how to convince my wife to let 4 year old tag along with me?

[seth30]

I take my two kids scouting, backpacking, camping, fishing and hunting with no issues, but I am divorced and I don't care what the ex says   However on a honest note, do it in baby steps.  If you make it too hard or difficult the kid will hate it.  Also give your self some realistic plans.  I harvested the 2nd deer with my son recently and didn't expect a trophy deer to show up with a four old making tons of noise.  We shot a good sized doe and made a lifetime of memories.  One thing that always helps with hunting is fishing IMHO.  Teaching them to sit still and be quite for fish pays huge rewards in hunting.

[jackelope]

My 7 year old daughter has been out with me at least once
A year for the last 3-4 years. Id be amazed if a 4 year old was able to sit still somewhere for 4 hours. My kid has been good for 2 hours tops. This year maybe we'll push that. Maybe a ground blind somewhere.

[Dan-o]

I started taking my kids on short hunts when they were 3-4.

My wife has never been hunting, but she also didn't object to me taking the kids.

Obviously, you want to keep peace with your wife, and you want to take your daughter.

I say try a straightforward conversation.  Explain why it's safe, what you'll do, why you want to take her, etc.  I'll bet your wife will understand that you want your children to enjoy the things that you do.

[lokidog]

I started taking my daughter on scouting trips with me when she was 4. I however will not let her hunt with me untill she is much older. Only you as a dad understands her limits. I don't want to expose my daughter to the "taking of the shot" untill she understands it more.

That would be my biggest concern, but I am guessing, having grown up in a hunting household, she has seen all, or at least some of the butchering process. If she is excited and interested in going, she is probably ready.  Has she been in on any recoveries before this?  If the killing aspect is a concern, maybe she should join you for a tracking/recovery exercise first. I took my daughter pheasant hunting with me at five, didn't get one but we could have.  I also took my son turkey hunting at about that age, and shot one at about ten feet, no issues as he had seen me gut and butcher deer previous to that experience.

She grew up seeing us dispatch and butcher our own beef, pork, goat, chickens...etc. last year she help gut and process two deer and an elk. She understands that we kill to eat and she wants to contribute. Last year she said, and I quote, "daddy, when is it my turn to hunt with the big boys?"

Given this, there is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON SHE SHOULD NOT GO WITH YOU!! 

[Hoythunter]

Kids will learn 10x more in one day being out in the field then they will staying home hovering over an i pad or watching TV. 

[hollymaster]

Started taking my son when he was 2 months old and never stopped.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Once your wife sees the quite and free times he will have with her little princess gone, she will be like when are you guys going hunting again.

I have two girls, and one boy they all started early with day hikes, to lakes, then high mountain lakes, then hunting. All have killed multiple deer, and my son got his first bear a two years ago.

What are you waiting for, take her out before she doesn't want to go.

[Bullkllr]

Highly recommend getting some scouting, etc. trips in before you take her out for opening day.

[Fl0und3rz]

I took my 2.5 year old.  We spent more time killing caterpillars than any real hunting.  I will take him again this year.

[Seabass]

My wife doesn't hunt, so in my family, that makes me the authority on the subject. As the authority, I make all related decisions, because my wife doesn't know anything about it. Unless your wife has knowledge or experience with hunting, she is making a decision based on emotion, not reason.

Amen Brother!!! That's all you need right there. I give my wife and daughter exactly ZERO input when it comes to my daughters cheeer squad. I have no experience and therefore off no advice nor any input into the decision making process.

[gotcha]

Ask jason brooks to share the pic with my kids. They love it.

[Shank]

Both my boys have gone off and on with me for the last few years, the youngest started going with me since he was around 2. Wife is totally cool with it be because hunting/camping/fishing is where I'm at home
The only hurdle I've had was with my oldest (stepson.) He wanted to go elk hunting with me and it was his weekend to be at his dad's. So I called dad and asked if we could switch weekends. Response I got " hmmm, ya I don't know. I'm not sure if I agree with hunting." The  response he got " OK that's fine, so can we switch weekends? This has nothing to do with you. Our job as parents is to provide our kids with as many opportunities as we can, and they can decide if they want to continue to pursue the things we offer them."
Needless to say he went with me. And is planning on going this year as well.

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[castie2504]

Good news! My wife has agreed to let my daughter go with the big boys! I am so excited she gets to come along. My daughter cannot stop talking about deer hunting, she asked me if I could take her shopping for camo and an orange vest! Just having her out there with me will make this years hunt my favorite of all time regardless if we harvest or not. Looking forward to it and she asked if she could take the shot, I had to wipe the tear from my eye. She is still too young to take the shot but I got her some binos and some hearing protection and explained to her that it will be a few more years before she can harvest her first deer. She was ok with that, she said "it's ok daddy, I just want to be hunting with you and uncle V."

[Boss .300 winmag]

Way cool dude, make the most of theses years they go fast trust me my youngest is 16.

[Karl Blanchard]

Oh man, your already behind the ball!  Get her in the woods asap!  No such thing as too young!