Comments on: How Young is Too Young? http://addictedtohunting.com/how-young-is-too-young/ We are addicted to hunting and we want to share our addiction with you. Check back often as the hunting addicts will constantly be sharing stories, tips, and product reviews to help you enjoy the outdoors even more! Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:37:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Blessed http://addictedtohunting.com/how-young-is-too-young/comment-page-1/#comment-1226 Blessed Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:04:45 +0000 http://addictedtohunting.com/how-young-is-too-young/#comment-1226 This is a touchy subject. I don't think kids under the age of 16 or 18 should hunt anything without a responsible adult along. Hunting small game, waterfowl, upland birds... things where kids can use something that doesn't knock them off their feet when they shoot it is a good way to start - so is bow hunting. The key is letting them shoot targets, clay pigeons, soda cans, whatever... until they are confident with their shooting and able to hit the targets consistently. They also need to be mature enough to understand that sometimes things happen and they just miss. I think we should let our kids tag along and do things like help us follow a blood trail, keep our blind organized, watch for game and etc... as soon as they can handle some time out in the field. A good friend of ours started taking his boys duck hunting when they were just four or five years old. They shot the ducks with "pop guns" whenever Daddy stood up to shoot with the shotgun. They learned all about being aware of where their barrel was pointing, making sure it was out of the blind before they shot, watching for ducks, sneaking donuts to the dogs and etc... long before they shot a shotgun for the first time - all with a gun that had a cork attached to a string. They felt included and the family has some great memories. This is a touchy subject. I don’t think kids under the age of 16 or 18 should hunt anything without a responsible adult along. Hunting small game, waterfowl, upland birds… things where kids can use something that doesn’t knock them off their feet when they shoot it is a good way to start – so is bow hunting. The key is letting them shoot targets, clay pigeons, soda cans, whatever… until they are confident with their shooting and able to hit the targets consistently. They also need to be mature enough to understand that sometimes things happen and they just miss. I think we should let our kids tag along and do things like help us follow a blood trail, keep our blind organized, watch for game and etc… as soon as they can handle some time out in the field. A good friend of ours started taking his boys duck hunting when they were just four or five years old. They shot the ducks with “pop guns” whenever Daddy stood up to shoot with the shotgun. They learned all about being aware of where their barrel was pointing, making sure it was out of the blind before they shot, watching for ducks, sneaking donuts to the dogs and etc… long before they shot a shotgun for the first time – all with a gun that had a cork attached to a string. They felt included and the family has some great memories.

]]> By: Gary http://addictedtohunting.com/how-young-is-too-young/comment-page-1/#comment-1191 Gary Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:34:17 +0000 http://addictedtohunting.com/how-young-is-too-young/#comment-1191 If they are old enough to keep up in the field then they are old enough to hunt. My first hunt I was six, and had to run to keep up with my dad, but I loved it. My sons first hunt he was six also, but most of it was spent sitting in a shooting house. Now as far as weaponry is concerned, I think it should start out with someting the child can handle, you don't want a recoil knocking them head over heels, that might possibly make them never want to hunt again, or worse never want to fire another gun. I let him carry his bb gun on our first hunt, then when it was rabbit and squirrel time, I let him use a 22. I bought him a 243 but he is going to have to get a little bigger and stronger before he can use it. Luckily I live in Alabama, where there is no minimum age for hunting, however at 15 you have to have a hunters education course and a license. They do have youth hunts every year down here on the management areas. If they are old enough to keep up in the field then they are old enough to hunt.
My first hunt I was six, and had to run to keep up with my dad, but I loved it.
My sons first hunt he was six also, but most of it was spent sitting in a shooting house.
Now as far as weaponry is concerned, I think it should start out with someting the child can handle, you don’t want a recoil knocking them head over heels, that might possibly make them never want to hunt again, or worse never want to fire another gun.
I let him carry his bb gun on our first hunt, then when it was rabbit and squirrel time, I let him use a 22. I bought him a 243 but he is going to have to get a little bigger and stronger before he can use it.
Luckily I live in Alabama, where there is no minimum age for hunting, however at 15 you have to have a hunters education course and a license.
They do have youth hunts every year down here on the management areas.

