i personally think it isn't the age as it is the maturity.if they are mature ehough in your eyes to go then take them, also being of size to hold and shoot the gun effecienlty is important.if these are both true then go ahead and take them hunting or at least take them with you to watch as a test run.when u are confident in them and trust them to go with you take them.

like kbick says..its about maturity...my dad let me shoot my first deer when i was 10..woohoo

ditto, i was out with my dad when i was 6-8, before i could take a gun along and then it was only a daisy lol. take your kids along and make sure they have a set of binoloculars. not a cheap peice of junk either, before i got a good set of binos i wasnt that interested in the outdoors or hunting, then my dad gave me a set if bushnell insta-focus binos and there no way anybody can keep me out of the woods now.

I can still remember the day that my dad bought me my first bb gun... I'd start them out with that let them shoot itand get used to carrying a gun. Then I would suggest you taking them with you when hunting small game. Even if you arent hunting just take them out into the woods. Show them where you hunt.When you think theyre careful enough to handle a gun loaded or not it would be time to take them out. Squirelle and groundhog would be great game to take them out for their first time.

Same here...took the words right outta my mouth.

it all matters when are you ready to take them out? As far as i remeber i was leaving kinder garden early to go duck huntin with my dad and i was 4 turning 5 in oct. but before that i would wait for my dad to get home from hunting so i could see what he got and if he need help to clean or pluck it. It is a whole different experince when u hunt with a youth. I once hunt last year with a kid on our duck club because his dad didn't bring him enough shells and he had to go get more.so i stayed with him and taught him a thing or two and he is only 1 year younger that me but less experianced in hunting.

i say 12

im 13 and my mom still wont let me get a bb gun.i cant even get an airsoft gun or a wrist rocket!my mom is like against guns and hunting and i think the out doors to.my dad would let me have all that stuff and more.he hunts and fishes,but for some reason he stopped hunting and mostly fishes now.

I took my 8 yr old this season. If the deer presented a good shot. He was planning to take it.

My 10 yr oldhelps me quarter the deer and will be taking hunters ed for the 2006season.

I treat it like "this is what theyshould do," just like school. They are both receptive.

in saskatchewan we arnt aloud to start hunting unyile we are 12 but we take are hunter safty when we are 11