Kids - how old to take hunting?

[wchadw]

i don't remember how old i was when i first went hunting with my dad.  i would guess 7 or 8?  My twins that are 4 are dying to go hunting with me.  not sure if they really understand what that means....  they love to go to the "cabin" and ride on the golf cart and are curious about my turkey calls.  i have given them an old slate to play with and they ask about my trumpets etc.

I don't want to take them and shoot a gun around them.  I think it will just scare them?  So question is: what age is appropriate to introduce them to it?  i need to teach them gun safety but i think they are still a little young for that?  i keep all of my guns locked up in safes at the house.

i have thought about taking them and not shooting, just call them in and let them see them strut and gobble? or should i just tell them you have to be at least X years old to go with dad?

[silvestris]

It depends on the child, but 9 or 10 is a good starting point. 

[chadly]

I took my oldest at 6.  He was too young in hind site.  Each child is different.  My twins turned 7 yesterday and they really want to go but I'm going wait.  Little kids cant walk the distances that I need to walk and can't sit still for nothing.  It's a blast to have them out but for me a little older would be better for turkey hunting.    Now pheasants hunting was a different story.  I would mount them in my kid carrier at age 2 and walk the country side with them on my back.  They would play with my ears and ask thousands of questions knocking my hat off and laughing every chance they got.  We thoroughly enjoyed those times.  Whatever you choose good luck and thanks for wanting to spend time with your kids in in the woods.  The world will be a better place because of it. 

[Happy]

I start them shooting Bb guns and .22's at about 4. Typically they don't start hunting till around 8. My 7 year old runs a .22 bolt action like he has had one for years now.

[stinkpickle]

It definitely depends on the kid.  Gun handling aside, as far as just taking a kid along goes, I'd wait until he or she says, "I want to go!".

[wchadw]

It definitely depends on the kid.  Gun handling aside, as far as just taking a kid along goes, I'd wait until he or she says, "I want to go!".

Well they would be observing. No shooting. We have binds so movement wouldn't be a big deal. Thought I would get a push pin and let them call


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[stinkpickle]

It definitely depends on the kid.  Gun handling aside, as far as just taking a kid along goes, I'd wait until he or she says, "I want to go!".

Well they would be observing. No shooting. We have binds so movement wouldn't be a big deal. Thought I would get a push pin and let them call


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That's what we did last year.  I let my son crank on the calls, and he got in some good interactions.  He actually called one in to 60 yards, and then scolded me for not using TSS, because I didn't shoot.   

[redjones]

As mentioned every child is different,you said that gunfire may scare them,if they have been around fireworks at the 4 of July then that would be my guide to weather they may be gun shy.
If you want to introduce them to gunfire take them to a local range and stay back aways and then move them forward as you see fit,may take a couple of trips,make sure they have ear protection.
I am a big fan of starting kids on Squirrel hunting and Mushroom picking first then moving on to bigger game when the time comes,this may take a few seasons,but well worth the effort I think.
Squirrel hunting gives the opportunity to teach lots of skills that can be used the rest of their lives that is spent in the woods,like how to move thru the woods,animal tracks,tree id,using landmarks for direction etc.
Like Mushroom picking it is Low Key not much pressure to make a kill or ruin the only chance you may have at a bird or deer all season.
And if you kill a Squirrel or two, all the better to find out how they feel about taking an animals life,before moving straight too shooting a Deer or Turkey in front of them.
These are just my thoughts on it,my Dad would carry me on his shoulders when I was 4 to go squirrel hunt,that was in 1966,and I still love it now as much as ever.

  Good Luck with Your Adventure.................Greg

[howl]

Six months is about right. 'Course you don't take a gun or expect much more than to play in the woods. I have taken my son with homemade calls and his toy gun a few times. We had a ball making them gobble and sneaking around.

If you have a chance to act like a kid again, don't pass it up!

[JK Spurs]

Took my daughter at 6 but we just kind of hung out in a blind and just listened and observed. I don't even think I loaded the gun. She only made it about 2 hours and got restless. I skipped this year with her at age 7 but she's showing interest again and hope to get her more involved at age 8 next spring.

