Who needs an assault weapon when you can build your own potato gun.
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Yeah and there's lot's of both but I'm not much for sitting around when it comes to my hunting. I like the walking and I like working my dog. Was dogs but my old pointer died the winter before last. He was 12 years old so he had a pretty good life span for a pointer. Big broad headed, chested S.O.B he was. The last few years before he died he was pretty ruffed up but if I tried to leave him behind he would cry like a baby. He hunted till he couldn't hunt anymore. He was the most mellow pointer I've ever seen. Easy to train. R.I.P Lucky Luke Calihan. That's my setter Casey in the picture and I'm holding the Hunting guides bird he crippled and couldn't find. It's always fun to show up the guide.

PhilFree :-)
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That's a great thing, Duck.

This day and age I really don't like knocking peoples doors asking for permission to hunt. Folks these days don't seem to take to that to well. Maybe it's just me :-)

PhilFree :-)
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Tell me if I'm being selfish...

I go deer hunting in rifle season in Nebraska with two of my best buddies from high school. We go about an hour and a half away, just far enough to justify a hotel stay. We go out early Saturday, hunt all day, get back to the hotel and drink and eat etc, then get our butts out of bed early Sunday and do it again. Sometimes I can go both weekends, but usually it's just the first and that's it.

My 10 year old son wants to go. I want to take him. But, I don't really want to deal with him yet. I told him maybe when he was 12. My 13 year old daughter has mentioned wanting to go. I should encourage that I know, but I balk on taking her as well. I keep telling them they aren't old enough yet, but I have friends that started hunting with their dads when they were 7 or 8.

I think it's because it's my only "buddy time" all year. I'm thinking I should start taking them second weekend maybe, but for now, I don't want to screw up my buddy time.

I'm a dick, aren't I...?
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Not neccesarily. IMO, spending time with your buddies is a vital part of leading a happy adult life. How often do you get to do other things with your buddies?

Maybe you could consider starting out with your kids by doing hunting activities that don't involve the actual season. Take them out and teach them marksmanship and gun safety. Or take them out to scout an area early in the year. If you spend time withh tem in the early years teaching them the right way to handle a firearm, it's something that they'll keep forever.

I think if you could manage it, it would be nice to take them hunting on the second weekend. You may find that 20 years from now, your buddies are long gone, but you still have your children to spend time in the outdoors with.
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I want to be 100% certain that I kill the cat. Po-tat-toes don't gay-ron-tee that end...
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I'd think it would be fair to make sure the kid has passed his hunter education course before taking him on a hunt. The other thing is, I don't know that starting a kid out the first time should be a group thing..........In Iowa at least, youth season starts in a couple of weeks.....Kids under 16 get 2-3 weeks even before Bow season opens.

I think 12 is a good age to start a kid....but the maturity level is more imporant than the physical age. They need to fully comprehend the seriousness of weapons, safety, and be able to deal with a harvested animal....You don't want a kid too young who will freak out if they see Bambi dead.

On the other hand....my preschool aged nephew has watched us skin deer for a couple of years and doesn't think anything of it.

I think the first hunt should be a "father/son" thing if possible............

Maybe this year, take him out a weekend early to "scout deer"....show him tracks, bedding areas, hair on fences, trails..........and the sense of the woods. That might be enough to keep him happy this year.
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Thanks Iowanian and jspchief. It's funny, my buddies are kinda looking foreward to having him hunt with us when he's old enough. Our first chance to "indoctrinate" one of our own kids.

I'm planning on taking him on a scouting trip for sure. In fact, I considered an actual dry run, where we'd go out really early and sit until he takes a good picture of a deer. That might test his ability to sit still and be quiet...

Thanks for the pointers. Happy hunting!!
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True. They are powerful but not too acurate. I shot one through the side of a barn once.



I wasn't aiming at the barn.
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I very seldom get turned down. I travel quit a bit to hunt and usually it's for ducks and geese. Farmers may look at me weird and think I'm crazy for wanting to lay out in the middle of their corn fields during a Minnesota December, but they seldom say no unless it's already leased.

It just depends on where you go. Example, I would never try to freelance a pheasant hunt in S.D., very, very few people will let you hunt for them on their lands. But just about every S.D. farmer will let you hunt waterfowl.

My buddy will show you an area where you can have access to around 30K acres of public land. His land butts right up to it. It's a good place to make an annual trip to. Plus KS, has tons of private 'walk in' areas.
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I'm not sure I'd recomend a weekend hunt for a 10 year old anyway. If he gets bummed and has to stay the entire weekend, it could hinder him a bit with hunting. I'd suggest taking a day off (or even an afternoon off) at work and the two of you hitting some land localy for a day - even if you have to hit public land that you know your chances of seeing a deer are slim. That way if he gets cold and miserable you can pack in and head to the house without missing out on the weekend hunt with the guys. Besides, when you take the son out it isn't really about hunting it's about spending time with him.
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ICH.....

I was thinking about this a little this morning....... I still agree with what Myself and Jsp said last night, however, I'm not sure a deer hunt is the best for a first hunt.

Squirrel season is opening, rabbit will be soon.......You can take him out with a .22 to a public hunting area(or private) to plink some tree rats for his initiation.

1. he's getting experience with hunting concepts
2. you're together in the woods
3. He gets to feel like a "big ass" and shoot a gun at an animal.
4. Get exposure to cleaning small game.......
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ICH,

I'm not sure what the laws are out where you are, but if I were breaking a youngster into hunting I would think that an evening hunt (3 hours max) in a nice big stand over a big bait pile would probably be a safe bet.

Let your son get a good night sleep, drive to the hunting area let him burn off some energy midday, then suit up, and hit the stand or blind for a few hours. Camp out overnight and if he is up to it put in a couple hours the next day.
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You're being selfish, but you're also being smart. Deer hunting can be exceptionally boring, especially for a kid. Sitting silent and still for hours on end isn't something that kids excel in. My father started taking me when I was really young, and I liked it alright. Of course, I would just go out to my stand and read for hours on end, because I was weird like that and enjoyed reading.


My first truly enjoyable hunting was dove hunting. It was very social, you could talk to other people, move around, and do different things. Plus there were dogs involved, which always increases a youngster's enjoyment. Of course, if there's no doves flying, dove hunting can suck as well. Also, might want to get him warmed up with some skeet shooting before taking him out for doves.
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Baiting is illegal in Iowa.......... and I think Missouri and Nebraska also, isn't it?


Sitting in a tree stand might be boring for a kid.........Until the first time they sit still enough to have a deer standing close enough to spit on. A ground blind might work better with a kid.
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