Maybe we could all agree we live in a crazy time. Some people can’t seem to agree on much of anything anymore. And here I am bringing up the subject of hunting of all things. If you think you are against hunting, or maybe you are kind of on the fence about one our oldest traditions maybe you will give me a few minutes about taking young people to the field.
Hunting gets kids outside and introduced into the great outdoors. Hopefully no one has a problem with kids spending more time outdoors. There is an entire outdoor world out there for a young person to discover. Hopefully this can be without the cell phone and other digital distractions. Not all hunting has to be sitting quietly all day in a blind. Sometimes to be successful in hunting we need to teach our young people (and some older people) the importance of scouting. This usually entails roaming our hunting area without any firearms or bows. The kids are free to be kids, running through the woods, splashing across a creek, and swinging on the occasional grape vine. (No kid will turn these things down!)
At the same time you can throw in a quick lesson on finding animal tracks, identifying them, and guessing what the game we are after might be eating this time of year. It is all up to you the adult mentor as to how you present it. Give them options and let them choose.
Keeping you fit. Maybe you have never thought about it, but being an avid hunter can help with your physical fitness. Think about the times you over did it walking to a place to you wanted to hunt or letting some of your comrades peer pressure you into exerting more than you should have. Most of the physical part of hunting is usually walking, kids can do this if you measure what you are doing and keep in mind the age and limits of the individual child. Don’t over do it is the obvious first rule. Make a game out of it and let the kid decide. How far do you want to walk today? Do you want to go a little farther? Do not do as I did and expect a kid to walk as far as you want to (Don’t do it!) it is a sure way to turn a young hunter off for the next trip.
Keep it fun! You would think you would not have to be told this! At first, while we are measuring how much of an interest level this child has, keep the sessions short and sweet. A quick scouting trip to check for turkey or deer tracks, throwing some rocks in the creek and then stopping in town for some rooster nuggets or ice cream may be all you need for one day.
Hunting teaches lifelong lessons. Hunting teaches us life skills and lessons that make us better people and citizens. Things like patience, discipline, and endurance are important to all of us in life whether we are hunters or not. That patience thing is a biggie, hunting is not an instant gratification game, kids (and adults) need to learn this and hunting is a great way to do it. Young hunters can learn the importance of sticking to something for the long haul and the rewards to be had for this in the hunting world.
Let them do things on your own. Hunting is great way to allow kids to grow into responsibilities they may have thought of as beyond their grasp. When you let a young person be a part of the hunt and take on jobs and activities they see adults doing, you really get their attention. Show them how to use a box call for turkeys and let them call some, (sometimes they are quite good) let them handle and carry a firearm, (even if it is unloaded) under your careful supervision. Insist they take part in camp chores like carrying a few sticks of firewood or washing dishes. Kids see this as them being one of the gang and they will always appreciate it.
Firearms safety. Guns are everywhere in our world and even if you don’t plan on hunting or owning firearms you should know some basics for gun safety. Hunting teaches the basic rules like treat every gun as if it where loaded, (all guns are loaded all the time) and never point a gun at anything you don’t plan to shoot, and make sure of your target and what is beyond it. Hunting teaches these basics of safety in way the young person can understand and see the importance of. Often these rules will stick with them for life.
As you hunters know we could go on a lot more about the important lessons hunting can teach our young people. This time of year many of us are ready to hit the turkey woods to chase our greatest game bird the wild turkey. Consider taking a kid with you. If you don’t have one of your own find one nearby and introduce them to it. Take them out to listen for turkeys, they will often hear better than you do, let them call some, maybe set up a ground blind and let them see a finicky old gobbler come strutting in. You will see all this in a new way, through eyes of a young hunter. You will not regret it.
What does that guy on the Guns and Cornbread website always say? Keep your guns clean your knife sharp and take a kid hunting.
Larry Case
Gunsandcornbread.com