Photo: Tristen Truman (left) is a young man whose passion for hunting came from his father. Now, he is passing it down to his grandparents’ adopted son, Michael. This is their special buck from West Virginia’s 2016 season.
My tips are in reference to hunting with kids, which isn’t always easy. But it can still be fun. This is a topic my father taught me about, and I learned by his example.
First and foremost: remember, they just want to be with you!
When introducing a child to hunting, being overly strict is a good way to make them cringe at the thought of returning to the woods. If you get this wrong in the beginning, you might not get another chance.
Of course, youngsters are going to want to break sticks, throw rocks, talk loudly, ask questions and laugh. But that’s okay.
It's no fun if you constantly reprimand them for making noise. They can’t help it. Not yet.
Make the education process fun — MORE ABOUT NATURE THAN THE HUNT.
If they can’t laugh loudly at the sight of squirrels chasing each other, throw stick spears, fiddle with dry leaves, or speak about the things they see, then you might as well leave them at home.
Make the outings comfortable. When a child gets cold, return home. If they get bored, invent ways to make things fun.
Create quiz games about what type of animal tracks they find, identifying animal noises, or counting how many different animals you see.
Bring snacks and water. A little chocolate is a great picker-upper, and a happy memory-maker.
As an adult, your desire to hunt will be strong. Make hunting secondary to your education of the child, and don’t let the lure of shooting an animal distract you from your ultimate goal of showing the youngster a good time in God’s great creation.
The younger the child, the less they comprehend things like being scent-free, motionless and silent. BE PATIENT. These things will come in time.
Kids just want to be like Dad (or Mom). They are watching you and observing your actions.
When a deer appears, it’s important to not get overly excited yourself. If you speak in a low, monotone voice and remain calm, they will learn this is the proper way to react when it comes time to shoot.
If you become frenetic at the sight of an animal, you are likely influencing that child to develop buck fever.
Come with the mindset that they are probably going to mess up a lot. But mistakes are all part of the learning process.
The entire point of introducing a kid to the outdoors is to pass down your knowledge of how wonderful and life-changing the outdoor life can be. If you want them to be a future hunting companion, make sure your introduction is about them, not yourself.
Try to see the woods from a child’s point of view again. Observing the learning process through their eyes will remind you of what it’s all about!
— Photo Courtesy of Tristen Truman
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