Tricks to getting kids in the field

[FishingWebGuy]

Last year I got my 6-year-old youngest boy to sit in the blind for 3 hours each evening during archery season. I kept him entertained by letting him run the doe bleat every 15 minutes.

This year I want to get him out more with me. During the summer he didn't get very excited about roaming the woods and scouting.

He is very motivated by money though and usually once he actually goes and does something he enjoys it. I was thinking this winter/spring I would start paying him for every found shed. I'm thinking he would get pretty excited about the chance to earn $5 or $10 for each shed.

He already really enjoys going to the archery range with me now that he has a real hunting bow. I know when he is ready to hunt himself he will be more excited about the hunt but right now I am looking for ways to get him excited about a 3 or 4 hour sit in the blind. If I could guarantee we'd see deer, that would be easier.

Today I thought maybe I'll pay him $5/hr to sit with me. I'm kinda torn on that idea but if it get's him in the field and away from the tv, it's probably worth it.

Another reward I have used to some success is shooting the .22. If he would go scouting, we would finish the trip off with 50 rounds at our shooting gallery. That works well also but I want to keep mixing it up some.

Any thoughts or experiences on what has worked for you guys?

[Tom7227]

IMO paying him to do it is completely the wrong thing to do. You get paid for a job and when you're done with that job you get to spend the money on either something you need or something you want. You may end up paying the kid so he could buy a new IPod or something that ends up drawing him further from where you want him to be.

Buy the kid a camera and let him screw around with it. When getting snapshots gets boring teach him about moving in close and taking pictures of things like ants, rocks, mushrooms etc.

Accept the fact that a kids attention will wander from thing to thing. Expose him to what you enjoy and let him chose what he wants to do. Two of my three kids enjoy upland hunting. I couldn't get the middle kid involved if I were to offer to buy her a house. That's just the way it is.

[student]

I also don't think paying him is the way to go. I think it is very important to seperate a financial reward from the true rewards offered by the outdoors. I would say that patience is going to be the key to keeping him interested in coming with you, for example shorter trips out, allowing him to bring a PSP or something if he wants to, get him a little bow or pop gun or bb gun that he only gets to use with you outdoors. Several of these trips will have to be all about him. I like the idea of him getting to shoot the .22.

I would avoid financially rewarding him. Sets a really bad precedent.

[BobT]

I also agree that this may not get the result you want. Think about it. Every one of us gets excited about a new job but it doesn't take long for most of us to lose that excitement and it just becomes another job. Paying him may excite him at first but eventually I suspect you'll turn what you're hoping to be a passion into a job.

You can't force or coerce your son into enjoying the outdoors. Doing so could backfire and he could end up hating the outdoors. Not everyone enjoys the same hobbies, sports, etc. I think I'd be very careful here.

[gurkster]

I also would not pay him to join you. I have 4 kids (girl 9, boy 7, girl 5, boy 2) so I have some experience. I don't want to come off preachy or as a know it all - I am neither, but I will let you know what worked for me - your miles may vary .

Get them out with you at as early an age as you can, which it sounds like you are already doing. Not one of my kids can tell you the first time they were in the boat or woods with me, because they were to young to remember it.

Bring snacks, drinks, camera, calls, guns, etc with you to let them use or play with when they go. Like you stated let them call every 15 min. Have a favorite snack/drink along. I bring a BB gun for the younger kids (not the 2 year old) to "hunt" with and teach them that that is a real gun and needs to be treated as such. Just try to make it fun for them.

Bring yourself to their level not them to yours. Maybe make it a 2 hour hunt, or 1 hour hunt. It has killed some hunting time for me, but I had the kids in my deer stand with me. Never saw a deer, with giggles, dropped gloves, bodily noises, etc, but it was a great time and we did see other wildlife like squirrels, birds, rabbits, etc. that they liked. Same as on the water. They fish and I bait lines, unhook fish, untangle lines, etc. Then we swim or something when they are done or need a break.

It has paid off for me. My 9 year old daughter loves it all, she shot her first squirrel last year at 8 and then caught a 29" walleye earlier this year. The 2 older ones were with me for early goose last weekend. They now have their own guns to use under my suppervison only. My son 7 hopes to get a squirrel this year.

