It’s pretty clear our hunting future is in jeopardy with the growing number of “Anti’s” and their deep pockets. That’s why now is a very crucial time to introduce our youth to the great outdoors and hunting. I am a proud father of a 7-year-old daughter and a 6-month old son. My daughter has already been on a fall coyote stand, two pronghorn hunts, and several shed hunting trips. What do these hunts have in common? Mild weather! In my opinion, it is crucial to introduce our youth to the outdoors in such conditions. Make the experience enjoyable. Since few adults like to get poured on during rainy weather, or like to hunt in freezing temperatures, how do you think our youth feel about the same?
Here are some tips on introducing our youth to the outdoors, making their experiences enjoyable, and introducing them at a very young age.
1. Introduce them to the outdoors in mild weather. I have mentioned this twice because it cannot be overstated.
2. Make your trips short. Don’t plan a 3-day backcountry hunt for their first experience. Their attention span is very short. I like 2-3 hour trips for the first couple of years.
3. Make it fun. Most of us have our tricks and traits we always follow while hunting by ourselves or with buddies. These do not apply while hunting with our kids during the introduction period.
4. Bring snacks. May sound silly to some, but you will kick yourself if you don’t have an ample supply of goodies for your little one.
5. Outfit them in their own gear. Buy them their own camo clothes and their own binoculars.
6. Listen to them. If they want to go home, then listen and go home.
7. Educate them. Teach them about the little things in the outdoors. Don’t overwhelm them with facts.
8. Be safe. This should go without saying, but safety in the outdoors should be installed in your child’s brain at a young age.
9. Make their overall experience a fun one. You really want to make sure your child is having fun. If they aren’t having fun, try another day.
If you can combine these tips, it will be a great experience not only for your child but for yourself as well. There is no better feeling in the world than watching your child share the same passions you have. With the combination of our youth being negatively influenced by media outlets, and our sport being attacked by anti-hunting groups, we are in dire need for the future of our sport. If we just sit back and don’t fight for our heritage, it will become a past time. Our number one tool for educating the general public and those anti-hunting groups is our youth; plain and simple, they are the future. Our hunting heritage lies directly in our youth’s hands. It’s our responsibility as parents to educate them on the enjoyment and importance of hunting and spending time in the great outdoors.
