Too much success, too early?

[Ben Long]

I'm all for getting kids into hunting early. But I cringe a little when I see a youngster with a trophy animal on his/her first season or so. I wonder, will they be hooked for life? Or will they have unrealistic expectations going forward? I think back on my school-days hunting buddies. I hunted several season for my first deer and was proud of a doe. Another friend had a lucky charm and killed two big mule deer, a bull elk and a moose before high school graduation. We are both still hunting hard as we can, 30+ years later. What's your experience in this regard?

 

[TheTone]

The biggest elk anyone in my family hunting group has killed was by one of my cousins when he was 15 or 16. It was a ridiculously easy hunt, basically just standing in front of him at about 50 yards at daylight on an opening day. He essentially doesn’t hunt anymore and I think part of that is because that first bull was just so easy. I remember him saying he almost didn’t shoot his last elk because it was small and easy as it just walked up to him at a pond.

 

[Bullshot]

I’m a believer in paying your dues, but if a kid gets lucky, great! If they were led every step of the way without making mistakes and learning lessons in sportsmanship and humility, it could taint their expectations in the future, but who really can say. so many people, so many outcomes. I for one am SO GLAD i didn’t score on any once in a lifetime or trophy animal as a kid… my dreams remain unfulfilled in that regard, so always look forward to the next chance.

 

[winmag]

The youth trophy hunts make me cringe. I cannot be convinced that a 12 year old has the capacity to truly appreciate harvesting a trophy bighorn ram, for example.

I think youth should get preference for antlerless hunts, even very high percent success ones, and that’s it.

Edit: And yes, I do have kids of my own.

 

[rtraverdavis]

I imagine that anyone who quits hunting because it’s hard to top early success was never really interested in hunting in the first place. That thought doesn’t bother me.

 

[texwest44]

This is kind of an interesting topic. Youngsters striking it big early can be excellent for them, but I think it's pretty situational as to whether or not it's a positive phenomena. If a youngster has no real interest or skill, but an adult puts the work in and finds them a trophy animal, is it right for the child to shoot it? In that particular situation, I would say not. But what if a youngster has great interest and has developed some skills, and adult merely assists with finding the trophy animal (driving, carrying heavy stuff, etc), is that an acceptable situation? I would say yes. Kids can't legally win lotteries, but they can develop skill sets and apply them, mix in some good luck, and have some pretty interesting things happen sometimes, and that's perfectly fine, I think.

As to whether it's good for the kid or not, well that's up to each kid as you go through 'em. One might become totally spoiled, one might be completely traumatized, one might get the lifelong hunt fever. Who knows, I think it's more important to teach them the importance and gravity of the situation of taking game more than anything, the rest is basically going to be up to their individual selves.

 

[D4570]

Here in MT, the kids get a special hunt, two days only before general season.
AND we can "Mentor" and they get to hunt two years before they can get their hunter safety.
They should get an easy hunt and big deer.

 

[BrentD]

Recently read a facebook post about a 12 or 14 yr old that shot his once in a lifetime moose at 1200+ yds in ID. I felt quite sad for him. But maybe that's my problem, not his. He sure missed a lot that he can't get back, at least in Idaho, in my opinion.

 

[ILbowhntr]

It’s been a while since I went through through hunter Ed, but when I read the OP I was really thinking about mentoring and educating for conservation with younger hunters. There are, and will likely always be, folks who are focused on the trophy, and the obligatory Instagram post that oftentimes comes with is as “the goal”. After all, I think most hunters go through “stages” during a lifetime of hunting if they stick with it.

Maybe a portion of the hunter Ed classes can focus more on conservation and stewardship of the land to provide a broader context. Is there a Class or any kind of formal structure to help people mentor new hunters? I’m sure many would be willing to mentor younger/newer hunters, but just aren’t sure how.

 

[Brandon270]

This one is tough for me. I grew up doing an annual dove hunt from the age of 12 through highschool since my dad gave up big game hunting long before I could go with him. I loved it but always wanted to hunt big game. The past 3 years (starting at age 28) I've been doing my best at big game hunting (pigs, deer, I'll throw in turkeys too) and have only killed one pig. It can be discouraging as a newer hunter to put a lot of effort, miles, and time into something and never kill anything let alone see anything. Although I think jr trophy hunts are a little overboard, the opportunity to hunt a unit with better odds may help keep kids interested.

My fear is that by the time my son is old enough to take hunting he'll be over it due to my lack of skill and opportunity.

 

[Nick87]

This is a good one and rings home for me. I think it depends on each kid as an individual. My step son for example shot his second deer last year a 125 to 130" 8 point. Certainly not the deer of a lifetime but it was the biggest deer killed from my aunt's farm in the 30 plus years they've lived there. Once he found that out he sort of lost interest to go this year. I've finally talked him into going again this year. I think each kid is different I shot a pretty good ten point when I was his age. Coukdnt wait to get up the next morning and fill my doe tag. Definitely something to think about but I sure wouldn't want to kill my biggest early on in life hell I'm 34 and I still dont know if I'm ready to.

