There's a poll on the front page of www.espn.com asking this question. It's pretty interesting to see the map of state by state results when you answer the question.

that's pretty cool. I picked 8-10 alhtough I would have picked younger if I could. I think I'll start taking my boy out in the blind with me when he is 3 or 4 but I wouldn't shoot till he was older. For him to actually pull the trigger, hard to say, depends on the kid.

I got my forst gun .410 at 4 and started dove hunting that year. Shot my first duck at 7 and deer at 8. I'll start my kids as soonas they show the least little bit of interest. It's never too early.

Going with you to the stand - somewhere between 6 and 8 depending on the kid. To shoot, probably around 9 or 10, again - depending on the kid.

My nephew shot his first deer at the age of 7 last year (about a month from his 8th b'day). You are never to young to go to the stand.

1

I hunted with my dad ever since I was one year old, that's what they tell me, and shot my first deer at 6.

I think it often depends on two things: the child himself and the area you hunt.

I began taking my two daughters, who are now in college, hunting here in NE Oklahoma when they were about 10- and 8-years old.

Unfortunately, Oklahoma didn't allow feeders at the time and the ranch was primarily open pasture, with woods in the creek bottoms and on the steep hills. I built stands along deer trails and in the bottom land surrounding the creeks. As a result, sometimes I'd see several deer during a morning or evening hunt, but many times I wouldn't.

The first few times I took them with me, we were unlucky and didn't see many deer. After sitting in the stand for a couple of hours watching only squirrels and birds, the kids would start to get antsy, particularly on the morning hunts, after getting up so early.

If you're hunting in Texas, where most counties have prodigious numbers of deer and turkey, and hunt near feeders or food plots, you probably won't get "skunked" and not see any deer. The youngsters won't be as apt to lose their patience, if they've got something to watch.

Also, my friend takes his 6-year old son on evening hunts only. He finds that his son can handle those better, since he doesn't have to get up so early.

One danger in taking kids when they're too young is they'll get bored quickly and decide that it's not fun. That may make them less likely to want to go when they're older.

Fortunately for me, I now hunt with my daughters at my friend's ranch in Comanche County, TX, where there are plent of deer and turkey. They are now avid hunters and won't miss a chance to go.

My daughter went with me last year when she was five, and again this year, she did great. When she turns 8 I'll buy her a .223, or .243 and see if she takes to hunting. She never even flinched when I pulled the trigger on my 7 mag.

My oldest is 12, she shot her first deer when she was 10 with a 243. shot another at 11.
She asked to go and kill a deer when she was 10, and i gladly obliged!! It is never too early if they show a real interest, but keep them from getting too bored. Remember you are taking them hunting, do your real hunting another time if you have to!!

I think it is important to start as early as possible, as long as it is fun. You don't want a real young kid to get board with sitting still and being quiet for a long period of time. If they don't find it fun they won't enjoy it, and they will lose interest. Start them off slow. Don't let the first deer they ever harvest be the biggest deer they will ever shoot. I think too many kids get stuck on harvesting a trophy animal and loose sight of the experiences and lessons that can be learned. Hunting is a good way to create a lifelong relation ship you can share with your child. It is a good way to keep them out of trouble.

I think you gotta wait until at least 12. Before then they can't run too fast and their pretty easy to hit, barely have to lead 'em.




GOATS WILL NOT BE PROVIDED, YOU MUST FURNISH YOUR OWN GOAT.

quote:

---

Hostile_Aggie
posted 11:15a, 10/30/05


A&M will beat tceh, and that's all their is to it.

---

I have been taking my son since he was 3, he's 6 now. This last Wednesday we were in our stand and he was watching and armadillo thru the binoculars, three does came running into the feeder and I elbowed him and whispered there are deer coming in. He then said in a loud voice "DEER, WHERE". Needless to say the does threw their head up and came to a complete stop. He the said "ARE YOU GOING TO SHOOT NOW" as whitetails quickly left the seen.
I said not this time.

Take them hunting with you, no matter how long you live, you cannot buy memories like that. We have so little time before they grow up, make the most of it.

I'm taking my six year old daughter and she is really ready to go. She watched me and dad field dress and process a buck opeing weekend and thought it was cool. She even was picking out various internal organs and helping to package the backstraps.