Anyone take a kid hunting today?

Dogfish · 09-23-2001, 07:28 PM

Today was youth hunting weekend in Washington, do you folks in Oregon have that?

I had to sit at the hospital yesterday while my wife got rehydrated with two liters of saline, bad flu, so I didn't get out at all yesterday. She is doing MUCH better today. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

I took my 13 year old nephew out bird hunting today. We took my 1 year old lab out at noon and ended up not seeing a single pheasant at the release site, but my dog did track down three coyote killed birds (I have to get out there and cull a few :mad [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

We then went out to a private farm I have access to, and we chased the ducks around. Michael got a shot at some woodies, and he said he knocked one down, but by the time I got back from driving the birds to him, there was no bird to be seen. Later we chased some of the pigeons out of the barns, and we got a few!

Michael did well with the safe gun handling, and Jenna, my dog, did pretty well. She hit the water without hesitation, and was right on top of the pigeons when they hit the ground.

All in all, a good days hunting even though we didn't get any of the gamebirds we were after. The pigeons were a bonus, and Jenna did well on the hidden tracking.

What did you folks do?

Andy

Rauly · 09-23-2001, 09:28 PM

Dogfish I commend you for taking a youth hunting. I spent the weekend fishing yesterday and at home with friends and family today for my daughters fourth birthday. It was a blast.

I will be taking a youth hunting December 3 for one of our youth hunts down here. I Did this last year and had a great time watching a great kid shoot his first ducks.

Capin' Dan · 09-24-2001, 01:07 AM

I met a young man during a hunters safety course last year. Just one of those youngster that has a lot of respect for his elders, Fun easy going and is safer than most adults that I have hunted with and just loves this kind of thing. His dad however is 72 years old and doesn't hunt. I took him out a couple of times last year for ducks and he did good.

Yesterday I took him out for is first pheasant hunt on sauvies island. We each took two birds man was he ever excited. He leaves this coming weekend for his first deer hunt and I hope he takes a big one. I'll let you guys know.

Get out and take a kid hunting. You won't regret it.

Dan! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Snake9t9 · 09-24-2001, 01:27 AM

Good for you Capn'Dan. Sounds like you might have had just as much fun helpin' this young man out as he did hunting. Folks like you are the ones that will keep our shooting sports alive. Thank you.

jet · 09-24-2001, 09:29 AM

I took my 5 year old out yesterday hunting on a buddys 900 acre dairy farm.

Well in his mind we were hunting. he carried his Daisy Red Ryder all day through the Feed corn rows and circled the pond 4 times. He constantly asked when will he be able to shoot ducks and Pheasants, I replied when you learn how to carry your BB gun safely and shoot and hit your target.

After I told him about hitting your target he shot corn stalks for the next half hour. That was so cool I remember when I did the same thing. In his mind he hunted all day, and talked about it all night.

Jet~~~

[ 09-24-2001: Message edited by: jet ]

Gobbaworms · 09-24-2001, 07:34 PM

Been taking my daughter since she was six. She's a natural born tracker. "Take your kids hunting, then you won't be hunting for your kids."

Snapset · 09-24-2001, 08:14 PM

Took 3 kids through hunters safety this summer, 2 last summer, and taking at least 4 kids deer and elk hunting when the seasons arrive. I will let you know when the time arrives.

Dogfish · 09-24-2001, 09:46 PM

Snapset,

Excellent job on the hunter ed. I took Michael, my nephew, and my wife's cousin, Salem, through hunter ed in the last few years. Salem didn't take to hunting, but he still loves to shoot. He is more interested in girls right now, someday he'll learn. (hunting season comes around once a year, but girls are always there)

Michael has taken to hunting rather well, but he is slow. I, a 35 year old guy, walked this 14 year old, young stud cross country runner into the ground. I have to watch myself, as it is easy to push them too hard. Better to take a break, find some shade, and BS for a while. He is pretty squared away, and giving him the responsibility of carrying a firearm has helped him to grow up. We are equals in the field, but I am still the boss.

Andy