Hunting with kids survey.

Yukon Mike

Yukon Mike

Well-known member
We have a lot of guys here who hunt with their kids and grandkids and I'm wondering what kinds of things you all take along to make it more fun. Post the age of the little buddy(s) and what you do. Something like this..

When Mac was 6 or 7 we started bringing the BB gun along for shooting decoys and stuff.
When he was really little, 2 and 3, we brought a bucket of gravel and he would toss it out of the boat one at a time. Kept him occupied!

Any tips you can remember?

Mike
 
Yup, the BB gun to shoot decoys.

A cheap call--one that you don't mind getting all gummed up with peanut butter and M&Ms. By age 3 Evan could scare ducks away just as good as I could with my expensive call.

A thermos of hot chocolate.

Those hand warmer thingys. It not only keeps the little guy's hands warm, it keeps them occupied shaking it every few minutes. and then searching around to find out which of the thirteen pockets he just put it in.

Sunflower seeds.

Extra boat cushions to take a nap on.

Rick


PS. I can't believe you give your kids a bucket of gravel to play with. I can just hear him when he gets to college, comparing his childhood with his new friends:

Mac: "When I was a kid, we were so poor, all I had to play with was a bucket of gravel . . . "

Friend: "A bucket of gravel?! You were lucky. We didn't even have buckets. We had to carry our gravel around in our pockets."

Other friend: "Pockets? You were lucky. We had to crush our own gravel from big rocks and carry it with our bare hands."
 
I started taking my boys hunting pheasants, or mixed anything legal hunts of pheasant, rabbit,and squirrel when they were about eight or so. Other kids usually were along and they all wore orange caps and carried either B-B guns (unloaded) or pop or cap guns.

All of the kids were expected to treat their gun as if it were real and got scolded if they did not.

After taking hunter safety at age 12 the kids would each carry his own gun. I usually took my boys out suirrel/rabbit hunting without the group the first few time they carried.

When my older boy was 12, I took him out for the youth deer season in which the adult is always with the child. Neither of us liked it very well due to the heat and bugs and because the corn had not been harvested yet making it hard to see anything. For deer hunting we do it this way now- at about age 14 we start them hunting. They already know the lay of the land from pheasant hunting. We all have maps of the property and know where the other hunters are going to sit and we hunt from ground stands (seats) and do not do drives. The new hunter would be set in a likely spot where they would be shooting into a steep hillside. They were not to walk around.

A funny thing- I always like to start a new hunter in a good spot (I've started a couple of adults too) but every time I set someone new I've been told that they thought that I was jerking them around and had placed them in a bad spot. They ALL shot deer.

Make the likelyhood of success as great as you can and, except for safety, keep it light.

We also took the boys on half day duck hunts where we would draw for blinds in a public area. This gave a opportunity to hunt under close supervision.

Bob
 
Blake just turned 9. I make him a thermos of hot chocolate and grandma packs a million snacks. He messes with my blind bag and looks at everything in it.....but mostly we just talk. I am going to start taking his BB gun.
 
Taking kids at young ages eases the woes of their experience. I did have a bag that they carried, usually I carried. Here are my suggestions-
*Proper clothing-like your going to wear
coloring book and crayons
pencil and pad
drink and snacks
1 hot wheel car(if you take two it'll be a crash derby)
a small length of rope for teaching knots
talking is the most important of all.
 
Well when the 5v yr. old daughter goes which is all ways, I have coloring books, games, cards, lots, & lots of snacks. Oh ya and her favorite doll, and pillow, and bunny blanket

Lance
 
Great topic Mike!!

When I took my son for the very first time, last season, he was a month shy of his 3rd Birthday. We went in the afternoon to a pothole that was easily accessible. I packed snacks and juice, and had him all bundled up even though it wasn't that cold. He lasted all of about 20 minutes and was more than ready to go home, which we did.

Last week, (now he's a month shy of his 4th B-Day.) we hunted on a warm dry afternoon again, at the same pothole, and he's a lot more aware of his outdoor/wildlife surroundings. We had snacks again and his questions about all variety of things, were endless. We managed to bag one duck which helped hold his interest and we discussed safety while hunting, being around firearms/ammo, and etiquette in the woods with other hunters. He lasted a bit over an hour before he was ready to go home.

