Sage Rat hunting and kids

FastActionRodTip · 01-24-2006, 12:56 PM

I'm going to go for the first time this spring. My son will be 10 in April. I'd love to take him for the experience but is that too young? He's shot my .22 once before and I have taught him safety and he demonstrated he's capable under my tutelage...you experienced dads, whadya' all think?

ehunter · 01-24-2006, 01:42 PM

No as long your as your willing to give up your time for him at 10 I think he will need your undivded attention with the gun. Do you think he is ready for the carnage and will he understand that the differnce between a squirrel and eating a deer? :grin:

FastActionRodTip · 01-24-2006, 02:15 PM

wonder if the carnage thing is inappropriate at this age...it will undoubtedly leave indelible impressions....maybe i need to seriously consider holding off...I think he'd enjoy it though...but I don't want to raise a Kip Kinkle...he plays alot of PS2 like Star Wars and and stuff where there is shooting and killing...perhaps the real life perspective could be a good thing in that he'll understand death is final, they don't keep getting back up? i dunno' what's right anymore in this day and age

ehunter · 01-24-2006, 02:18 PM

I know and I hear you. I don't have a answer either. good luck

RoscoeP · 01-24-2006, 02:22 PM

I started taking my boys at 10. Bought one Marlin "Little Buckaroo" youth .22 single shot. Great little rifle, and easy for the little tikes to handle. They loved every minute of it! It takes away from Dad's shooting a little, but it's well worth it. Now they are seasoned veterans... :grin:

FastActionRodTip · 01-24-2006, 02:35 PM

the right decision probably depends on their culture and environment they're brought up in...a 10 year old growing up in Eastern Or is probably normal activity as opposed to an inner city kid...but it depends on the kid as well as the parents...lot of variables....must have been easier times way back when...oh well, we're off to Disneyland this week, where a kid can just be a kid and not worry about crap

Ni! · 01-24-2006, 02:42 PM

I'm not an experience dad, but I just went rabbit shooting a couple weeks ago with my cousin and his two boys, 13 and 10. They've been doing this since they were about 5 or 6. Of course, they live in Christmas Valley and do this all the time.

As stated above, you'll need to be prepared to devote your time to teaching him what's going on rather than just doing your own shooting. Maybe a few more shooting sessions on the wet side would be a good idea before taking a bigger trip like that. Otherwise, I think it's a good idea. I think we tend to shelter kids a little too much these days, but that's just me talking.

Ni!

duckdog310 · 01-24-2006, 04:30 PM

I can tell you two things:

First. . .you'd be well served to take the kiddo out for a sage rat shoot. In addition to being bonding time (which is crucial), this type of sport allows you to teach your child the responsibility that comes with safe handling of firearms. The "carnage" can serve a good lesson as well: Guns kill. The more tangible this lesson, the better it sinks in and the more likely you'll raise a child who understands and respects the finality that comes with a fired bullet.

Second. . .Kip Kinkle was a product of several factors; some internal, some environment. Without passing judgement on his deceased parents, a portion of the end result rested in their inability to impose their will upon their child in a manner which fostered both love and respect. I highly doubt exposure to sage rat killing will forge your child into the type of person capable of mass murder. This end result is much more likely in a child left to violent movies, games and complete lack of strong, loving role models.

Take him! I have little doubt he'll LOVE it.

DAB · 01-24-2006, 04:38 PM

I think I was 8 or 9 when I started hunting greydiggers all by my self.
I think it depends on your boy. What does he think about huntig. What is his opinion of killing.
Food for thought.
DAB

Gary T. · 01-24-2006, 05:08 PM

I'd suggest that if you think he is "ready", then take him. I totally agree with the suggestion/requirement to devote your total attention to him while he is shooting. Once he starts shooting, I'd see how he reacts and continue or stop the activity based on his reaction. I didn't start shooting sage rats until I was 50 something and didn't take my son until he was in his late 20s. I wish we both would have started earlier. Good luck. Gary T.

pythonwill · 01-24-2006, 05:39 PM

my daughter has gone out with me and she had a blast, she started when she was 8. She actually wanted me to have her first one mounted LOL
It really all depends on the kid though

duckdog310 · 01-24-2006, 05:49 PM

Gary T. . .you and me both!

Coldfinger · 01-24-2006, 07:31 PM

I think if your boy isn't ready by 10 years old then you might want to think about changing your priorities, he could have been well ready before 10 if you had been getting him shooting !

I am amazed that people will tolerate the violent video game stuff and then wonder if a kid should shoot a rat.

I think you waited too long, you should have used him up as a clip loader when he was way younger...missed opportunity on your part as he will be using you as the clip loader now !

Have fun

skein · 01-24-2006, 07:41 PM

I started rabbit hunting when I was eight, and I don't seem to be too scarred - although I still kill things; some with fur, some with fins.

My wife was pretty skeptical about shooting "those little squirrels" until I just walked around the field with her, showing her the holes they dug and the damage they did. She then understood that they were a pestilence, and powder was preferable to poison, the latter being an indescriminate killer. That was probably 10 years ago.

