The Lord blessed us with a little jake last month.
At what age have folks here started taking their kids turkey hunting? 8 years old or so?
I can't wait to pass on the addiction to him. And starting this year, North Carolina is now doing a full Youth Week the week before the season, rather than just a Youth Day. I'm looking forward to signing him into school late every day those weeks.
Because of circumstances I could not take my daughter hunting but I did take my grandson when he was 6 Grouse hunting and he loved it.
I went with my dad duckhunting when I was 4, I would think whatever age you and your wife agree on.
Nothing wrong with taking them with you at any age as long as you are careful especially with the ears and hearing.
7
took my 4 year old deer hunting and to the duck blind this year at 4 years old. He's going turkey hunting with me this year.
I was 4 or 5 when I started hunting with my dad.
Started taking my son squirrel huntin when he was about 5. Started letting him carry a 410 when he was 7. He killed his first gobbler when he was 8.
vaturkey :newmascot:
I started taking Zane when he was 4. I will suggest getting a pop up blind. It keeps it more fun for them. They can take a nap, move around... just remember when they go it's about them and teaching them to love the outdoors, not about killing anything, at least at first.
It depends on the kid. My oldest son started going with me at 3. My 6 year old daughter has never been, doesn't want to, and my youngest who is now three isn't ready. He is way to wild. My oldest son was calm and acted way older than is age.
following along 6 or so. To shoot - 12, after he had killed squirrels an deer. If using a blind prob anytime would be good.
Congrats on your boy.
My boy was 6 and taging along with me,scaring every turkey in site. I'd do it all over again the same way. ;D I had a blast and laugh like crazy thinkin about it now. He was 10 when he started.
Age 5 .. my son watched me kill 3 turkeys that year.. he killed his first at age 7 with a X-bow.. he is 9 now and we have graduated to a 20 gauge.. I am so excited to be mobile with him this year..
Thanks, cool stuff!
My boys will be 2 and 3 this summer. Before either of them could walk I had them out in the woods with me.
We have two rules in our house...
1) You have to be 3 to go with Dad in the duckboat in the afternoons.
2) You have to be 4 to go with Dad in the duckboat in the dark early in the morning.
My boy is now 8, my girl now 6.
Here's my boy
(http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz169/marshboygreg/IMG_0736.jpg)
And here's my little girl
(http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz169/marshboygreg/IMG_0734.jpg)
Greg
Started taking mine at age 4 I used a pop up blind and he took cars and small toys to play with and a blanket to lay on and plenty of snacks and drinks! He killed his first deer at 6 and has killed 4 Longbeards and he is 12 now! Congrats
Took mine to observe from 4 til 7. Killed his first longbeard when he was 8.
My oldest is 4 as of December and the next will be 3 in a few days, both say they want to go. I will take the 4 year old for sure and if I can find a good spot to put up a blind I will take them both.
My oldest killed his first turkey about 2 months before his 7th birthday. He was a very calm patient kid. My other son killed his first turkey when he was 8. All kids are different and there is no perfect age to start.
I started to take my boys at 5 years old just to learn what its all about .none of them could hunt till they passed there hunters safety .now there 15 ,13,10 all great hunter's, and have the great passion for hunting that i do .
Started my daughter tagging along at 5, she got a .22 that same year and started shooting. Killed a squirrel at 6, doves and deer at 9, turkey at 10.
Start them early. Be patient. Make the hunt about having fun, don't worry about killing anything. The best day I spent in the woods with my daughter was when she was 12 and we just walked around shooting pine cones and empty cans.
First took my little boy with me dove hunting when he was a few months shy of 3 years old. He got a kick out of picking em up. He's 4 and like Del said he's to wild/hard-headed (like his mom..lol) to do much else yet.
Duck and deer: age 3. Turkey hunts: age 5.Shooting at all 3: age 6. Preach gun safety and how you never get a bullet back, to the point of being nauseous. I find myself learning more and more from HIM each hunt.
My daughter hunted alongside me at the age of 9 for the first time. The next season she killed her first turkey at age 10.
Video: http://youtu.be/PN8lPFbm-Pk (ftp://youtu.be/PN8lPFbm-Pk)
My son went on his first hunting trip when he was 4, now it is 15 years later, and hunting is all he can think of
My boy got his first bird when he was 6yrs old. I asked him if he wanted to kill another bird last year and he gave me a funny look and said "I already killed one last year, why would I want to kill another one?" He obviously didn't catch THE FEVER :funnyturkey:
and the day before the hunting starts i take them to the store and let them pick out there snacks candy bars drinks and what ever else they want to grub on for the weekend .that way the have what they like .never chips in the turkey blind ::)
My 18 mo goes with me scouting and has been to the deer blind with me a few times as well. He will most likely be with me in the turkey blind a few times this year and we will be shed hunting very soon. In my limited experience kids minds and capabilities are only limited by the parents and their misconceptions of what the child can do. I give my son every opportunity to experience and learn at a very early age and it shows in his massive vocabulary and understanding of different things. My advice is to take him as soon as he can walk. Don't worry about killing anything when he goes just make it fun and let him see some animals. You will appreciate it when he gets older and is already accustomed to hunting.
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I took my youngest at age 11, he wasn't ready. He missed 3 in one day, he was so frustrated he didn't go again for 3 years. He's 15 now, hopefully we can get him one in the PA or NY youth season next month.
I don't have any children. However, my dad took me to the dove field at 2 yrs old. Started shooting doves at 4, killed my first turkey at 8, and first two deer at 8. I guess it depends on the child and the circumstances. I've been eat up with hunting from diapers. I was never asked to go I was always asking when are we going. I was never afraid of recoil, or muzzle blast or any of that. Some kids seem to be a little gun shy at times, but I never have been. Whenever the age may be that they are interested in any facet of the hunt or fishing take them when you can. Those memories made with my dad when I was young are priceless and ones I recall quite often. I wish we had taken more pictures back then. Dad would wade into the duck swamp with me on his shoulders and set me on a log, stump, or whatever just so I could be with him. He used to do the same with me when he would go run his bird dogs. Priceless memories that I cherish.....