TonyC Report post Posted August 25, 2015 Awesome posts everyone! MY overall thought is that it just needs to be fun and not forced upon them. I'm still a bit undecided what I should introduce to them and at what age but I suppose it doesn't truly matter as long as you keep it simple and fun.. I'm planning on taking them out to fish veteran's oasis with a cheap bobber set-up. My assumption they will cast approximately 2 or 3 times and then want to walk around and see other things.. So.. I'm going to try to get them to do a small amount of fishing and then bring some bread or something to feed the fish/ducks... critters.. whatever may be out there at the time. haha. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
khmer6 Report post Posted August 26, 2015 Tony. Get them involved with events and others as age permits. Remember don't push them pass their limits on the first few trips. When they call it quits. It's time to quit. It may be frustrating but after the first couple of times you can stretch it out longer. The last thing you want to do is drive them away by forcing them to hunt/hike/fish harder their first time. And don't let some JA play the heavy recoil trick on them. Nothing ruins someone nerves worse than getting a shoulder full of bruises or getting tagged by the scope. For son's fourth birthday he asked to go scouting and climb mountains. Music to my ears 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Smith2260 Report post Posted August 26, 2015 Take them into the outdoors every chance you get! My son was on my back on his first turkey hunt when he was 2 1/2 months old. I carried that boy all over for awhile. Then when he was able to walk, he walked until he was tired then I carried him again. Now he is 13 and almost 6 feet tall. Packed out part of his sisters elk last year and his own pig and turkey this year. Did the same with my daughter. She is 11 and is already arguing with her brother about who gets first shot for dove and squirrel this year. I say Rock Paper Scissors, but she says otherwise!! They started shooting rabbits and squirrels when they were about 3 or 4. Ate every last one of them to teach them like my dad did. I try to show them everything God created for us to live. We eat prickly pears and acorns. If I go hunting or scouting while they are at school, they remind me when I get home that they did not get to go. Makes me feel bad, but school comes first...sometimes. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Non-Typical Solutions Report post Posted August 28, 2015 Kids are pretty tough.......what is that word??? Resilient? I have put all my boys in situations at a young age where they could have possibly hated hunting!!! Quail hunting with a 10 year old north of Tucson, dragging him for miles as he put it. Calling coyotes early mornings with absolutely nothing but howls mocking us. Fishing for hours with nothing but bottom and lost lures and flies. Antler hunting where there was no chance in heal there would be an antler cause there was 3' of snow there during the shedding season. Ask any of my boys.......I gave them plenty of opportunities to not like to hunt, but somehow they have all enjoyed hunting and fishing despite their fathers crappy guide service. It was all the fun stuff that happened while we were out there being outdoors. Getting stuck in a snowbank, losing the keys on a mule ride and having to ride 7 miles in to civilization for a phone, hook in the cheek and falling asleep on the hillside where you were supposed to be glassing for elk!!! Just keep it fun......... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
