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RE: What age is the right age to start hunting?

as soon as possible..Ive been hunting since i was five..im now 19 and still hunting and always will. I shot my first deer when i was six. I have been addicted to it ever since the first day i set foot in the woods.

RE: What age is the right age to start hunting?

Well i think 12 but here in wisconsin they want to make it so 8 year olds can hunt but yet they have to sit in a carseat.

RE: What age is the right age to start hunting?

my personal opinion of this is you should go hunting after 10 years old

I think you should start a new topic. This one died back in 2006. Maybe you could explain why you believe after 10 is best.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrouseBuster (Post 1345655)

Hi all-
I am an advid hunter and mainly hunt deer, small game(grouse/rabbit), waterfowl and will actually begin turkey hunting this year. I have a 6 1/2 year old daughter and 5 year old son. They have seen pictures of me with deer I have shot and also have helped me pluck geese that I bring hime from hunts. They have also watched me clean fish. I am just curious what the best method is for bringing them out to the field with me and at what age. They always say they want to go with me but I do not think they know what that "really" means. Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated.

GrouseBuster

It depends on the child. Some children are ready earlier than others. I have seen fathers start their kids too early and essentially drive them out of being a hunter because they were not ready for the discipline it takes to hunt. Don't judge your kid by other kids that are hunting or by what other fathers are doing with their child, take your time and don't rush things. You and you alone or you and your spouse should make that decision for your child and it doesn't depend on what other children are doing. There is nothing that says the kids has to have a license just because they can. You can take your child with you and teach them without them having a firearm in their hands. There are many things that can be taught that do not require a firearm, such as wildlife sign and wildlife food sources and why you hunt here and not there etc and hunting ethics. Teach your child and watch them and listen to the questions they ask to help you make the decision, not a bunch of strangers on a message board who may or may not have your best interests in mind. I hate to see kids started too early and the wrong way because of their fathers ego and then just walk away from hunting forever.

Hi, I think While there'sno set minimum age for a toddlerto shoot his or her first animal, it's up to you to forma wise call onwhen the kid is prepared. Letting a toddler shoot a gun or kill an animal before he or she is mentally or physically equipped can quell his or her passion for hunting.
Thank you.

What is the matter with you? A toddler should not be shooting a gun or hunting. One of the most important things about starting a young hunter is being smarter than they are!!

In 1957, Disney produced a film called '"Old Yeller". A 12-year-old boy went deer hunting on his mule during the Old West era. His smaller brother stayed home with mom and the dog. His father was out on a trail drive. Nobody held the hand of Travis Coates out in the field. If a boy is big enough to cut grass with a power mower, he is probably also big enough to go hunting with a gun. I was 11 when I first started to use the family lawn mower.

12 Years is the minimum age