How old should my son be before I take him out deer hunting?

I come from a non-hunting family and took it up as an adult, but I sometimes try to imagine an "ideal" childhood where I would have learned hunting from my family growing up.

I think that a child should, if possible, be taken along as an observer for at least a season or two before beginning to hunt. You could start this fairly young, depending on maturity, but the child should be reliable about following rules and instructions, and able to deal with setbacks and discomfort without throwing a tantrum.

Whether your child is there as a hunter or an observer, separate the hunts that are for THE CHILD from the hunts that are for YOU. When you accept the fact that your purpose is to foster the child's interest and ability in hunting, you will find it easier to sacrifice your own odds of bagging game for the child's needs. Make the child's hunting trips short, and try to make at least the first few trips as pleasant as possible. For example, take short trips, no more than a few hours, in mild weather in a place that requires relatively little walking (little legs have to walk twice as far, and little feet get sore quickly!), and in a place with fairly good odds of at least spotting wildlife. Expecting a young child to sit on a deer stand for hours after a 10-mile hike through the snow is just not realistic, and will probably not lead to a love of hunting.

If a hunting trip with a kid goes sour, be prepared to cut it short. Stretch the attention span gently a little at a time. Try to end each outing on a positive note. Maybe if you've been squirrel hunting and didn't spot a single squirrel, you can gather some black walnuts to bake into chocolate chip cookies at home. If a trip is cut short by rain, maybe there will be a rainbow to enjoy. A thermos of hot cocoa or spiced cider is always a great way to make even the worst hunt a success. Savor the little pleasures!

You can start teaching hunting skills in pieces. Target shooting, whether with gun or bow, is fun in its own right, and is a more controlled setting for teaching safe handling of weapons. Stalking can be learned by "photo hunting", creeping up as close as possible to wildlife and snapping a picture. A cheap camera, or a disposable, is perfectly fine. This can be done outside of hunting season for greater safety, and you can search for any type of wildlife, not just game. Get a photo album and call it the child's "trophy book".

Check your state's regs to find out if there is a minimum hunting age, and what the licensing and training requirements are. Even if Hunters Education is not required, I recommend that you attend together, when your child is old enough.

By the way, if you have a daughter, please apply all of these steps to her, too. I wish my Dad could have! He was a city boy, and never hunted, so I don't blame him. You can't give what you don't have. But you have it to give, so I hope you will.

Didn't mean to go on so long, but maybe it will be useful!

It depends on the maturity of the kids. My oldest son was hunting and carrying a shotgun at 8. He missed his first deer at 9 with a rifle. He went out in the backyard at 10 and shot a coyote by him self. Other than the coyote shooting episode it was all under close adult supervision. The oldest is now 17 and he and his 12 year old brother go shoot by them selves. They have been going deer hunting with each other this year, while I have been taking my 13 year old nephew. I have a 14 year old nephew that I won't even allow around firearms when he is at my house. So it depends upon the individuals. From what you have said, I would say that they are mature enough to go hunting. Even adults get forgetful or careless and can point a firearm where they shouldn't.

I feel that age 10 is a good time to start taking a boy or girl out hunting. Deer hunting can be a bit physically demanding for a child that is younger than that. They have smaller legs and feet, so they have to take two steps for every one step that dad makes.

I figure that by age 10, they are maybe in the Weblos of Cub Scouts and could be in the Boy Scouts at age 11. So, they are just old enough to listen to what you say and process the information rationally.

first your kid must be able to be old enough to listen when you tell him to do something, and that varies by child and parenting style.

Then you got to realize if you take your 6-8 year old along you will be spending quality time with him, but you greatly reduce your chance of a successful hunt. At that age I say hunt during the most productive early morning hours by yourself, then around 10-11am bring Jr to the stand to basically 'hang out' with you and teach him about being quiet and what to look for and point out other animals, etc, then bring him home at noon or 1pm for lunch

when he is 13 or so then you can take a more serious approach to deer hunting with him, but again this is going to be based on how he acts and learns.

G'day mate i was 7 when i first went deer and pig hunting not all kids are the same some are slow learners, but if you teach him at a young age the better he will be at hunting.My dad said i was born with a gun in my hand. At four years old i was using an air rifle and a 22 lr at 7 years old i went on a pig and deer hunt where i didn't use a gun but i went with them on the 5 trip they gave me a shot gun.They introduced me to the shot gun and made me fire it at camp till i got use to it's recoil but they didn't just hand me the gun and fire it they gave me lessons on how to stand and the leaning forward ect.I still remember the first time i used the shot gun on a hunt and it was november 6 1977 and it was my first wild pig kill and i shot 5 of them that long week end.I think if yr son is 6 and up take him with you and teach him the in's and out's you don't have to give him a gun but bring a .22 lr and teach him how to use it and stand over him.cheers mate

There's no set age for hunting. I was 9 but I've always been considered to be ahead of my years. The best way to judge is to take him out shooting targets, and observe his mannerism with a gun. when you feel he can handle the barrel responsibly and safely, then he is the right age to take on a hunting trip. I couldn't see a child below 8 with the capacity to be trusted with a loaded rifle.

Some six year olds are old enough, some twelve year olds aren't. You have to judge based on your son's personality. If you think you're going to be out there for a half hour and then back in the cabin drinking heavily, maybe you should put it off another year.

Well in my opinion you need to let him decide that it is something he really wants to do, so what you should do is take him with you but don't let him handle a gun, let him get the idea of what its all about, a lot of waiting in the cold, if you take him and he is no longer interested then I would say not to take him anymore, if he shows interest then let him go with you a few more times again with no weapon, then when he is old enough to pass a hunters safety course (15) then you take him and let him handle a gun. Just my opinion thats all

It depends on your son. My oldest son has been going with me since he was 9 months old. My younger son just went for the first time this year and he is 2. The earlier they are exposed to it, the harder it will be for anyone to convince them that it is 'wrong' down the road.

well derpends its your doing it in the summer prob like 6 other wise in winter in a stand like 13-14 other wise he will cry saying its cold and i wanna go home

my opinion my dad said that to me and we hunt over 100 miles from our house in the winter