So in my opinion you are getting a great start just getting him out there, just make it as fun as you can for them and if it is fewer hours than you would like or you scrafice some game so be it - it will pay HUGE dividends in the future. I am just now starting to see my payoff with the older kids, and I am so happy that they ask me now when we can go.

Also keep some hunts for yourself when it is just dad or adults only so you can get your fix in and all your hunts aren't at a kids level. My $.02

Best of luck, I bet you will have a life long partner outdoors.

[heat checker]

I agree with the others... shorter hunts and less often, stuff for them to do. Also a change to different locations takes away some of their boredom.If I'm out solo, one thing I do is before I start blood trailing, I go home and get them (26 mile trip), and I let them "lead the way". Make sure to involve them in the pictures, wether they were along on the hunt or not.

[FishingWebGuy]

hmm, ok. So maybe I don't pay him but we put money towards an outdoors items account? The outdoors is a lot more fun when you have the right gear. I'm not saying buy him every new item that comes out but help him to make decisions on what would be nice to have and let him "earn" the money to do it. He's only 7 so he doesn't have many other earning opportunities.

He would love a short stock .22 to call his own. He could put money towards some Reinhardt targets to practice on (maybe dad could borrow them occasionally ). He is already saving his money for a 4-wheeler on his own.

That gives me another idea. Maybe he should have his own trail camera that he can decide where we put it out. Then he has some ownership in the whole adventure...

Anyhow, some parents give their kids allowances for doing nothing. I think I could put money towards his "outdoors" account if he helps me spot deer and run the range finder and calls while in the blind. His eyes are better than mine and I'd love to have someone whispering distances to me while I concentrate on drawing.

On our way home from the range yesterday he said to me, "Dad we should have father son day once a week where we go to the range and shoot. Can we do that every Saturday?" -- If I were a woman that would have invoked some emotion in me...

Anyhow, he is a great kid that loves the outdoors. I just want to get him more involved. He does already spend about 6 weeks a year with me living out of tent, gathering wood, fishing, hiking, staring at the stars and roasting s'mores. Everyone of those trips we leave the driveway at 0400 and he is excited about going. One of his favorite parts is stopping at Mac and Dons for bfast -- maybe I should include that as part of our blind sits.

Anyhow, he is our last kid and he is growing up way too quickly. I just want to make many many good father son outdoors memories with him.

I do know that trips with him are for him only. And they are all about making sure he is comfortable and having a good time while also teaching him that good outdoor experiences come to those who wait.

[FishingWebGuy]

I agree with the others... shorter hunts and less often, stuff for them to do. Also a change to different locations takes away some of their boredom.If I'm out solo, one thing I do is before I start blood trailing, I go home and get them (26 mile trip), and I let them "lead the way". Make sure to involve them in the pictures, wether they were along on the hunt or not.

I love that idea. He is the kind of kid that would want to be woke up in the middle of night to help follow a blood trail. Just don't tell mom if it's a school night.

And great idea including him in pictures. Does he look happy here when he was 4?

[FishingWebGuy]

I also would not pay him to join you. I have 4 kids (girl 9, boy 7, girl 5, boy 2) so I have some experience. I don't want to come off preachy or as a know it all - I am neither, but I will let you know what worked for me - your miles may vary .

Get them out with you at as early an age as you can, which it sounds like you are already doing. Not one of my kids can tell you the first time they were in the boat or woods with me, because they were to young to remember it.

Bring snacks, drinks, camera, calls, guns, etc with you to let them use or play with when they go. Like you stated let them call every 15 min. Have a favorite snack/drink along. I bring a BB gun for the younger kids (not the 2 year old) to "hunt" with and teach them that that is a real gun and needs to be treated as such. Just try to make it fun for them.

Bring yourself to their level not them to yours. Maybe make it a 2 hour hunt, or 1 hour hunt. It has killed some hunting time for me, but I had the kids in my deer stand with me. Never saw a deer, with giggles, dropped gloves, bodily noises, etc, but it was a great time and we did see other wildlife like squirrels, birds, rabbits, etc. that they liked. Same as on the water. They fish and I bait lines, unhook fish, untangle lines, etc. Then we swim or something when they are done or need a break.

