wish I had taken my son out way sooner. Oh well, he's going now. His sister made fun of him all night about why he would want to sit out in the cold just to not see a deer. He said, "That's part of hunting. It's FUN!"
12-03-2003, 10:27 AM
#7
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fredericksburg Virginia USA
Posts: 13,672
RE: Your kid's first hunting trip. (take your kids hunting)
Wow!!! I have to admit I am a little choked up as I type this..... one thing I think everyone wants out of life is to be able to influence others in a positive manner and then to be thanked for it. Well badshotbob, NY Bowhunter & 02bhntn I am sure that you all would have taken your kids out hunting eventually any how, but to hear that my post was not only remembered, but influenced someone to give a child one of the most memorable experiences their child or them will ever had makes me feel really good. Thank you all for taking your child or any other person out for their first hunt. As stated, the excitement for your child is not the seeing or the killing of a deer, it is the shared experience with their parent. Take a kid hunting for memories that will never end.
12-03-2003, 11:40 AM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Broussard Louisiana USA
Posts: 349
RE: Your kid's first hunting trip. (take your kids hunting)
Well guys,
These are some great stories...so I had to tell mine. I hunt mainly in south Arkansas. This was the first year that I really got to spend several days hunting with my kids.....My little girl has been coming with me mostly but this past week my seven year old son got to come.....We spent all week seeing deer but not getting one in close enough for him to shoot. The last day everything changed.....We saw 12 deer in the morning which he was so excited he shot a box of .410 slugs not hitting a deer.
After a trip to the sporting goods store and eating lunch he shot a box of shells practicing again.....Again he hit the target well at 40 yards......That afternoon we saw seven and after two miss' he finally got his first deer.....A doe.....I have killed some nice deer but I have never been so excited over a deer.
Best thing is I got to share it with a good friend and his son which also killed his first deer that afternoon.
It was the best hunt that I have enjoyed in a long time
These are some great stories...so I had to tell mine. I hunt mainly in south Arkansas. This was the first year that I really got to spend several days hunting with my kids.....My little girl has been coming with me mostly but this past week my seven year old son got to come.....We spent all week seeing deer but not getting one in close enough for him to shoot. The last day everything changed.....We saw 12 deer in the morning which he was so excited he shot a box of .410 slugs not hitting a deer.
After a trip to the sporting goods store and eating lunch he shot a box of shells practicing again.....Again he hit the target well at 40 yards......That afternoon we saw seven and after two miss' he finally got his first deer.....A doe.....I have killed some nice deer but I have never been so excited over a deer.
Best thing is I got to share it with a good friend and his son which also killed his first deer that afternoon.
It was the best hunt that I have enjoyed in a long time
12-04-2003, 05:37 AM
#9
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fredericksburg Virginia USA
Posts: 13,672
RE: Your kid's first hunting trip. (take your kids hunting)
Stone Cold that is a thrill I really look forward to with my girls and with my son when he gets back from Afghanistan, thier first kill. I know you were just as excited as he was, tell him congrats.