the above has to be the most Ludacris statement I have ever read on the subject. There s no one size fits al on this subject. The law sets an a arbitrary age to start hunting but that doesn't mean all kids are ready to start hunting at the arbitrary age not every state uses age 12. Just because a kid reaches the arbitrary age does not mean they are mentally prepared to start hunting. We can only hope that the parental decision to allow a kid to begin hunting is for the child's best interests and not to boost the father's ego. I have seen 12 year olds that were not capable to carry a loaded rifle or shotgun safely.

My son started training marksmanship when he was about 18mos, using small toys guns and plastic dinosaurs for targets. He shot a BB gun then a bit before he turned 2, and started shooting 22LR when he was 2. By 6, he was shooting centerfire rifles out to a half mile, and his 22LR out to 300yrds, and started wing shooting when he was 7. We started stalking rabbits when he was 4, but largely for show, as he wasn’t nearly stealthy enough at the time to get close enough, but by the time he was 6, he was hunting rabbits, squirrels, and wood rats. He went deer hunting at 7 for the first time. At 9 now, he’s getting big enough to shoot in competitive precision rifle and Precision Rimfire matches - PRS & NRL-22 matches.

Each child, and the parents which raise them, are a unique equation, so not all solutions will be the same.

Taking kids hunting can be a lot of work, it’s true. But youth hunting is also some of the best quality time you can spend with your child. If you start exposing them to the outdoors and wild game at a young age, they will be much more likely to become confident hunters one day. And you’ll have created one of the best hunting buddies you could ever have.

Circling back to this one after a few months: my son tipped over a nice one this winter at 9yrs old, shooting 172yrds over winter wheat.



Which is largely a chip shot for him behind this rifle, as he shoots his 22LR at distances twice as far on targets as small as a deer's heart - seen here racing the clock on coyote sized targets out at 600-800yrds at a PRS match this past summer (early May was CHILLY!).



We've been shooting together for years, as he started behind a rifle when he was just 2 yrs old, pictured here practicing from his standing sticks he used at the time for chasing bunnies back when he was 4yrs old.

Great buck and nice shooting

Absolutely! Taking my kids hunting has been incredibly fun. Not only does it teach them valuable skills and respect for nature, but it also creates unforgettable bonding experiences.