It has paid off for me. My 9 year old daughter loves it all, she shot her first squirrel last year at 8 and then caught a 29" walleye earlier this year. The 2 older ones were with me for early goose last weekend. They now have their own guns to use under my suppervison only. My son 7 hopes to get a squirrel this year.

So in my opinion you are getting a great start just getting him out there, just make it as fun as you can for them and if it is fewer hours than you would like or you scrafice some game so be it - it will pay HUGE dividends in the future. I am just now starting to see my payoff with the older kids, and I am so happy that they ask me now when we can go.

Also keep some hunts for yourself when it is just dad or adults only so you can get your fix in and all your hunts aren't at a kids level. My $.02

Best of luck, I bet you will have a life long partner outdoors.

Good advice all. 2 weekends ago we were at a cabin by Mille Lacs. He wanted to try an shoot a chipmunk with his bow. My wife objected but I told her, "sweetie, he's never gonna hit one" a couple minutes later he grazed one at about 10 yards!

I said the same thing about my 16-year-old who couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with his bow. It took me a while to believe him when he came walking to my stand saying, "Dad, I got a deer!"

[FishingWebGuy]

Thanks every body for the comments. I agree there is a thin line with monetary reward. The truth is I don't just want him to come and sit with me for money but I want him to enjoy it. He would be hooked forever if we got a deer while he was with me but that is difficult enough without a 7-year-old in the blind much less with one.

He is a pretty good shot with the .22 so I think I'll let him squirrel and grouse hunt this year a little bit. Maybe we can finish off each blind sit with a trip through the woods looking for small game...

[BobT]

Was talking about this with a colleague earlier this morining and recalling our first hunts. I remember my brother and I tagging along with my dad. I don't know how he put up with us but he pretty much let us be. We brought our BB guns along and target shooting was going on all day. I remember trying to step in his footprints in the snow but because his stride was a lot longer we literally had to jump from one step to the next. I recall knocking over virtually every dead tree we came across. Does it sound like we were quiet in the woods?

To this day my brother and I are both avid hunters of grouse, deer, pheasant, geese, and occasionally rabbits.

[Bear55]

I have to agree with others, money probably isn't the best path to take. Like other said make it fun, maybe shorter sits or bring something for them to do. A gun for small game is a good start, once they get a little older I think you can slowly start to push them a little more, sit a little longer, go that extra mile on a scouting trip.

One thing to remember some forms of hunting often don't work when kids are real young, long hours on a stand could actually chase them away from deer hunting. You might want to start him off more on small game/waterfowl and do a little less bow hunting. Once they are a little older they tend to gravitate to big game on their own.

This might be a little off the wall but it might even be a good idea to leave him home for a trip here or there. You get some time to do some serious hunting and leave the kids wanting more. My dad had me in the stand since I was 5 but that was only on the weekends. Deer season he would take the whole week off, it was the longest week of my life waiting for dad to come back with a report and tell all the hunting stories.

I also remember being miserable on an all day sit when I was 12 years old and first able to hunt in my own stand. Now I love to sit all day but when I was 12 it was a long day, I wanted to move around, maybe help other guys track and drag deer. I still managed to become an obsessive deer hunter but a lot of people can get turned off.

[FishingWebGuy]

You guys are right. Thanks for the input. Now I am thinking if he doesn't want to sit in the blind we will just find something else to do -- like small game hunting.

Shoot, my 17 year old barely likes to sit in the stand for very long. I'm fortunate my youngest has sat at all.

I am taking some trips without him this fall. And you are right, that will build anticipation for when he get's to go and will let me get it out of my system so I can concentrate on him when he is along.