[TRG3]

As a preschooler, someone gave me a slingshot made from a forked limb with rubber inter tube slings and the leather tongue of a shoe to hold the roller bearings that my dad brought home from the oil field mechanics shop where he worked as a book keeper. The birds in my neighborhood suffered from my "hunting" them. While still a youngster, my grandfather took me squirrel hunting with instructions to be quiet, which I was until I saw a squirrel when I belted out "There's one!!" At that point, my grandfather sat me on a log where I stayed as he sneaked through the woods, returning later to pick me up. I can't recall if he was successful or not, but I do remember getting to shoot his Sears .22 that day, the kind that shot long rifles semi-automatically and longs-his favorite shell- and shorts by working the knob on the receiver in bolt action style. That was over seven decades ago and I clearly remember it as if it were yesterday! Based on my experience, I don't think a youngster is too young to take hunting as long as the time spent is reasonable and the expectations of the child are based on having fun. There's plenty of time later to get into the more serious aspects of hunting and using firearms.

[fallhnt]

Took my son at 3 yrs. We would go out an hour before fly up in the Fall. I would let him call. He would also play with his trucks in the blind. At 4 yrs. we called in our first turkey,and a couple years after that I killed one. This was all bow hunting. He was probably 10 when he 1st hunted. He had to pass a hunter safety course before I would let him hunt,so reading and writing became an important goal.

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[Sir-diealot]

Just one comment, whatever age you decide try to get them hearing protecting that goes off automatically when shot is fired to protect their hearing, their hearing is very fragile when young and it is up to you as a parent to protect it. If you are blind hunting just make sure they are old enough to listen when you tell them to cover their ears. Sorry, I never had any of my own but I am VERY protective of kids. Get them some eye protection as well especially if they will be sitting to the side that the shell ejects on.

[wchadw]

Just one comment, whatever age you decide try to get them hearing protecting that goes off automatically when shot is fired to protect their hearing, their hearing is very fragile when young and it is up to you as a parent to protect it. If you are blind hunting just make sure they are old enough to listen when you tell them to cover their ears. Sorry, I never had any of my own but I am VERY protective of kids. Get them some eye protection as well especially if they will be sitting to the side that the shell ejects on.

Well I wasn't planning on shooting around them until they are older. But yes, I have eyes and ears from range shooting they would wear


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[Marc]

I started taking both of my girls dove hunting at 3 years old...  Both of them loved it, and dove hunting allows a lot of room to roam, eat grapes off the vine, play in the dirt, help the dog pick up birds, etc...

Duck hunting started at 4 years old (for both of them) hunting in a blind, and both girls went turkey hunting with me at 5 years old...  They both like turkey hunting the least (as it requires "stillness" and a lot of "quiet time").

The first time I took my youngest at three, watched as I shot the first dove...  Her head perked up like a curious turtle as I pointed out the bird coming in, and she watched with interest as I shot it, sent the dog after it, and took it from the dog...

As she watched the dog headed out for the retrieve, the following conversation ensued:

Daughter: "was that a dove?
Me: "Yes."
Daughter (as the dog was bringing it back): "Can I touch it?"
Me (handing it to her dead): "Yes."
Daughter (holding the dead dove): "Is it dead?"
Me: "Yes."
Daughter: "Did you kill it?"
Me: "Yes."
Daughter: "Why???"


That last question stopped me cold, as I had not come prepared to answer it, and it was a good, and important question, that deserved a carefully thought out answer...  So we had a discussion as to where meat comes from, and that animals have to die so we can eat meat, and that this dove would be part of our meal in the near future...  The next three days was incessant nagging about when we would be eating those dove...

Currently, I take them when they ask...  They both generally go dove hunting about every time, and they both generally go duck hunting 2-4 times a year...  And it looks like 1 turkey hunt per season is enough.

Eye protection, and ear protection are a must...  Entertainment, with some engaging activity that they can look forward to (such as driving the truck, riding in the truck bed, a ride on the quad, and pancake breakfast)....