Taking my 6yr old hunting
- Thread starter Mao
- Start date
I see the point you are making. I believe it is only a dis-service if you allow it to be. I started taking Connor when he was about 6 or 7. For the first couple years he just sat with me. He had been around when I brought deer home before so he had seen them dead but never seen one actually shot. Our hunts for years was more about him and I spending time together. It was awesome having several hours in a stand or a blind together. It brought us so much closer together. He went from sitting with me to hunting with me. He went from never seeing a deer harvested to seeing me harvest a deer and helping drag it out to harvesting his own deer. He learned to appreciate the woods and everything god has given us. I do not see this as a dis-service. I see it as a blessing for both me and him. I got to share time with him and he got to share time and a bond with his dad. I think as long as you go at the right pace for your child it is a blessing. There is no way I would trade the time in the field I spent with him for the world.
Just my opinion.
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I agree with Jon whole-heartedly! My daughter went to the woods with me when she was 3 or 4 years old. She continued until she was 10 or 11 and lost interest just about the time Mason started tagging along. They both started turkey hunting and deer hunting at 6. Cripes, Mason's first word was "deer". They had the good fortune of being around this stuff their entire life. Madison has never killed an animal, she was close several times but it never worked out. Mason killed his first deer @ 7, and he felt the normal remorse and happiness as anyone with a heart should. I trust my kid's good judgement with firearms or any potentially dangerous situation more than I do most adults. Life and death is normal, kids that are taught that at an early age do not forget the lessons learned, imo.
I agree with Brock. Hunting is a way of life around here. One of my cousins was killing deer at 6 and it was as much to help put food on the table as anything. If you think there are people who don't need the meat, you are way off track. Kids are smarter than we give them credit for. I trust that my daughter will be smarter enough to understand the finality of death in a few more years. I think it is more a disservice to keep kids out of the woods at an early age than it is to indoctrinate them while the are young.
matthewusmc8791
Junior Member
For clarity sake, I am not saying taking kids into the woods is a bad thing. I think taking your kids into the woods watching birds flying, bugs crawling and the fun of being in nature hiking or fishing is what you should be teaching a 6 year old kid. What I am saying is putting a gun into a CHILDS hands is a bad things. Children are children because they can not comprehend the rules and effects of shooting a gun or killing an animal. Say what you will, 6 year old kids have no business running around in the woods with firearms.
Again, I never said keep kids out of the woods.
Again, I never said keep kids out of the woods.
I will agree to disagree. If us as parents and outdoorsman do not teach them how to handle firearms then video games and tv will. I will let you decide which is better.
matthewusmc8791
Junior Member
since its apparent that some people think giving a gun to a 6year old is cool, good luck with that...
at1010
*Supporting Member*
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started with a bb gun at age 5, I find my self to be pretty darn successful. I have a great heart, and am always willing to help people out. I credit a lot of this to hunting and learning to be responsible at a young age. Not saying me hunting or not hunting would have changed who I am, all I know is I grew up hunting and I turned out alright.
Ya know, some 6 year olds use crossbows, etc. But its still a weapon and yes, 6 year olds can and do understand hunting and the killing of animals.
matthewusmc8791
Junior Member
good to hear..
The point I'm making is giving a 6year old a gun to kill is a bad idea.
As you said, learning to be responsible. LEARNING is the key word...
as adults we know there are no "do overs" when you pull the trigger..
Enough said on this subject for me... Just don't agree with giving "children" a gun...
good luck, be safe
lung buster
Senior Member
Its a great idea if the kid is ready. All kids are different and only their parent can make that choice. My kids started hunting with me at the age of 2! My son killed 3 deer at 6 and my daughter killed 2 last year at 6. I guarantee that both of them are safer than a lot of adults that take to the woods the 1st week of Dec!!!!! They are probably better shots too! I bet that they know more about deer than the majority of these same clowns running around that week too! To each his own but I would rather hunt with my kids who are 9 and 7 than anybody!!
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When a 6 year old pulls the trigger and sees a turkey's head turn to jelly, they understand there are no "do-overs".
lung buster
Senior Member
I agree but I have no proof. Andrew was a shocking 8 yr old when he gave his 1st long beard a face full of Hevi-Shot! I'll get back with everybody this spring and let ya all know if a 7 yr girl knows (we came up a tad short this past spring when she was only 6.....)
I got my first bb gun at 5 yrs old. I was taught by my old man and grandpa how to safely handle a firearm. The one rule that I can still hear my grandpa say is "safety on and don't touch the trigger until your ready to shoot". I took my hunters safety course at 10 years old only because my dad isn't a hunter, if he was then I probably would of taken it sooner. I can remember always handling my bb gun and my first shotgun safely because I was taught the right way. Ain't nothing wrong with taking a 6 year old hunting. I was shooting mourning doves the first day I got that bb gun.
I was killing squirrels by 6. My dad was a stickler for safety. His catch line that stuck: Never point a gun at something you don't intend to kill or destroy. Most of my family was taught to handle guns around 6-8 years old. We're all safe and sound despite our parents "recklessness".
Pretty sure I was killing tree rats at that age also, I was like a damn sniper with my pellet gun!