Thread: Hunting with ya kid

well done , thats some great memory's for the both of you

Awesome time spent!!

Such a cool thing your doing there mate, ive been a bit slack on the hunting side of things with my kids. done it on and off but the last few years always seems to be an excuse why we couldnt go, mainly an excuse from myself. Had a realisation that everything can wait because you cant get that time back so making time for it now.

Originally Posted by steeve

Such a cool thing your doing there mate, ive been a bit slack on the hunting side of things with my kids. done it on and off but the last few years always seems to be an excuse why we couldnt go, mainly an excuse from myself. Had a realisation that everything can wait because you cant get that time back so making time for it now.

Yep. Time seems to go quicker everyday.
She just shot her first deer the day before yesterday and totally took control, saying "dad i got this' as three of them began to spook. Just nailed it, under pressure, at 100yds. I couldn't have been more proud. Very special day.

How come you chose the 6.5 grendel? Don't know much about them, do they have low recoil? I have a daughter who is 5, taken her fishing a few times which she likes but not tried hunting yet. I only hunt DOC land which involves decent amounts of walking. Was thinking about what sort of rifle would work for a kid. How old was your daughter when you started her on the rifle?

Excellent stuff.
Good to hear the stock is being used.
She is a good keen lass.
I will use up my data allowance to watch the utube vids tonight.

I started with the air rifle but it was a disaster and she was only going to hate it.
I then remembered that my grandfather had left me an old little daisy red ryder(i think they're called).
They're a tiny little thing and hopeless to shoot.... but they're small. I made a few targets on the lawn and taught her the basics about the dangerous end etc.
Then she would shoot the target and just be stoked to hit the box. After a few goes at that she and I would pretend stalk the target with me suggesting what the animal was. Before long she's doing it and telling me, "its a massive stag dad". We didn't do it much as I didn't want it to be boring.

I then took her on a family trip into the Kaimanawas where she could see me with a deer or two but mostly just to have fun(make sure it's summer). we had swims and trout fishing. Lolly hunts around the river and hut. Caught a few trout. Generally just making the time away from town unforgettable.

Then back home I asked if she'd like to come goat hunting. Made it relatively easy and knocked a couple over(one each trip, no bomb ups and no tricky shots/woundys). Made sure we cooked them and don't force her to eat too much. Just let it be as positive as poss.
We make jerky in the dehydrator nice and sweet so she loves that as a snack.
After a while I'm getting questioned when she can shoot one. I kept saying she has to prove to me she can shoot.
However, On a goat hunt, she spots one pretty close and suggest this would be an awesome first goat and I grudgingly concede. Stalk in to 20mtrs and set the rifle up so she cant miss then let her shoot. She hit it alright but I immediately nail it again just to be sure(include an apology that he shot was good all to raise confidence). She's 6 and a half I think.

After that she's keen as buggery. I let her try the 243 on range but it's hard and I risk making things worse so instead told her she can't shoot animals until she's a better shot. After which I allow her to shoot a couple more(weak hearted bugger that I am).

I decide that she really needs something to shot that suits and fits her. My 243 is way to heavy and big and hard to move the crosshairs around for a kid.

I wanted a 223 and the howa mini is really the only easily accessible rifle that is close to small enough. As for the 6.5 grendel, it was the one I got to have a look at up here. Pretty low recoil but plenty of gun for anything up to and including deer. Vietnam cam on her gave me his chopped down stock. Otherwise, I'd have chopped the one that was on there. I did make the mistake of not ensuring I had good eye relief as it all gets pretty weird for an adult looking thru a kid length rifle.

Once I had that we spent a bit of time at the range but only letting her do 10 rounds max so she didn't get over it. Also take big chocolaty donuts and fizzy drinks on hunt and range.

After a little practice, I've taught her to let me know when she's ready to shoot. At first I'd pop my thumb behind the butt just to make sure she didn't scope herself but after fixing eye relief ad some practice there's no need. Just watch for anything dumb like putting face to close. After loading a round each time, we've reached a point where I can putt eh round up and let he do the safety. She has to say shooting at which point she knows I'll stop talking and trust her. She then pops safety off and squeezes trigger.

We've had a a lot of opportunities that I've not allowed to shoot or let fail as it's important not to make it too easy.

