"Too Young??"

[VA Elite]

Wow....Nantahala, I believe you were born to the wrong generation my friend, maybe about 20 years too late.. good to know we have some younger men like you out there.

[dbd870]

I think it depends on the kid but at 5.5 my grandson is a ways away from being ready to hunt.

[T Sunstone]

Great article and I have been saying the same thing for years.  I wasn't allowed to hunt deer until I was 13.  It gave me some thing to look forward to and appreciate even more because of the wait.

[Danny Rowan]

Most younger people today as well as kids are definitely into self gratification and instant whatever. I was taught you work for what you want and you become skilled in what you do. I see it at work all the time, most just want to come to work, do nothing and get paid, same with going into the woods, kill a deer right now, never mind about learning woodsmanship and becoming skilled at what you do, just shoot it wherever and if it is wounded, oh well there are plenty more. If I would have done something like that my Dad, rest his soul, would have broken every bow and arrow I owned and sold all of my guns. He taught me that when you hunt you eat what you kill and you never kill for the sake of killing. Great article.

[Hoyt]

I think you should be able to hunt before shooting a deer. hog, turkey or anything else where all you have to do is sit in a blind let someone else cradle the gun and you squeeze the trigger. Or just play games on the cell phone till something shows up.

Actually it's a shame so much time is lost playing the newest games on and phone or sleeping  while in a popup or shooting house, time that could be spent walking the woods hunting squirrels, rabbits, quail or whatever small game is available and learning just what goes on in the woods. What makes this sign or track or sound.

How to identify birds and animals just by their sounds and tracks and marks they make. Knowing what specie of bird it is when all you can see is a black spot just by the wing cadence and shape of wings.

Knowing what fish made which pop, splash or boil from sound and sight of the splash and in many cases just the sound.

I knew all these things before I was 12 yrs old. In most cases just by asking "What was that Daddy"?

I wonder what the odds are with the youth of today to have a dove, robin and Tilly or Sparrow Hawk flying off at a distance to where they were just black silhouettes and have them pick out the dove.

All three fly similar and have similar shaped wings..it's the cadence of wing beats that sets them apart along with the hawks slightly longer wings..could throw a pigeon in the mix but that would be making it really too hard.

This is just my opinion and a shame all this knowledge of what goes on outdoors is being swept aside in place of I really don't know what does replace really being in touch with the outdoors.

[woodchucker]

My sentiments EXACTLY!!!!!

While I would never even TRY to compete with Brother Gene, in the writing department... I started a thread in the "Hunting Legislation & Policies" Forum, Titled, "Teaching Our Youth" A Woodchucker's Ramblings... that pretty much echoes the same feelings.

I'll try & bring it up for those interested.....

That was an awesome article!

Bisch

[Onions]

Great article, and thread. Really enjoy reading everyone's comments on this.
I agree with everything said, and its encouraging to know, there are others out there trying to teach there young ones, the "old ways" (patience, apprenticeship, respect for the animal, woodsmanship, etc), sometimes I feel that I am the only one left with those vaule's.

My buddies, already have there 5 and 7 year old kids shooting deer, (off the bait pile)while dad holds the gun. Once the deer is down, it's back to the movie, in there elevated heated blind, where the 4-wheeler is parked underneath.


chris <><

[achigan]

www.facebook.com/Brothers-of-the-Bow-233073192552/

[30coupe]

Great article. Thanks for posting the link VA! My youngest will be 31 next month, but I have six grandkids, so I sent this link to each of my kids.

[VA Elite]

I still say the article holds many truths

[Petrichor]

Great article and I can't wait till my kids can hunt with me. That will be a great day indeed. I think one of the best things that we can do in the meantime that translates to skills needed for hunting like patience, coming home empty handed,woods manship, and respect  can all be taught in fishing.

[Medic85]

Very good article