 

[Irrelevant]

I started my daughter on chukar...

 

[rwc101]

I wouldn't be the mediocre hunter I am today if I had seen a single deer the first 6 years I went hunting with my dad.

 

[2rocky]

I think Early success feeds the desire, but it doesn't have to be an Extraordinary Specimen. I tagged along on my Dad's hunts and got to see him be successful from age 6-11, which fueled me to want to be in his shoes. I can't imagine what it would be like for someone's first day in the field to be expected to handle a gun proficiently and safely and actually hit something.

In fact, I'd actually love to see a requirement for someone to have proof of 3 small game/gamebird/waterfowl species successes before getting a Big Game License.

 

[Bambistew]

Growing up I knew a lot of kids that went hunting, most only made it a few years before deciding they didn't really like it, whether successful or not. I'd estimate 70% quit after a few years. I think there is a lot more to it than killing. I killed an elk the first year I could hunt at age 12 and shot at least one pretty much every year for the next 20 years. Same with deer, but times about 4. Even as a kid I shot 4-5 big game animals a year. Growing up in rural MT had a lot of perks though. I shot a lot of nice bucks when I was young, and a lot of bulls too. Nothing huge, but still killing a bull elk in the mountains isn't really an easy task for anyone let alone a kid.

I'm not sure that the size of the animal is the sole driver of perpetuating the lifestyle. You either live it or you dabble, IMO. I think we all know a lot of guys that shine up the ol rifle a week before the season and hunt 3-4 days.

I'm all for getting kids involved, most could care less how big the animal is, its more about getting time out there and the experience. My kids know they can hunt sheep on their own license at 10, and are counting the days... we don't have an age limit here, they can fill my tags today if they want, any of them. My littlest is sure she can go moose hunting this year, and we're going this weekend (she's not shooting ) . We have some youth permits which are stupidly restricted to like 5 days and the parent has to share the bag limit in some instances. Too many people with the reins that are sure that parents would fill their kids tags given the chance. So, automatically we assume parents as poachers?

I really think it comes down to how much the kid values the challenge. Some are challenged by sports, some by video games, some by school, some by hunting or fishing.

 

[2rocky]

It's not just hunting...Kids who play on teams that never win are less likely to continue in the sport. Kids who never get a hit in little league, or a basket in a game in basketball etc. don't have the positive feedback of success. I know placing in my division in Archery made me eager to compete and improve. It's why we have equipment divisions and age groups....

but you have to feed the desire before they can do it on their own. If you just drop junior off at a practice and he doesn't know the game , he's gonna get frustrated and may well quit.....build up the knowledge and familiarity so they are chomping at the bit.

In terms of hunting, that means shooting cans with a bb gun, then starlings and rats. Helping Mom and dad Scout in the summer and pack out quarters during their hunts. Having their own Binos before they have their own gun....Then a knife to help skin, etc. After 3-5 years they have the gear, even if they are hand me downs... There ALWAYS needs to be a "Next Step" to want to get to...

remember

• The five stages of hunter development are:
  • Shooting Stage
  • Limiting-Out Stage
  • Trophy Stage
  • Method Stage
  • Sportsman Stage
• https://www.hunter-ed.com/national/studyGuide/Becoming-a-True-Sportsman/201099_93070/

 

[MTLabrador]

My first animal was your typical 3 year old eastern Montana mule deer, and I was proud to shoot a “big” one. A kid I grew up with shot 2 300+ bulls on pivots and never hunted again after that.

 

[geetar]

I wouldn't be the mediocre hunter I am today if I had seen a single deer the first 6 years I went hunting with my dad.

Same! I was thrilled when I finally knocked over a fork horn after missing it the first time.

 

[SO7mm]

I have a daughter turning 12 in November which is the legal age here in California with son turning 9. I've been thinking about this quite a bit lately. Something I think about is a fishing trip my brother took my daughter and I on when she was 8. She loves to fish and loves salmon and really want to go out and give it a try. We got up at four took the 45 minute car ride and hour long boat ride to where the fish were and started trolling. It wasn't a bad day weather wise but it was rolly enough for her not to feel good most of the day. She never threw up but she was miserable and I would bet if we didn't pick up some fish it would be several years before she came back. As luck would have it she was able to land 3 fish in the next hour between 13 and 20#'s. She'll never forget that day and honestly she may never repeat it the way salmon population is going hear but she has went out several other times to try for salmon and is still eager to do other fishing. Based on that I think it would be good to get them in on some action with big or small animals on their first hunt as long as it doesn't come too easy.

 

[Corn king 60]

Cut my hunting teeth on small game and trapping And learned so much from that. Age 12 first year deer hunting I used my lthica M 66 super single 20 gauge with slugs and thought I was king of the world. Didn’t kill my first deer until I was 19 but by then I was already destined to be a life long hunter. Society is so much different now with kids having so much to do I guess they need to have some small level of success to stay in the game. But I also believe things that come to easy doesn’t do them any favors. Anyone that’s been hunting for years knows easy isn’t the norm . Oh yeah I only ever got rid of 1 gun in my life and it wasn’t my M 66 lol