Need parental advice

[Branpoes]

Hey guys, so my almost three year old son has been really into the outdoors lately.  He comes with on camera checks, stand checks, likes to watch me shoot ect.   I'm wondering how some of you as parents handled the first kill with your little one around.  He doesn't actually come hunt with me yet, but I keep thinking about what his reaction might be as far as seeing a dead one.  Is he too young?  He wouldn't need to see me gut or even skin, but id like to ease him into it somehow.  Any thoughts?  Thanks.

[LBR]

Depends on the individual kid.  Mine was very curious--didn't bother him in the least.

[stack]

Take him with you and keep it exciting for him. Just explain things as they happen. Both my boys started with me when they were around the same age and love the outdoors hunting and fishing.

[wingnut]

Jason was about 4 on his first big game kill.  He was in the gut pile as we removed it and explained each part and what it did.  He remembers that first anatomy lesson to this day.

Mike

[Rathbuck]

I was in the same situation a few years ago.  My daughter was 3 and loved to go out to the woods with us, helped us track, and was very involved in it.  The first one she helped find made me nervous, but she handled it very well.

When we butchered the doe out, we cut off the front legs and had them in a bucket.  A few minutes later I heard "Ka-clomp, ka-clomp" behind me, and turned to find my 3 year old daughter with a front leg in each hand.  When I asked her what she was doing, she said "Making deer tracks!" and went back to "ka-clomp, ka-clomp".

I guess it depends on each individual kid, though.

[Charlie3]

My three year old son was beyond excited to see my deer last month, thought it was the coolest thing ever! I also told him he was eating it when I cooked it...he thought that was pretty cool too.

[Charlie3]

C:\\Users\\ueft\\Desktop\\Buck 1.jpg

[Dan Bonner]

Killing, cleaning, butchering and eating animals is the most natural thing humans do. I would suggest treating it as such. With a child that age if you show no trepidation about the situation he won't either. I have three daughters and they were all exposed to dead critters very early. 2 of the three spend as much time hunting as they can now. The oldest prefers fishing but has a healthy appreciation of where meat comes from and looks at gutting a deer as an anatomy lesson. I agree make it fun and keep him interested.

Bonner

[macbow]

Agree with all.
At this early age they will,see it as something natural that you and your family do.

By getting them involved before they start school you stand a chance before the "tree huger " types start on them.

My kids and grandkids all had No problem.

[Wandering Archer]

My oldest is only 2, so take this for what it's worth, not much.

Ever watch any footage or documentaries about native or tribal people? Ever notice the 5 year olds helping their mothers cook, wielding a knife more deftly than most grown men that I know? The 9 year old Inuit children that are responsible for protecting the home from polar bears with a rifle?
When you live a way of life where your food comes ONLY from what you harvest, kids are exposed at a young age and seem to deal with it just fine under proper parental guidance.
I think that's one of our biggest problems in society today, is that we shelter our kids too much, and don't give them credit for what they are capable of.

[shag08]

My little girl has seen me and my wife bring home dead critters as long as she can remember. It's a completely natural part of her life. She's actually disappointed when I come home empty handed.

My wife started doing taxidermy about two years ago. Now there's ALWAYS dead animals around here lol.

[KOOK68]

my little one was barely 3, and quite soft hearted/reserved for a youngster. Had him hold the antlers while he and I took pictures. He handled it very well. I started skinning, but sent him off when it was time to split the belly.

[kadbow]

I remember when I was 3 or 4 and my Dad brought home a bull elk and I could not get enough of it.  It is a memory that obviously impacted me (I am now 51) in a good way.

[ChuckC]

I have a lot of mixed feelings about kids and "the kill".  

One,  yes, I would take him and let him see the whole nine yards, but I am one of those that are not hepped up on letting HIM do the killing until he reaches some milestone and understands very well what he is doing, and not just a thrill for daddy to get his kid a "bar when he was three" kinda thing.

What that milestone is, I think, depends on the child and what experience he / she has lived.
ChuckC

[ALwoodsman]

Mine is only 2 now but last season I brought her out to see a buck that I killed.  She was very curious about it but not freaked out at all.  I think itroducing them at an early age is the best way to go.  I hope to bring her another one this year.

[ISP 5353]

My children are now grown, but were in the woods with us by 2 years old.  They have always known where their food came from.  They do not seem too scared from it!  Be prepared to answer their questions though!

[Rob W.]

One of the best teaching moments of a parents life. My boys know that a kill is something to be celebrated as well as honored. I have made sure they are involved in as many aspects of the hunt as possible from a very young age. It is my intention for them to be knowledgeable about every part of the process when they are ready to hunt from scouting to cooking.

[Branpoes]

Thanks guys, hopefully I can update this and let you all know how it goes, thanks again.

[newhouse114]

Forgive me that the following story is not archery related, but it is right in line with your question. All my kids have known that we lived on wild meat and that I made a significant portion of my income from guiding and fur trapping. I took my two youngest sons with me to check some traps one day, the youngest being 3-4 at the time.  I had caught a large beaver that day that had pulled the drowning weight up onto the top of his dam. I had my rifle loaded with .22 CB caps and popped the beaver. To make a very long story short, CB caps will not penetrate a beavers skull! I had to finish the job with a stout stick. When we got home, my youngest proceeded to quite gleefully recount every last detail of the day to my wife......not good! He went with me the next day also and I came up empty on the traps. When we got home, he sat at the table with a sour look on his face and said, "no shooting, no whacking, no fun!" So to answer your question, I think if everything is explained to children of a young age and there are no surprizes and nothing to frighten them, they handle it quite well. Now, that youngest child -21 years later- took a 170 Mule deer with me this season with his long bow!!!

[freedomhunter]

Everything I have killed my son has been involved with.  Ducks, Deer, Fish...and so on.  Matter of fact we had venison stew last night and he was there with me when I cleaned it.  I find it is very important that kids understand that meat was a living creature and that is why we don't waste it.