I’m taking my son hunting for the first time tomorrow. He’s 2.5 and screams “deer!” And gets all excited everytime he sees my deer archery target in the back yard. Figured we’d just sit in the truck on a pipeline and see what happens. Probably won’t even bring a rifle since the freezer’s full, but I’m curious if he’s gonna get excited to see the real thing.

What age did ya’ll start bringing your kids with you, and what age did you first let them shoot?

Son was 7-8 and he shot immediately - we had to target shoot lot - the death grip shooting rest helped tremendously caise he was missing lot 😀
Nephews were 7-9 - but I no folks that let lot younger go

At age 4 we would go to the farm and sit in the truck and watch a field from a distance. 5-6 in the woods for short sits (1-1.5 hours). My wife so kindly reminded me early on that just because I like a 4 hour sit the kids won’t. So I took her advice lol.

Mine actually go on workdays more than they hunt. They are 9 and 13. They both planted the food plot at the farm and the screening cover back in June. I’ve tried to teach them it’s not always about shooting something. That way they are not disappointed when we don’t. It’s made it easier to get them to go honestly.

Both kids can shoot and handle a gun safely. My 9yo little girl is not a natural. She did however improve a bunch Thursday afternoon. Both kids shot 200 rounds of .22lr 🤣. My 13yo son is a natural and and crazy good hand eye coordination. He can find a deer in the scope no problem at all. He killed his first at 8 and has piled them up since. We were in a shooting house earlier this year and he had to wait 20 min for a shot opportunity on a big doe. Kept control of his emotions and made the shot no problem. After he was a ball of nerves though 🤣🤣

Mine has been going with me since he was able to walk. We didn’t always sit very long but as long as he was having fun I didn’t care. Killed his first at 5 and first turkey at 9. Now he’s hunting by himself and I miss it.




This was his first of many.

Deer-10 yrs old. I took them with me turkwy hunting a couple years earlier and small game/waterfowl at 8-9.

5 years old, he wanted to go everyday

I killed my first deer at 8. Took my daughter for the first time at 6. Just to watch she will go this year again at nearly 7. She’s never shot a rifle so she will just be watching. My guess is he won’t shoot one until she’s 10 or so.

Started taking mine bout 4, we don’t ever see any so it gets boring for em n I slacked off on pushing them…I did kill one with my oldest daughter one evening and she slept thru the gunshot and retrieval lol
My dad started taking me about 4 and I was own my own at 7 with him dropping me off at places…I don’t have the confidence to let mine be by themselves yet

Both of mine were young probably around three or four. For a while it was fun but i never made them go. Most of the time when they were little we would sit for about an hr and right about prime time they would pull that I’m ready to go crap. My oldest stuck with me and goes with me just about every time I go now and he’s nine. My youngest kinda got burnt out and is just now starting to go again and he is five. My oldest has killed a good many deer and my youngest has killed his first buck so now he wants to go all the time. Now the problem I have is making them watch some decent bucks because they wanna shoot everything with horns

I started taking our granddaughter when she was 3. We would pack all kinds of food and games in the shooting house to keep her busy. After a couple years she would ask or say things like, we’ve been sitting here all afternoon, are you gonna shoot that doe already? Or her favorite, nana said said we need meat, shoot that thing papa.

She lost interest when she was 9 but, she just killed her first deer Friday afternoon at 13, and did it with a crossbow.

My oldest was 6 when he first went with me (just a few months shy of 7). He shot his first deer that same season. A little basket rack 6 point. We had been doing a lot of target shooting until then.

Started letting them sit with me at 4/5 and pull the trigger at 7. My little girl is 7 and it’s her turn now.

Sitting with me as a non-shooter about age 7. Sitting with me with as a shooter age 10. Sitting alone with a gun at 13 or 14. My youngest son never showed an interest but would sit with me when he was 8-10 years old just to watch.

My youngest started going to camp when he was 3, started climbing in stands with me at 4, killed his 1st at 6. Been slaying them ever since.

Mine just killed his first at 7. He’s good for about 2 hrs

Mine just killed his 1st deer at 6, killed a turkey at 5. When I was coming up most all my friends were 8-9 before we were put on the gun.

Starting taking mine when he was 3 or so. Killed his first when he was 6. He killed a pile of deer with a single shot 223.

Mine started going when he was 4 or 5. Killed his first deer at 6. Kids are good for short sits. An hour sit is best and 2 is pushing it. If you have to go in at noon and hunt til dark then leave them at home. Bring toys and snacks and a thermos of hot chocolate. Make the hunt a positive, enjoyable experience or they will be at home with Mama.

Started going back to camp and getting them from their momma, and taking them with me on easy blood trails and letting them “help” me find deer I’d shot, at 3. Started them shooting every time we were at the camp, with a scoped abolt .22 when they were 4. Started taking them in stand with me and letting them pull the trigger on does, with me holding and aiming the gun at 5 and 6. Both killed their first rack bucks sitting with me at age 7 and both did everything themselves: aiming, taking the safety off, shooting the deer, and putting the safety back on. Never to early or late IMO. Each kid is different. When they start begging to go, it’s time. Good hearing protection, lots of candy and snacks, good weather (not too cold)and short hunts are the keys.

My son was about 6 when he started going as an "observer" . I think 9 when he killed his first. He was and still is a very good shot , he got lots of practice and has killed some nice bucks.

Below is my next project, my 4YO grandson , Walter. He went for the first time last week and did well. We saw a few including one nice 8 pointer. He's very bright, full of questions and should learn quickly. He loves going to "his" mountain in the 4Runner.