Tips on Hunting with Kids?

[josephmrtn]

Any tips on taking kids hunting, I'm planning on taking my 4yo son deer hunting with me for the first time this fall. Planning on sitting in ground blinds so he is able to move around and making sure I bring plenty of snacks and things to keep him occupied. Anything else I should bring along? I took him turkey hunting once this spring and he hasn't stopped talking about it so I have a feeling he will enjoy the deer woods as well. 

[moog5050]

Sounds like you have it covered.   Electronic games also help kill time when its slow but you may not want to encourage that.  Keep it fun.   When they are done, don't force it and if they want to walk around to find deer, do it even if it kills your hunt.

[Splitear]

Snacks, games, and short sits. Don't push them too hard, especially at 4. 45 minutes to an hour of sitting is plenty long enough. I would focus more on the positive experience than the hunt. As moog said, getting him out to walk around and look around the woods is just as important as taking a deer. No deer but a good time will hook him better than being bored and maybe getting a deer. 

[Zag]

Hey Joe, my experience taking my son was always fun but short lived. We did not use any electronics and he would make it like 40 minutes. Deff use the blind as they can’t sit still. Also give him his own pair of binoculars.

[fasteddie]

Take a comfortable chair for your kid . Kids get bored quickly and will probably fall asleep . 

[Marion]

Be like@moog5050 and be sure to install a hardwired high speed internet connection to the blind as well as DirecTV. Maybe a PlayStation or dare I say Xbox as well

#ThankYouForLessOverzealousModding #WeDemandUnlimitedLikes
#WeDemandADislikeButton

[Swamp_bucks]

Electronics help but I don't like taking them.  I like to print out coloring pages with animals they might see and let them try to color them,give them there own binos or maybe little bow or toy gun so they can pretend they are hunting . Also like moog said once they are done they're done.   

[josephmrtn]

2 minutes ago, The Jerkman said:

Be like@moog5050 and be sure to install a hardwired high speed internet connection to the blind as well as DirecTV. Maybe a PlayStation or dare I say Xbox as well

#ThankYouForLessOverzealousModding #WeDemandUnlimitedLikes
#WeDemandADislikeButton
 

I wish I could bring an xbox in the blind lol for me not the kiddo

[moog5050]

One other thing I would add, if you have the chance to kill a deer, do it.  Even if its not what you may normally shoot.  Lucky for me doe are abundant so it wasn't hard to kill one with my daughter with me.   She really enjoyed it.   Last year, I suggested passing on a group of 3 doe (didn't feel like butchering) and my daughter told me "we are here to hunt, kill the biggest one."  I then let her track it even though I saw it fall from the blind.

[moog5050]

5 minutes ago, The Jerkman said:

Be like@moog5050 and be sure to install a hardwired high speed internet connection to the blind as well as DirecTV. Maybe a PlayStation or dare I say Xbox as well

#ThankYouForLessOverzealousModding #WeDemandUnlimitedLikes
#WeDemandADislikeButton
 

sadly TV was removed 2 seasons ago.   I am personally too lazy to put that stuff up.   It was my former hunting partner that did that.  lol

[Splitear]

9 minutes ago, Zag said:

Hey Joe, my experience taking my son was always fun but short lived. We did not use any electronics and he would make it like 40 minutes. Deff use the blind as they can’t sit still. Also give him his own pair of binoculars.

+1 on the binocular idea!

[moog5050]

One other thing I found surprising was that my daughter liked creeping into the woods to the blind in the dark in the morning.  I thought it would be scary to her but she had fun with that too.

[crappyice]

“Did you hear that?!? It could be one coming” was my go to line when he was getting close to being done...bought an extra 10 minutes or so - not for me to hunt really but it stretched his time and his tolerance beyond when he was initially looking to bail.


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[airedale]

There is nothing like small game to introduce and start a kid on hunting especially Squirrels as they require many of the same basic skills used for Deer hunting which will be useful if interest takes hold. The big difference is in a good Squirrel woods there will be action and less chance of getting bored.

