Think about your sons and daughters — how young should they be when introduced to hunting?
My grandson could outscore me on a Cabela’s hunting game before he went to preschool. He loved the challenge, competing with his grandpa, and I didn’t have to let him win. If you are debating the “when to start” concept, you’ll love this tale of the first turkey taken by a five-year-old.
My five-year-old-son, Platt, and I have developed our father/son bond in many ways, but I most cherish the moments we’ve spent hunting. The sport has long been my passion, and I’ve carefully introduced him, taking the process slowly from his earliest days in the blind to ensure his safety and understanding.
On many occasions, he’s accompanied his grandfather and me on hunting adventures. It was when he was three that he watched me take an Eastern turkey on a family farm in eastern Kansas. He was ecstatic and I loved his enthusiasm in that moment. From then on, he’s enjoyed pheasant, quail, deer and turkey hunts at my side. Our goal on these hunts isn’t to always conquer, but to create a memory and learn important lessons about the outdoors.
Before each adventure, I develop a plan. Platt’s first hunt behind the trigger was no different, I tried to prepare for every scenario… [continued]
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