]]> By: Scott http://addictedtohunting.com/how-young-is-too-young/comment-page-1/#comment-1083 Scott Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:08:56 +0000 http://addictedtohunting.com/how-young-is-too-young/#comment-1083 I agree that we need to get youth involved as soon as possible to make sure that it becomes something that they love for a lifetime. That being said, I came across a 12 year old last year while guiding a 15 year old. This 12 year old boy could not even hold his gun up by himself. I agree that youth under 12 can and should hunt, I am just not sure at what age they should carry a high powered rifle. Maybe like you say, it should be up to the parent. However, I know too many dads that just want to take their kids out regardless of weather they can effectively utilize the weapon. The 12 year old that I saw in the field was sitting on a rock about 70 yards from the adult that was with him. I know that this is not his fault but, how do you monitor the adults? I agree that we need to get youth involved as soon as possible to make sure that it becomes something that they love for a lifetime. That being said, I came across a 12 year old last year while guiding a 15 year old. This 12 year old boy could not even hold his gun up by himself. I agree that youth under 12 can and should hunt, I am just not sure at what age they should carry a high powered rifle.

Maybe like you say, it should be up to the parent. However, I know too many dads that just want to take their kids out regardless of weather they can effectively utilize the weapon. The 12 year old that I saw in the field was sitting on a rock about 70 yards from the adult that was with him. I know that this is not his fault but, how do you monitor the adults?

]]> By: Arthur http://addictedtohunting.com/how-young-is-too-young/comment-page-1/#comment-1079 Arthur Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:28:58 +0000 http://addictedtohunting.com/how-young-is-too-young/#comment-1079 I think there shouldn't be any age law whatsoever. I know that sounds dramatic, but in this day and age if kids don't get into hunting, and the shoot sports early, then we are bound to lose them to other things, like video games and such. I do think it should be up to the parent to decide when their child is ready, and any child under 14 should have supervision while afield, but as far as a law that specifies when a child can hunt, I don't think there should be any. I think there shouldn’t be any age law whatsoever. I know that sounds dramatic, but in this day and age if kids don’t get into hunting, and the shoot sports early, then we are bound to lose them to other things, like video games and such.

I do think it should be up to the parent to decide when their child is ready, and any child under 14 should have supervision while afield, but as far as a law that specifies when a child can hunt, I don’t think there should be any.

]]> By: Carolinn Pocher Woody http://addictedtohunting.com/how-young-is-too-young/comment-page-1/#comment-1061 Carolinn Pocher Woody Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:40:26 +0000 http://addictedtohunting.com/how-young-is-too-young/#comment-1061 I think you really have to think about the recoil factor. Practicing on a clays course will give your boy some confidence and skill with a shotgun. & it will be a lot easier to comfort him if he misses if it is not really his "first time out." It was Youth Turkey Hunting Day on Saturday here in NJ, and my friend Mark took his little niece out with his boys. She is about 8. She'd been out several times before in the deer stand to observe the hunt, but this was her first time to shoot. She missed. Tears for years. I think that prep is paramount. Bring the kids without guns so they can see what the safety rules are and how the hunt flows. & make sure they can physically carry the gun, have practiced with a moving target and stand the recoil. Hey I shot my first buck at 42. If I had missed, YOU BET I would have cried like an 8 year old! I think you really have to think about the recoil factor. Practicing on a clays course will give your boy some confidence and skill with a shotgun. & it will be a lot easier to comfort him if he misses if it is not really his “first time out.”

It was Youth Turkey Hunting Day on Saturday here in NJ, and my friend Mark took his little niece out with his boys. She is about 8. She’d been out several times before in the deer stand to observe the hunt, but this was her first time to shoot. She missed. Tears for years.

I think that prep is paramount. Bring the kids without guns so they can see what the safety rules are and how the hunt flows. & make sure they can physically carry the gun, have practiced with a moving target and stand the recoil. Hey I shot my first buck at 42. If I had missed, YOU BET I would have cried like an 8 year old!

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