Now the problem is, I had to buy her a 17HMR last year because she tried mine and wouldn't give it back. :grin:

Skein

Rank Amateur · 01-24-2006, 07:55 PM

The jury is still out Jim, remember we saw your face in the paper this week!

gottafish · 01-24-2006, 09:02 PM

When One of you guys go this year would you kindly let me know? I would like to give it a try. I never did it before and I just feel better about it if I had a mentor if you will. I'll split the expences. Thanks Rich

Quackhead · 01-24-2006, 10:16 PM

I don't know about sage rats, but I was being packed around on my dads back elk hunting when I was just a few years old. There is no such thing as to early. The earlier the better.

PullShootExplode · 01-25-2006, 03:31 AM

I would agree with Quack the earlier in the field the better. I took my godson last year and at 5 he was very into the hunt, not so much the killing. I was amazed at how good of a spotter he is. Good luck and go

some diggers.

Jonah's Revenge · 01-25-2006, 07:45 AM

You need to know your kid and his own personality. Go for it if you think he can understand what death is.

From a personal experience, I took my to oldest boys a few years ago when they were 6 and 8. They had a great time. I spent most of the time watching over them and trying to spot rats for them to shoot. It was not that great of an area and it was cold that weekend, so we didn't see very many.
Neither kid shot one themselves, but saw the after effects. I used it as a learning tool about what death is and what kind of damage a bullet can do.
The other thing they enjoyed was plinking at targets near our campsite. If you're out int the middle of nowhere your kid can do that too.

We will try again this year. Hopefully, I can find a spot where there are alot of them. I'd like them to have plenty of oportunities to shoot them. We'll see.

TheKing · 01-25-2006, 07:49 AM

It's never too early to learn about life and death. If it were growing up on a farm would ruin a lot of kids. My son gets his first .22 next month when he turns 7 we will take a week in the wild to break it in.

Hunt'nFish · 01-25-2006, 11:05 AM

Fastaction,
I couldn't agree more with what has been said.
Sounds like ya got your answer....TAKE HIM!! No he may not be ready for his own rifle,..yet, but he can certainly walk beside and take a shot now'n then. No reason he shouldn't be introduced to the why's and how's of rodent control. Like Skein pointed out, the alternative (poison) is MUCH, MUCH worse!
We'll expect pics of the two of you.
I know the both of you are going to be all smiles!
Hunt'nFish

TroutBuster · 01-25-2006, 11:43 AM

You asked for some advice from experienced dads... I have six, four of which are boys. Besides qualifying me as a crazy man (and perhaps a moron), I guess that makes me experienced also. Sort of... :smile:

Here's a picture of my twins with their first rat:

They both have Steven's Favorite single shot 22's that their grandpa gave them on their fifth birthday. They are seven in this picture, today they are ten years old. Trystan is the one holding the rat he shot. Craig is standing there frustrated that he didn't get one too. (Notice the beagle in the background trying to find a rabbit.)

Shooting and hunting are a tradition in my family. We get them started early. With the twins I based my decision on their level of maturity and responsibility. Also, I wanted to make sure that they would be not shooting any farmer's irrigation pivots. :smile: I also took the time to explain to them how the sage rats can destroy a crop, and how we were helping the farmer -- that any life should be respected and shouldn't be destroyed without a legitimate reason. Hunting should never be like a video game. There should always be a purpose; either to eat what you hunt, or to prevent predation of crops or livestock.

I'll be starting the next one, Sam who is seven, hunting this year. My daughter Elizabeth who is four got to shoot my 22 for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Now she wants to go with us all the time. I'm not planning on leaving my girls at home, now or in the future.

Regarding this idea that hunting turns or could turn children into mass murderers... I find that repugnant. Have we bought into the antis' misinformation campaign? How is this possible when the trend of fewer and fewer dads passing on the hunting tradition to their kids is skyrocketing while incidents involving whacko kids with guns is trending upward at the same time? Perish the thought that these ideas should be uttered from OUR lips!

My children understand that guns aren't toys. They understand that life is destroyed when they squeeze the trigger. It is not an abstract or distant concept to them like it is to their videogame playing friends at school. Knowing this, and having this weighty responsibility sitting squarely on their shoulders gives them a sense of pride. It makes them feel like men. And it is my experience that they act accordingly.

If you want to do something wonderful for your kids, pass the tradition on, and focus on them completely in the process of spending time with them. This can sometimes be difficult. I leave my rifle in the truck for as long as necessary for them to be established in the tradition. This was especially hard when I saw my first badger and wasn't able to whack him. But it was worth it because now I have a couple of the best hunting buddies a guy could ask for. A couple of little men, really. And I'm looking forward to the rest of my brood joining us in the coming years, if they want.

There's my

, for what it's worth. I hope no one perceives my input as a rant. I guess I'm just passionate about it, and hopefully in a constructive way.

TheKing · 01-25-2006, 01:45 PM

Well said TB