Getting Kids Into Hunting

Getting kids into hunting has such intrinsic values that go far beyond the thrill of the kill.

I can still feel my heart beating as I sat in my dad’s lap, looking through the rifle scope on his old Remington Woodmaster. The stories that gun could tell. The crosshairs wobbled then settled on a doe standing 50 yards down the South Texas scendaro where we sat in an elevated shooting house.

The rifle’s recoil (.30-06) knocked me off my dad’s knee and I landed on my back on the shooting house’s floor. He managed to snag the rifle as I fell; years later, I’ve come to realize the smart choice between the two falling objects. Beyond my beating heart and the fact that I’d just killed my first deer, the memories that stick with me most are the smell of gunpowder filling the blind and my dad’s smile as he looked down at me. I still have the shell casing. And every so often I sniff the spent cartridge to try and reel back the years of what it felt like to begin my hunting life.

I guess you could say my hunting life actually began a few years before that morning in Texas. When I could walk well enough, dad took me arrowhead hunting. He explained the significance of each artifact we found. When it came to playing cowboys and Indians, I was always the latter.

The thing with kids is that you have to start them slow. The world is large and unfamiliar. Guns are loud, animals are bloody, and early mornings are cold. If we’re to pass on the ideals of conservation and see our hunting heritage carried into the next generation, let’s hope that getting our kids into hunting will be as easy as it was for many of us. But if not, there are plenty of ways to contribute to society.

The Future of Conservation Hunting

This is obvious. It’s also really important. There are factions out there that would prefer another animal is never killed. But you know and I know that hunters are the ultimate conservationists. Perhaps it’s this point to which we really need to find a way to implement. What the boy learns may not come to fruition until he’s man. But when hunting becomes more about the planting of a tree, the watching of a sunrise, even the preparation of a new wild game recipe, he’ll know where those traits are derived from.

Start Small

How did you start? Was it a Red Ryder in the backyard with a line of Coke cans standing ready for your onslaught of BBs? When you’re getting kids into hunting, starting small is a very important step. I was terrified the first opportunity I had to shoot a 20 gauge. I admit it; it was too much power for me to comprehend as a youngster.

But my dad didn’t make a big deal of it. I simply kept on plugging away with my .410 until I was ready. Kids will let you know. The gradual ascent often creates the sturdiest foundation.

Teach Safety

When guns and even bows and arrows enter the picture, safety is paramount. You know this. And it’s such a huge benefit to getting your kids into hunting. Think of the takeaways from learning to safely handle a firearm. I’d bet they flow into other facets of your life. The safety aspects of hunting can help provide the building blocks for important traits like self awareness, self esteem, and respect. Not to mention learning how to care for firearms and optics so that they last a lifetime.

Provide Distractions

Even as an adult I have a hard time on long sits doing nothing but staring at the surrounding landscape. That’s why I often carry a book. I know a lot of us are trying to remove the technological aspect that is so ingrained in our lives. But it could be beneficial for the young hunter to have an iPad in the field. A bored kid is a restless kid. And if they attribute that boredom to hunting, it could have a negative effect going forward. This also goes back to starting small, where you may consider short sits that lengthen incrementally. Watching the progress and eagerness of a young hunter unfold is really a wonderful thing.

Pack Snacks

There’s a term making its way through society known as “hangry.” Maybe it’s been around a while though it’s only come to my attention in the past couple years. It’s the combination of hungry and angry. To avoid such behaviors, pack snacks for your youngster. Something like deer jerky is a good choice because then you’re able to explain one of the many incredible results of hunting.

What are your thoughts on this subject? How have you introduced your children to hunting? Or how did you get started on the journey? As always, we invite and sincerely appreciate your thoughts and comments. As I run my finger over the faded brass of a certain spent .30-06 cartridge that’s been with me for 30-plus years, I smile knowing it’s a story not unique to me. Rather, it’s a cherished memento shared by hunters like me all around the world. May the future be bright.