16ga.com ~ View topic - Advice on taking daughter for her first hunt

I have told my soon-to-be 5-year-old that she could come with me to turkey camp this spring, and of course, go turkey hunting. She was thrilled, and is very excited to go. In my mind, spring turkey would be a great way to introduce her to hunting, as (1) the weather tends to be fairly mild, (2) there is a reasonable mix of walking and sitting, unlike sitting in a deer blind for hours or walking through CRP or aspen/alder thickets for upland birds, and (3) I don't take my turkey hunting too seriously.

Can anyone offer me advice on how to help ensure this is a successful hunt? I don't define success in this case as necessarily taking a bird, but that certainly would be nice. I want her to have fun, learn a little about hunting, and spend some time with me doing something that we both could enjoy together in the future.

Thanks,

LiverTick

LiverTick,
It's great that you are taking your daughter hunting and making it fun is the only way to go.
Make sure to take her favorite snack and pack plenty to drink.
Don't forget some hearing protection for her too!

It's a long time since I hunted with a five year old but he turned out to be my best hunting buddy, even if he does out shoot me now and again! Wink

Member Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 230 Location: SW Idaho

Do NOT try to make her sit still and quiet for too long. It is a rare child that can or enjoys to do it. All it normally does is sour them on being out there.

Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 76 Location: north Texas

Hopefully, cold weather won't be an issue, but be certain to make sure she stays warm! My kids used to do just fine with the sitting still and being quiet - until their feet and hands got cold - then the hunt was over as far as they were concerned.

Also, at that age, they enjoyed having their own set of binoculars to use and entertain themselves with during slow times.

xtm

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

I would put bagging a turkey low on the priority list.
Try and set where she will see some deer also. Make sure you explain about the tracks you find. watch for birds and teach her what they are.
When she gets bored or cold, go for a walk. Talk about the different plants you see. Keep it simple and intertaining. How you expose her to the great outdoors, and the joys of hunting. Will determine if she returns next year to do it again. Just remember Dad, she's only 5. Wink

This really brings back great memories of taking my daughter turkey hunting. She was a little older, 6 or 7. Get her some camo coveralls, gloves and hat. Keep in mind that there is 1) turkey hunting 2) turkey hunting with your daughter. They are not the same. They will fidget and get bored and the earlier advice about that is wonderful. If you are lucky enough to set up on a bird, let her sit between your legs, reclining somewhat on your chest. If that doesn't work, let her sit beside you against a tree big enough for the two of you. For safety sake, let her back be shielded against the tree in case someone comes up from behind. It won't hurt to have a little blaze orange on her when she moves. My daughter loved it. The big deal was breakfast afterwards. We'd go to the local breakfast joint in rural Georgia and the locals made a big deal of seeing her in her hunting clothes and asking her about the hunt.

A memorable hunt was when I drove a little longer to hunt my wife's uncle's farm. Julia loved that farm. She woke up just as we drove up to the house and the old dog ran up to the truck: "Bessie, it's you." She was thrilled we were at the farm. It was fun while it lasted. After a few years, she outgrew it. I miss those special days. Enjoy them while you can. Oh, we never bagged a bird. I had jakes all around us and didn't shoot, and I missed a big bird which was just as well. Some of the best times were seeing the family of otters working a stream bank or seeing the redfin pike wiggle across the road where highwater flowed across the gravel. As I said, there's turkey hunting, and turkey hunting with Julia. They are not the same, but they are both great. I envy you, and your daughter.
Gil

I take my daughter, Ainsley, goose hunting frequently. She is 5 y/o and a real trooper. She likes setting out the dekes in the field and then retrieving downed birds if we get lucky. She has her own layout blind, so keeping her still isn't a big concern. In fact, I give her a goose flag to wave so she can be involved. Ainsley loves to fish, but goose hunting with Dad is a close second. She is definitely my favorite hunting partner. Ainsley even showed her Mom the ropes on my wife's first goose hunt.

All the advice I have read here is spot on. And Gil's suggestion on treating her to a post-hunt breakfast at the local gathering spot is the best. Ainsley loves to recount the morning's hunt to anyone willing to listen, especially over a stack of flapjacks.

I'll try to post a picture from one of our October hunts.

[img]http://picasaweb.google.com/YooperKirk/2007InTheGreatOutdoors/photo#5154811097380765890[/img]

Geez. I just can't seem to figure out the picture posting thing. Oh well.

Cheers,

Chris

Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 972 Location: Keller,TX

Make sure to get some camo face paint and a small mirror so she can see her handiwork! Get some locator calls and a friction box call and teach her how to use them. The best caller I ever shared a hunt with was a lady who taught me how to use a diaphragm mouth call. The fun is in the practicing! Laughing

Don't make her walk far or fast. Be gentle. Snacks are mandtory. Fruit juice and water. Get her a backpack to carry her gear. Hearing protection is manditory.

Lots of good advice on this thread ,Dad. You'll be a great mentor! Wink

Hi All

Thanks for the great suggestions. I had thought of some of them but there are some you don't think of.

Since my 4 year old daughter looked up at me and said " Daddy will you teach me to shoot" I have been looking for advice..

Thanks. I am glad I saw this thread,

SP

Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 972 Location: Keller,TX

Dont rush into the shooting. Teach the proper gun handling first. Progress slowly. BB gun, pellet gun, .22, and 20 bore gas autoloader with light loads.

It must have been great to hear those words the first time!

I bought a BB gun for the daughter referenced above last summer. I shoot my pellet gun with her off from the deck. I had forgotten how much fun just plinking at plastic bottles can be.

We spent an hour or so on Cabela's website pulling together her cammies for the upcoming hunt this week. She was quite insistent that she have a boonie-style hat and not a baseball cap, because apparently boonie hats are for girls and baseball caps are for boys. Funny what they think of.

Keep it short. Don't have a daughter, but my sons enjoyed going at young age, but their attention span was not very long. I would forget even shooting a gun, pretty loud for someone that age.

Member Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 230 Location: SW Idaho

Gentlemen, we be different. You really have to pay attention to what the girl wants, because not only do they see things differently, they process it differently. I grew up with all men, less my long suffering Mom, in the household, went into, at the time, an all male environment for 21 years (USMC). What did I have for children, two very girly girl daughters. You don't learn empathy that way, it is forced down your throat until you "get it".

They are my joy.

Here is an interesting video that highlights my point. It is a hoot.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/412867/how_to_shower_men_vs_women/

Try to make it as enjoyable as possible for her, not you. You will cherish those times in the future.

Chorizo, you aren't kidding. I grew up with two sisters. When I learned that I was going to have daughters, I thought some of that experience might help, but I am amazed with how little I actually know about the inner workings of the youthful female mind. As for the adult female mind, I've long since given up on trying to sort that out.

But I am really, really excited about spending a couple of days in the woods with my girl and giving her a taste of camp living -- eating what we want when we want, taking a nap just because it's the thing to do at the time, wandering over to the neighbors to swap some stories, etc.

Thanks for all the great advice. It never would have occurred to me to pack some snacks, as that's not how I typically do things. But it makes all kinds of sense. We've been practicing sitting still while watching TV in the evening -- that kind of kills two birds with one stone. I might end up setting up a pop-up blind, too.