I never intended to let her shot so early as I shot my first deer at 13 or 14 and think its a good time. However she's built up many more skills and experience than I had at same ages and shown more maturity(pains me to say). I don't want her shooting anything too good to ensure that any further kills are as epic as possible. She already understands that the value is in how hard the hunt is. After shooting her first the other day we were travelling through some red deer ground and I suggested that around here she could get a red and imagine getting you first red and first fallow in one day. She told me that's cool but she'd rather not so that we can go and have a full mish on the reds with that as the aim.

Anyway. Some kids won't need all that pussy footing(especially some boys) however I wanted to retain her empathy and not put her off in any way. I always discuss how its slightly sad for the animal but it'd die anyway and it's yummy and we killed it quick. She puts a leaf in it's mouth as respect and I don't allow sitting on the animal. I do allow poking at any and all organs etc as it cure squeamishness and teaches her good stuff. I also demand no squealing oooooohs, screams and all that crap that little princesses do. Mainly cause it annoys the shit out of me.

Phew. Hope that covers it. Feel free to discuss. Actually this would be an interesting topic in the campfire section.

Bloody awesome stuff. I've just done similar with my stepson and one of my mates two boys.
Started off with some range time, at 50yards with a .22 on a bipod, it's a norinco jw-27 so the stock is pretty short.
They all managed good groupings on target.
A few weeks later we headed to a new bunny spot and after a bit of a walk around and sussing the lay of the land each boy got a chance to nail a rabbit each. All three knocked over thiers rabbits clean, including one head shot.
All have been out with us shooting rabbits in the past, but all are very respectful of the rabbits, and a touch of sadness which is good.
I always think back to my first deer and the mate I was with asking if I felt a little sad for it, and when I said yes he replied good, I don't want to hunt with people who don't feel sad for what they have killed. It always comes to mind anytime I take an animal.
Thinking the next step is to get them behind my .22-250 and do some target practice with that before trying to find some goats.

Thanks for typing that @Dan88 it's nice to see someone else able to be little bit emotional about killing animal. If they didn't taste so good I would be happy to just take photos lol

Great story thanks for sharing. My boy is 4.5 and for at least a year has been begging to go hunting. Every time I go he's heartbroken he can't come.

I don't think he's after the shooting bit, just being with me and loves anything outdoors and camping. Hard to take him along hunting though cause I only have access to public land and finding deer there that are easy to get to isn't easy; funny that haha

I'm planning on some drive in hunts in Kaikoura for goats this summer and might have to fork out for a farm hunt with easy access for him to walk around with me.

Macpac possum,or koala backpack is the way to go when they still that little.they ride along looking over your shoulder,still small cargo compartment. It's NOT about getting something as much as getting kids to enjoy being out n about.

Agreed MD.
It's not about getting something. This is the most Important part. We just have fun. We stop and look at stuff. Make walking sticks, poke stuff. Eat yummy snacks.

Just make some trips about them. Other trips are about you.
There's lots of forms of hunting. Eel fishing. Sea fishing. There's fossils at motatau up the coast from you. Take them looking from agates a cool stones up those awesome rivers. When the times right, focus on rabbits or wallabies for a feed. Soon the kid will just be stoked to see and animal in the wild(just as we are).

The south island is a veritable paradise compared to up here.

We will be out of hunting with a mate in the morning. Often pug hunters have kids who want to go but it's hard without someone to look after them when the dogs are on. I pig hunted for years and now look after the younglings. It's a little stressful as I still want to be first there but can't. Surprisingly the kids get quite the turn of speed when they want to.

Flounder spearing is another adventure. And we suck at it but still makes for good times and we see some cool stuff

I'm just reading through this as I've started my boy on a similar journey.

Got him some earmuffs this year and well that spoonie is destined for the taxidermist. 1 shot with the Beretta jump shooting with him on my back, I've had him fishing with me on a front pack since he was about 8 months old so its hardly a suprise now that he can retrieve a lure on the spinning rod(6foot adult one). Memories made

Haha awesome. They're not that age for long.

It's probably more important than ever to get them out of towns and away from screens.
My girl was right there with us in the mad rush to a pig on Sunday.
Then later we caught a little one next to us and managed to keep the dogs from it.