Al

[CharlieNY]

In addition to all the good advice that has already been posted make sure that he will be warm and dress him properly for the weather. Make sure he is wearing some blaze orange when walking him to and from your blind. Teach him good safety practices right off the start. And lastly be sure to take plenty of photos of him. He will grow up faster than you think. There is nothing more enjoyable than taking your child hunting with you.     valoroutdoors.com 

[Lawdwaz]

33 minutes ago, josephmrtn said:

Any tips on taking kids hunting, I'm planning on taking my 4yo son deer hunting with me for the first time this fall. Planning on sitting in ground blinds so he is able to move around and making sure I bring plenty of snacks and things to keep him occupied. Anything else I should bring along? I took him turkey hunting once this spring and he hasn't stopped talking about it so I have a feeling he will enjoy the deer woods as well. 

What, a child of your own?

Who are you and what did you do with the “Joe” from 6-8 years ago??

Lol, nice to see you around Joe, ALL the best to you and your boy this fall. 

[moog5050]

Sorry, I had to add this story just to say - you never know.   Several years ago I went out midday with Natalie and there was snow on the ground.  After she got bored in the blind, we went to look for deer - no luck.  Then she wanted to build a snow fort in the field, which we did.   AS she and I are laying in the "snow fort" she says here they come.  Sure enough, a group of doe passed through the woods on the edge of the field 100 yds away.   I was shocked and shot one.   Then we tracked her together in the snow.  So you really never know - keep it fun to keep them out there.

AND IF ITS GUN SEASON< BE SURE HE HAS MUFFS.

Edited September 29, 2020 by moog5050

[josephmrtn]

6 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

What, a child of your own?

Who are you and what did you do with the “Joe” from 6-8 years ago??

Lol, nice to see you around Joe, ALL the best to you and your boy this fall. 

Haha Ive got a 4yo son and a 4 month old daughter now. Gonna be busy as hell for the next 20yrs or so lol

Edited September 29, 2020 by josephmrtn

[Jeremy K]

18 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

One other thing I found surprising was that my daughter liked creeping into the woods to the blind in the dark in the morning.  I thought it would be scary to her but she had fun with that too.

I remember starting out as a junior archer and getting to my dads stand first and having to walk alone to the back side of the hill by myself , everytime I would get freaked out and scared ,I was too scared to go tell my dad I was scared though LOL.

[Jeremy K]

12 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

What, a child of your own?

Who are you and what did you do with the “Joe” from 6-8 years ago??

Lol, nice to see you around Joe, ALL the best to you and your boy this fall. 

I was thinking the same thing ,its been a long time since I remember him coming around . Glad to see you're doing well Joe

[Big Indian]

have FUN. I miss those days, even though we still hunt together the young, inquisitive days were awesome. One piece of advice, when he says it’s time to go, listen. 

[grampy]

Some really great advice given already!!! 

I might add..... to point out ANY wildlife seen. Birds, squirrels, anything living, and even some trees. Explain why they are there, and what they are doing, in a fun easy way! Kids are so curious! After seeing something, have them be "on the look out" for more of the same! It keeps them involved, even if no deer are present.

Enjoy every second of being out with the young ones. As before you know it, they are no longer young ones. 

Good to hear from ya Joe! Nice to see you completing the circle.

[steve863]

I didn't take my son hunting with me until a year before he was old enough to hunt himself.  It will be a LONG wait for a kid who's 4 until he is legally allowed to hunt.  I've seen a few kids taken out early and then they lost interest by the time they were old enough to hunt.  They got wrapped up in other things where they could participate in the activity themselves and not just be tag alongs.

As mentioned, I think taking them squirrel hunting where there is a lot of action will give you the best chances to keep them interested.  Deer hunting where the weather can be rough and you might not see anything for hours on end and maybe nothing at all can be tough on youngsters.

 

 

[Splitear]

Maybe do a scavenger hunt check list of things he will see and can look for. That will help keep him observant and interested. 

[9jNYstarkOH]

1 hour ago, josephmrtn said:

Any tips on taking kids hunting, I'm planning on taking my 4yo son deer hunting with me for the first time this fall. Planning on sitting in ground blinds so he is able to move around and making sure I bring plenty of snacks and things to keep him occupied. Anything else I should bring along? I took him turkey hunting once this spring and he hasn't stopped talking about it so I have a feeling he will enjoy the deer woods as well. 

Large suckers like a tootsie pop keep them quiet for awhile. We normally don’t give the kids to much candy so it makes it extra special a win win situation.