I'll still offer to buy sheds from him though (I think they have value) -- who knows, he may decide to keep them

[BobT]

A few years ago on the night before the September early season goose hunt I walked into our living room and for fun asked, "So who's going goose hunting with me in the morning?" To my surprise my 9-year old daughter pipes up, "I will!" I told her we would have to get up at 5:00am but she said she didn't care. I then replied, "We've got to get you camo'd up!" I found a hunting vest that dragged on the floor, a green cap, and told her she looked like a goose hunter. The next morning we made cocoa and coffee, loaded up the gear, put on our camo, walked out in my wheat field, set up a few decoys, sat down next to a straw bale, threw a burlap cover over our legs, and waited for geese to arrive. I gave her my call and said, "Here, blow this. You need to practice talking to geese." She did just fine until her cocoa was gone, which was about 2-1/2 hours. We were done hunting by 8:30 and didn't see a single goose.

The next day I was going to go hunt with a friend in Foley. I asked her if she was going along and she said yes. I told her we would be getting up at 3:00am and she just said she'd sleep along the way, which turned out to be false. We set up our decoys and my buddy laid on the ground at a 90 degree position from us. We laid down and threw the burlap blanket over us. It wasn't long before a small flock of six geese arrived and landed on the ground behind us. I told my daughter to just lay real still and suddenly she whispers that she saw a goose. The darn thing was walking around within 10 feet of us! My buddy couldn't get a shot at them because he'd be shooting over us so he had all he could do to not bust out laughing at our situation. Shortly afterward a flock of about 30 geese came over, circled and came right into our decoys. We got three birds out of that bunch. Never mind our prowess as hunters or lack thereof.

While we were picking up our game we heard another flock in the distance so I told my daughter, "Hurry up! Get under the blanket and maybe we can get them to land on us!" We were laying there for a few minutes waiting for the flock to arrive and I could hear my daughter whimpering a little. I asked her what was wrong and she said, "I don't want them to land on me!" I told her that I didn't mean it literally. I meant on our decoys. I spent the rest of the day trying to calm her down and get her to understand.

That kid joined me on goose hunts for the next two years but for some strange reason I just can't get her to agree to take a firearms safety training. My hope is that she would help us hunt too. You can't force a kid to enjoy it if they don't have it in them I guess.

Her older sister on the other hand has no interest in shotgunning but at the age of 16 has already taken three bucks deer hunting. And this one had no interest whatsoever in shooting sports until after she took firearms safety training.

Who can figure them out?

[mabr]

FWG I see no problem with rewarding him with money for sheads. I think thats kind of cool actually. But not going with you. That alone should be the reward.

As far as geting him into a hunting in general. He's got it already, now you need to make sure it stays there IMO. Judging from your posts he's "IMO" already looking up to dear old dad. Again IMO I raised 4 boys 16-27. Thats all it takes. If you show that passion they will want to follow. My oldest killed his first deer at 11, he fished a tournement with me at 8 and we won and he got 1/2 of the purse. He spent that money on buying a new rod and reel!!!! I didnt tell him what to buy he did it on his own.

But he didnt go deer hunting until i felt he could handle it. I was not easy on him or any of them, I know the pains deer hunting can cause both mentally and physically. I took him squirel hunting while he was younger but deer hunting had to be earned IMO. All my boys knew going in that you MUST be quite no matter what. So I judged their ability by squirel hunting. The second son it took longer but he knew the reason, I wasnt trying to belittle him while hunting but i made it clear while hunting squirels that he wouldnt get away with that if we were deer hunting and he learned that if he was going to EVER go deer hunt he was going to have to sacrifice the comforts. He eventuallyy figured it out and he has turned into a darn good deer hunter.

Now personally I think a 6-7 yo is to young to deer hunt, but who knows maybe yours is ready. I take deer hunting seriously and so do my boys. Deer hunting is not squirel hunting they know that. They all know they needed to graduate from the little stuff to earn the big stuff and boy did they show that to me. I cant count the squirels I cleaned while they were growing up killed with there BB guns. I;d get home from work and have them waiting to show their limits of squirels and the stories to go with them.

Im now down to the last of the 4 and he has JUST decided he wants to deer hunt this year. Mind you Ive asked for as long he has been able to legally hunt if he wanted to go and he has always declined and low and behold this year hes ready to try it. To the point of bragging or commenting to his grandparents that hes ready now.