I like the coloring book idea and will remember to bring some paper and crayons on our next outing, along with the snacks!! and I'll bring along the Lemaster book of duck I.D. for him to learn about the different type of ducks.

Best,
Brian F.
 
Binoculars are good. Duck ID booklet has come in handy, or bird field guide. Lots of little birds around to identify. Warm/dry clothes are a must.
My 9 year old daughter has been going since she was 6, at least a few days per year, and loves it. Let them help with decoys. Show them the stars before sunrise. Let them hold and inspect the ducks.
We use marine radios a lot where we hunt and its fun to let her call mom or someone else back at camp.
I don't know if she'll ever grow up to be a gun-in-hand hunter, but she already knows more about swamps than most adults.
 
I've taken my son, almost four, on several afternoon duck hunts last year. He liked to watch them work but wasn't fond of shooting, so mostly we watched and landed some in the dekes.

Tuesday I took him for a deer hunt with the muzzleloader. I took 30 feet of camo netting and still couldn't contain him. He was just too excited. I had it wrapped around a blowdown and cleared the leaves so he could play. About an hour into it we gave it up and moved my treestand that I've been wanting to get moved. He's not ready for deer hunting yet, but does well on short duck hunts.

He loves to use/play with the binoculars and calls (cheap).
 
Excellent info guys. I've been a member since last year and this thread is by far the most informative I've read in a while! I'm taking th 6 year old out for the first time this weekend and am quickly realizing that I'm sorely unprepared! Thanks
Shawn
 
Mike

Usually my kids bring their schoolbooks along to get ahead over Christmas vacation. A little long division inbetween flights helps make the day even better. I try to keep the load light but they insist on at least lugging their English books along.
 
I started robby a 8 years old basically just took a extra coat incase he got cold austin was about 3 an my baby sitter cancels so austin went and hasn't missed a day since then some times after he was 5 he would shoot a single shot 20 other times he just wanted t go and not shoot i would take snacks, drinks an sometime he brings a gameboy he also works the dog witch keeps him busy
 
Great topic Mike!!

I think everybody covered it pretty well. The only thing I can add is:

1. Make mealtime fun and as LONG as possible. This kills time and keeps them occupied for longer. For example, instead of just hot chocolate, pack a thermos of hot water (or better yet heat some water over a fire if possible) and bring along those Cup-of-Noodles. Not only does it warm their bellies, but it also turns a 5 minute meal into something that will keep their attention for maybe an hour. And instead of a sandwich, bring a bunch of Ritz crackers, a stick of bologna, a block of cheese, and some mustard. Let them make their own "sandwiches" that way. That should kill another half hour and taste better too!!.

2. Make it about FUN instead of hunting, especially when things get slow. Last year when the geese werent' flying we had "piggy back" races where each kid took a full body decoy between his legs and "hopped" through the spread. Later in the year we built a snowman in the middle of the spread one afternoon. Actually that was pretty funny because then the geese came and we shot geese with this giant snowman in the spread. We also used that to teach gun safety (and have some fun) by shooting it a couple of times to show them what a shotgun will do.

Like I said, great topic.

THANKS!!

Kirk
 
Bucket
scoop/net
binoculars
LeMaster bird bill/ID book

My 5Yr old amazed me recently...
Sometimes I have a knot book and some rope in the living room for something to do at half time, etc. My daughter likes books and wanted to know what i was doing. I showed her 3 knots:
figure 8
bowline
stopper

We both worked on it on and off when we were in the room together for a week or so.

a couple of weeks went by and one Saturday we were lucky to go out in the boat.
Fishing can be slow at times and so she picked up a dock line and started fooling around, and I'll be darned if she didn't tie a stopper knot and the figure 8! I didn't tell her how either.
She proudly showed her 8 yr old sister, who has now taken an interest in knots....

It is really amazing how kids learn things - even when your'e not trying...
 
well when Makayla and i go its all i can do as to keep up with the questions she is 5 ,i recently bought her a toy over under actualy has smokin shells after its fired,but its not a toy she understands its for when we go hunting so she gets use to how to be safe with a gun ,She was totaly excited when we went now she is very careful of where it is pointed and she is watching and listening to the woods and critters ,,,

im,so proud just to walk in the woods with her and watch her grow into a great hunter
 
Great topic!!!!

