How young...

[palousemoose]

I've got to say, I have been reading this website for over a year now off and on and there are some pretty good posts.  My post revolves around my newfew who is 6 yrs old and wants to go out "deer hunting" with me and his dad.  How young is too young?  Does anyone have kids they bring out with them walking in the evening hunts? 

[gasman]

Both my kids started goingon day trips with me when they were about 5 years old. It was fun and theyenjoyed it, just do not expect to get a whole lot of serious hunting done (unless you are a road hunter).

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Cody was in the field at 4 or 5, at 7 he had his BB gun with him, and tried to convince my brother to let him shoot a spike with his BB gun. This year at 10 will be his first with a rifle in his hands.

[Kain]

My dad modified a pack frame to carry me when I was 2 years old.  If you are hunting close to roads a six year old can handle quite a bit of hiking and sitting still but dont expect hours of quite stands or miles of hiking.

[halflife65]

I started going when I was 3.

A few years ago, after I had already shot a deer (so no pressure on me), I went out with a buddy of mine and his 3 year old son.  We'd earlier found a shed antler before we went back and got his son, so I stuck it in my pack.  We then went on a "hike" (couple hundred yards) and I ran out ahead and planted the shed where he would stumble across it.  It was pretty exciting for him.

I remember that my dad (probably not when I was 3 - don't really remember that) would have his green thermos full of coffee that he'd drink on the way out and when we'd get back to the truck.  He had another green thermos that he'd fill with hot chocolate for us so that we could pour our own drink. 

I think that if you keep short, fun, try to find something sort of eventful to have happen at some point in the day, do things like have the same thermos for them like the one that you use (or something else that makes them feel like they're part of the "big boy" club) then there is never a time that is too young.  But don't expect to get much actual hunting done.

[carpsniperg2]

as long as they are not long hard days in the field that he gets tired and board, he is of the great age to tag along just keep it fun and you will have a great hunting buddy

[tonymoe]

I think the father is the only one who can make that call. It all depends on how the youngster retains knowledge and whether or not they get bored too fast. My nephew will be hitting the woods for the first time this year and he is 10. I think he wants to hunt because dad does, but he is the type of kid that looses interest fast, so we will see? Be prepared to have many blown stalks. hahahah, I remember blowing tons of shots for my pops while tagging along

[Pathfinder101]

PathfinderJR at his first elk camp in 2005.  He was 6 years old.  He walked 6 miles that day, passed out in his chair that night with a half-eaten plate of beans and weenies..   He also learned to use a power bugle that year, and called in his first bull.  He took Hunter's Safety when he was 9 and got his first buck the same year. 

[Pathfinder101]

Also, I teach Hunter's Ed.  We have had students as young as 7 in the class. 

[runamuk]

Hubby took the youngest son out on a duck hunt when he was 5 they handed him a duck call and he has been hooked and calling them in ever since.  He started learning to shoot around 6 he has a scar on the forehead and hubby lost a tooth  then he took hunters ed and finally passed it at 11 and has been actually hunting since then. 

[firefighter4607]

There is no age limit on teaching kids how to respect the outdoors and hunt correctly...... I started out when I was about 5 years old, my dad let me tag along with him and our family. When I was a few years older he taught me how to handle guns and I handle my toys guns just like they were loaded.
I took my hunter safety class when I was 8 and passed it. It took me a few years to actually pull the trigger cause each time I would pull up I was thinking about the movie Bambi. But I never got pressure from him to pull the trigger.
Now I have my wife's daughter that I am teaching her how to hunt, enjoy the outdoors and handle guns.
She was 7 when she first started hunting with me and my family and now at the age of 9 she wants to get her license and hunt with me.......... As I said they are never too young to start them out right!!

[elksnout]

Make him or her part of the " camp crew" and use small or evening hunts for just the two of you. Keep it simple, not the time for killer hunts. Make sure they are warm and comfortable. You want them to come back right ? Remember....the time you set aside for this is THEIR hunt. You have enough time to hunt as you wish when they are not with you. They will be noisy, won't sit still for long and their attention span will be short. So what, enjoy the moment. I started taking my son when he still wore diapers. He started carring a gun and deer hunting when he was 10 years old. The very first opening morning he got stung in the face by a pissed off yellowjacket. I took him back to camp, made pancakes and let him go back to bed for awhile. Now 13 years later he outhunts me. In those "early" years, I let more than one buck get away waiting for him to take the shot. You grind a lot of teeth being the coach. But I will say this, it's one of the best investments I've ever made.

[Elk329]

My granddaughter was 4 when I started taking her with me. At twelve she went through Hunter Ed and could accurately shoot my 30-06. It was a proud moment and also a little scary when me and her left camp that first mourning with her carrying her 06.(Also gave me an excuse to buy a new rifle)This will be her 3rd year hunting and she is looking forward to it for the hunting and the camping part.Hopefully it will give her the same enjoyment it has given me for the last 40+ years.   

[squeeze2drop]

Lol wow some of ur guys' kids seem very "talented" to say the least, anyway, I agree that its a parents' call, my 2 year old has known the difference between bucks and does for over a year, and he LOVES goin to look for deer, but I want him to know there's more to just goin out and shootin an animal, it truly is a great experience to be out and learn the ins and outs of "hunting" I went when I was 13 for first time, I'm sure he will go before then, but I don't have a set age, he will go when I think he's ready

[rasbo]

my sons were in bassinets in the back of the truck at camp,so just months old..But the didn't get to hunt with me in the field until they showed me they could carry a gun properly.they went scouting and toted BB guns and I watched them closely..my sons were night and day as brothers would be..One had patience the other,well,not so much..both of them did however get their deer first yr with a license..My oldest doesn't care to hunt much now at 32,hes more of a jock.My youngest likes to hunt..Good thread got me to reminiscing about them learning to drive in the woods, I gotta laugh,the look on my youngest sons face when he gutted his 1st deer as I watched..his first cut into the cavity,a big pocket of air went ffffffffffff in his face...And the gagging began..