All kids are different, I strongly discourage forcing it on them. My oldest whether it be because he was the first was gung ho for it, the second somewhat, the third tried it and it was ok and now the 4th is ready. The second has become obsessed with deer hunting now as he got older, the third is starting to get the bug and the 4th is where the 3rd was, but i know he'll end up where all 4 will eventually be in the end. Its all about there stage and how enjoyable we as fathers make it for them.

Oh the trail camera thing is a GREAT idea also. Heck its like christmas for me at my age. I cant imagine what it would be like for a kid of your sons age. I feel like im hunting when im not even there.

[FishingWebGuy]

Thanks guys. Some great experiences shared on here.

I told him yesterday that I'll take him shed hunting and buy any sheds he finds. His eyes lit up! I also told him we would put the money towards an "outdoors fund". I said, "maybe you will want to buy a .22, a shotgun or a trail camera".

This morning one of the first things he said to me after getting up was that he wants to buy a trail camera with the money he earns.

Now I just have to put him on enough sheds to pay for all of this

[Bear55]

I agree very good thread, lots of great tips and info hear.

I will also stress not to push too hard, I have a relative that is big into everything outdoors. I think he pushed his boy too hard for too long and now his 22 year old son won't even step into the woods or go fishing. I feel bad for the dad but you have to make things fun let the kid choose their own path.

[pulleye16]

My dad got me with squirell hunting, very easy and fun. He also let me have fun out in the woods, exploring, finding things, basically having a good time. I'm sure his success rate went way down when I was out with him but thats what got me interested. I too wouldn't push it hard but just let him have fun out there, even if he isn't "hunting."

[Musky Buck]

A six year old should not have to worry about or even barely understand money. Do you want to have him doing things for money or the love of the game, I think that's where you might be torn a bit looking for that hook of love for the outdoors, question is do you live in town or out in the country ? There is much competition and cluttering kids' minds today, we all grew up so differently than the kids of today and it's tough on kids to develop that passion for the things we are hoping for, instead they develop some passion for a multitude of things that are thrown there way.

[Musky Buck]

I should add all kids are different, keep trying, never give up and hope for the best, if the money thing works stay with it, we are up against a tall mountain. My 8 year old boy is showing no interest or very little, makes it tough on dad. He'd rather watch Kick Buttowski and shoot pucks into his hockey net then go fishing and hunting, he does enjoy fishing and hunting once we are out there, but living in town really diminishes how much we can get out.

[Bear55]

shoot pucks into his hockey net

Hey that isn't all bad.

[life=outdoors92]

i tramped along with my dad grouse/woodcock hunting with a daisy Red Ridder bb gun. i thought i was the coolest kid alive walkin on those trails and woods with a bb gun in my hands and my dad with his 20 gauge... target practice was anywhere i chose (even at grouse, such as finishing any cripples). i think its the greatest thing my dad ever did for me

[FishingWebGuy]

A six year old should not have to worry about or even barely understand money. Do you want to have him doing things for money or the love of the game, I think that's where you might be torn a bit looking for that hook of love for the outdoors, question is do you live in town or out in the country ? There is much competition and cluttering kids' minds today, we all grew up so differently than the kids of today and it's tough on kids to develop that passion for the things we are hoping for, instead they develop some passion for a multitude of things that are thrown there way.

My kid is different. Monopoly has been his favorite game and he has played it well since he was 3 or 4 for some reason this kid has always had a thing for money -- he's even a good saver.

For the time being we live in the city -- that's why we spend so much time living out of a tent each year. We may physically be in the city but this is where our minds are

And here are the two boys

[gspman]

A six year old has a very short attention span. I'd either keep the outings short and fun or find some activity that provides a lot of action on a consistent basis. A bird hunt on a game farm would be one thing I'd think about. You are virtually guaranteed to see and get birds. Another is fishing for sunnies. If you get into them it's one after the other.

[creepworm]

One thing I do know is that I do not thank my old man enough for taking me out fishing when I was younger.

I kind of returned the favor. When I turned twelve I started hunting and then he decided to come along a couple times and he then got back into it. Previously he had not hunted for 25 years.

I guess what I am saying is that it seems just getting a kid interested in the outdoors some way seems to lead them to other outdoor activities.