I only had my 10 year old out once so far but I handed her the camera and told her she was in charge of taking any pixs she wanted, I got wonderfull action pixs that I would not have any other way that day as well as some funny pixs of the slow times as well.
Picking up the used shotgun shells and putting them in the knapsack was also something she liked to do, from her point of view we were picking up litter, from my point were hiding the fact it is a good hunting spot.
Food, food, food ...she loves to eat!
She was also in charge of duck control. When "Oscar" was sniffing the first duck we had taken and knocked it off its rock I asked Kristin to place the duck back in its spot breast up, she asked why I did it that way and I explained its so the blood drains away from the breast ending up with better meat in the oven( well that's my belief anyway) so she also looked after arranging the ducks for the day.
She also wanted to bring a radio to which I agreed, the best part was once when she was board I suggested to get it out and she declined, I thought that was great...

Brad
 
My daughter is older now, 17. I had taken her out several times 3-4 years ago and she really enjoyed it. She then got into plating the piano seriously and wouldn't go hunting in fear of injuring a finger. Last spring she started shooting trap. She is back into hunting. She shot her first birds during dove season. Last night I was talking to her about opening day of duck season. She was interested until we started talking about when we would get up. She's a little up in the air about it now. It didn't help that I told her after duck hunting a few hours she could go pheasant hunting during the youth season. I'm betting I'll be duck hunting alone and then go back and get her to go pheasant hunting. That's ok with me. I want her to have fun. I'll probably get her out later in the season for an evening hunt or morning when it isn't so crowded and we do have to get up as early.

When she was younger, 10-13, she would take her gun, youth model 870 20 ga, and I'd only give her one shell at a time. I don't remember her ever taking a shot. She did shot live fliers when we were training the dogs. I'd always let her shoot first and she almost always hit the bird.

Tom
 
I grew up with a Father who raced sailboats and I remember MANY weekends stuck on a sailboat locked in INTENSE competition (and completely bored). I didn't get to do anything because my dad thought one of his adult crew could do it better and I really grew to resent being forced to partake in his sport. I am trying to avoid the same thing with my daughters (7 and 9). I took them dove hunting once in early Sept and they lasted about an hour before they started complaining of being bored. I sympathized rememberign the days of being stuck on a boat and thought it probably wasn't alot different than being in a blind. Since then, I have asked them several times if they want to go and they nod but I can tell that they would rather be doing something else with me and I completely understand. If my kids don't want to go hunting that is okay. If they do, then I am glad to take them. Hunting is hunting. I am not going to sugarcoat it with books and snacks and games. Not my style. What I am not going to do is turn them off to it forever by forcing them to go when they don't want to. I'm also not goign to take it personally if they would rather go minigolfing with me vs. hunting. People are people and just because they have my genes doesn't mean they are my clones. Maybe if I hava a boy one day he might be a little more interested in guns and such.
 
Todd,
I don't think it's about sugarcoating hunting if you take things in the blind or wherever. I think sugarcoating is " I promise to do this if go...." It's about quality time not time spent. I could have given a rats behind if my dad hunted which he didn't. He was a automobile mechanic and I learned alot from spending time with him. Not just because, but because I wanted to learn. Alot of lifes lessons came off his lips while we got grease on our hands. I dislike working on things almost as much as painting now. What i'm saying is the trips out are special because of who they are, not what they do. I had as much fun with my 8 yr old last sat morning who wanted to go home just after an our as I did with my 10 yr old that killed his first deer. Letting them watch your patience work and the reward of the hunt is only 2% of the hunt, teaching them about nature and it's importance is 10%. 18% is the idea of going hunting, and the rest is the desire to spend time and listen to them. If they don't want to stay take em home and do something else together. These suggestions were for not meant to polish up hunting, but to lengthen the amount of time you and your child spend together. The opportunity may arise for you to answer a question that may never be asked again. I wonder how many pages I've colored in a stand? The world may never know.
 
Leslie-
"What i'm saying is the trips out are special because of who they are, not what they do." and "These suggestions were for not meant to polish up hunting, but to lengthen the amount of time you and your child spend together."
Click to expand...

Hear! Hear!


Bob
 
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