Lucky, indeed, are those youngsters who grow up in a hunting family. Every new dad dreams of the time to take his son or daughter into the woods and experience the passion that he feels so deeply. The question arises, “When is a child old enough to hunt deer?” I have three grandsons whom I have seen grow from birth, with the oldest now 19 years old. Additionally, I’ve helped other moms and dads with their new hunters to the point that I can answer this age-old question. Some states have minimum age requirements, while others allow parents to make the decision.
Myth from Reality
When a child understands where the presents under the tree come from, they are old enough to hunt, in my opinion. That’s usually around 10 years of age, which is when my youngest took his first deer. He loved every second of the adventure, especially shooting the big doe while sitting on his older brother’s knee. He had practiced with his crossbow and knew how to load it properly, shoot it safely, even though it was too difficult to cock. Equally important, he loved the venison steaks and burgers.
A Rest and Some Rest
A good friend’s grandson has just turned 10 years old and wants to hunt this year with his grandfather. He visited my house, where we experimented with the new Barnett Wildcat CRX with excellent success. At 6.1 pounds, the bow is light and short enough for a young lad to shoot. We set him up with a clamping rest, and he nailed a heart-shot on a decoy with the first arrow.
Make it Fun
As experienced hunters, dads, moms, and grandads can easily get caught up in the passion of the hunt and ask youngsters to go well beyond their comfort zones. Even at 10 years of age, this lad has a sports activity in the afternoon, and he can’t be expected to get up two hours before dawn, hunt the morning, and do well in his game. The essence of youth hunting is spending quality time with parents, even if those hunting hours aren’t the most productive for success. We will plan an evening hunt or a sunrise excursion that will be a challenge, but not too daunting for young spirits.
Blinds are Wonderful
Two trends in hunting today are saddle hunting, similar to a telephone lineman, and hunting from a slightly elevated box blind. The latter is by far preferable for new hunters because the enclosures help mitigate cold and inclement weather, allowing a young hunter to move like a youngster without spooking game. If he gets sleepy, he can take a nap or snack, or drink, and youngsters always seem to be hungry. Fun is the ultimate objective. They will enjoy spending time with adults engaging in an adult activity, and those enjoyable moments will develop into a lasting bond in the years ahead.