[FishingWebGuy]

I've thought about bringing him to a game farm this winter and let him pick up birds and break necks

That's a great reminder I should take him out just to catch sunnies sometime. Usually when he goes fishing it's for bass, walleye or pike. I don't think I've taken him out just for sunnies in a couple years -- he would probably love some fast action. He's been catching sunnies since he was 3. He was even taking them off the hook then. Anything to be like dad and big brother.

I remember that day well. He asked me if he could use my brand new pliers for getting a hook out. I said he could as long as he didn't drop it in the water. He took the pliers, walked over to the edge of the dock and immediately accidentally dropped the pliers. My jaw dropped and neither of us could believe what just happened. We still laugh about it.

The more I think about it, the more I realize those kids have spent a lot of time with me outdoors already. And they are great kids. The youngest one has even been going ice fishing with me since he was 4. Four and five hour car rides are nothing for them. I'm not bragging -- just counting my blessings...

[mrklean]

looks like your going about it in a good way, i always look at it like its sports you cant force them into sports or there gonna hate it more and more

[TylerS]

Hunting and fishing were two different things for me growing up. I was fishing before I could remember, but I didn't actually hunt until I was 12 or 13...and then only occasionally. I do remember my dad taking me with him to walk trails for grouse, but a young lad can only take so much walking before he is bored. My uncle drug me out of bed when I was 6 or 7 to go duck hunting. They shot a couple birds and I got to carry them back to the truck. Now THAT made my day.

Some kids are just different than others. Give him time and he'll come around.

[mixxedbagg]

Get the kids doing ANYTHING outdoors! Be creative and go for variety--eventually curiosity about hunting could happen if you're doing it.

I have an 8 year old and I just kick him out as much as I can. We live in town, but I let him go to the hockey rink and skate, I set up a pitch and catch in the backyard, I take him geocaching, we hunt for agates and morels, we target shoot with the BB guns, tend the garden, watch birds, follow animal tracks, camp, start backyard bonfires, check bird houses, and of course, we fish and I let him walk with me when I grouse hunt. We signed him up for archery lessons this week as well.

Just today, he and some friends wanted to build a fort, so I grabbed a bunch of plywood, rope, and other junk and piled it in front of the garage and got out of their way. They wanted my help, but that wasn't the point, I was intentionally scarce. Sure, they dug a big hole in the yard and I had to make them fill it in, but I was glad they dug it. I don't see anyone else in the neighborhood letting their kids build shanties in their well-manicured yards. In their fort building earlier in the week, they went to the park for materials and found a pocketknife and flushed an owl. It was great.

Of course, I don't always win, sometimes the boy just wants to play video games and eat pop tarts....that's an uphill battle trying to fight that. But, he's getting outdoors. The other day, he asked me to buy him a duck call for some reason.

My point is, get your kid outside and don't necessarily worry about whether the kid is into hunting per se....if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. Who knows, maybe your child will turn out to be a great wildlife photographer or a wilderness camping nut or a sharpshooter who never really hunts much but shows you a thing or two about handling your firearms. As long as your child is at least given the opportunity to have a healthy appreciation of the outdoors, you've done good.

[BobT]

You're right. Kids do not get outdoors enough these days and parents neglect to push them that way. When I was a kid we were outside all the time. Of course we didn't have as much indoor entertainment at our disposal like there is today. I can remember mom on Saturday morning giving us a choice. Either go outside and find something to do or stay in and help with the housework. NO BRAINER!!! We built many tree forts and some of them got quite elaborate. One I recall had three stories and suspended catwalks to other platforms. We were lucky we didn't hurt ourselves but we developed our ability to think outside the box, adapt to overcome obstacles, and work with our hands. I had two brothers and one of them didn't have much interest in doing this kind of thing. To this day, he still struggles to do what the other two of us consider everyday handyman type work. He doesn't hunt or fish or do much of anything outdoorsy. The other brother built his own home, hunts, fishes, camps, ATV rides, snowmobiles, handles most of his home repairs, does most of his own mechanical work, etc. I'm very much the same way; jack of all trades, master of none. I attribute this to spending time outdoors exploring our world and figuring things out for ourselves.