my daughter?

Question

i have an 8 year old daughter that i love to be active with.i have been taking her fishing since she was prob 3 years old.she has shot a .22 caliber rifle under my supervision of course.she just loves to be outside with her good ol dad.
now my problem and question is this.............it is now hunting season and she wants me to take her hunting(deer).she asks me everytime i go.well i have to tell her "no".wells he asked me if it is because she will be too noisy.i tell her no it is because she is still to young to hunt.am i right in telling her this,or should i go ahead and take her with me?i dont want her to lose any interest in hunting.what should i do?

so many good answers.........i think i will let this one go to the vote so i dont have to choose,thank u all for ur input

Answer 1

My dad started taking me when I was just a little girl. At first I wasn't allowed to shoot, but enjoyed just being with him in the early morning. I have to admit that I suspect that he purposely didn't shoot anything when I was with him--probably to get me accustomed to being in the woods and understood that we were there to shoot something. He explained the circle of life to me-- you know, we have to shoot the deer to keep them from becoming over populated... That sort of thing. When I was about 10 I started actually hunting, but only after going through a hunters safety course. I shot one deer and have never shot another. I have no problem wih deer hunting, but things just worked out so that I don't do it.

Take her with you. Explain things to her. You'll both have a wonderful time.

Answer 2

Wow, I just want to say there are some great answers here and some great advice. It's comforting to know that real people are here in Yahoo Answers!

My dad started me little by little, after all the men were done for the day. Safer that way and it showed me all the ropes and to be quiet and build up my patience, tolerance for the cold, wet, etc. and also to act right. Of course, gun safety and shooting skills were done on the range and only after I was an expert shot did I ever get a rifle in my hands in the field.

Work up a little plan for both field work (hours and skills) and gun skills and set some goals each year. While she's "In Training" she can learn sitting still, stalking quietly, memorize the states game laws, first aid training, using a compass, ladder and stand use and safety, etc., etc.

She will look at that plan every year and can see her progress towards her first full hunt. You of course can set that date sooner or later by expecting more time, skills, etc.

The lessons to be learned in this by her are ones that she will know her whole life and the memories are priceless.

Answer 3

What I have done with my daughter is this. WHen she was 6 I would take her out for a late morning hunt. After my son and I hunted that morning I would come back to the house get some breakfast and then take her out with me. Each time staying just a bit longer to build her patience. My daughter is now 9 and she can sit in the stand with me up to 3 hours. She still does not carry a gun as of yet but she is very involved in the hunt with me. Next year when she is 10 I will let her take a gun. She can shoot a 22 fine and now I am going to begin allowing her to shoot a marlin in .357 caliber. This is how I started my son and it has worked well. Being able to share the outdoors with your children is one of the greatest treasures in life.

Answer 4

I would take her. My father took me when I was young. And I will take my kids when they are young. It's kind of a tradition around here. And although she might limit your hunt, you'll still have a great time. Even if you waste your tag, I think it would be worth it to spend quality time with your daughter. And it could turn into father daughter time that lasts for the years. As in when she gets older and is busy with school etc...... and your busy with work you two will know you still have this one time a year that you can spend a few days together.
for a few years of my life when I was younger, the only time me and my dad really spent time together was when we would take time off of work to hunt. And it is always spectacular.
And although your daughter is fine around .22 calibers maybe you ought to go to the range and show her how loud daddy's gun is. Especially if your hunting with a 7mm or a 30-06
Well good luck. I hope it all turns out for the best.

Answer 5

Age to me is not the factor, is she mature enough to understand why you hunt? My daughter has hunted with me since she was the age of five. She shot her first deer that year and a turkey ther next. My time spent in the woods with her has been unmeasurable as it has bulit a very strong relationship between us. She was very mature at the age of five and has been around hunting all her life. My Mother, sisters, nieces, nephews and all of my family all enjoy hunting. We are a big hunting family ( about 39 of us) and all hunt together. I enjoy going hunting with my family more than shooting anything myself. I think introducing a child to hunting is very important for the future of hunting. MY advice would be to take you daughter with you now, before boys get into the picture. I have taken my daughters boyfriend's hunting also.

Answer 6

of course take your daughter. The more women to get involved in hunting and the understanding of hunting through conservation. The less likely she will be against it.

I have very fond memories of me and my father spending countless hours hunting and fishing. We still hunt and fish to this day. My fondest memories are me in the boat with him at around 6 or 7. Duck hunting and I finally got a single shot .410. I never did shoot at a duck. Even to this day. I do not duck hunt anymore. I am a Deer/turkey guy now.

i say take her let her enjoy nature the way it is meant to be. And not off the discovery channel.

Thanks

Answer 7

Take her! My oldest son started hunting (actually walking with me) when he was 4. It limited the areas I could hunt, but it was some of the best of my memories in the field. He's now 10 and I can't leave the house without him. He's been there for many kills/guts and I've found that on the first kill, if you answer questions (this is the heart, lungs etc...) it makes it far more interesting than "icky." Now, both my boys hunt with me and the youngest started in a backpack with myself and his oldest brother. Again, this severely limited my hunting area, but the boys are showing a keen interest and ability to listen/think on their feet and spend "quality time" with dad. I know your relationship with your daughter will benefit from you taking her along. Good Luck!!

Answer 8

First of all, kudos to you for spending all this quality time with your daughter! It is so important to do this, especially for girls to have this kind of relationship with their daddies, and you obviously know that! Take her hunting! As long as the laws in your state specify that anyone can go with you as long as they are in blaze orange or whatever camo attire required, and that she is not toting her own firearm, go for it! She has already shot a gun, so she's not afraid of that. And she knows that when you go hunting, it's for food, not just to blow the heads off animals. If anything, I'd remind her that sometimes it's not pretty, just so that she really knows what she is getting into here. There would be nothing worse then taking her out to hunt deer and all of a sudden, she starts screaming and crying cause your going to kill Bambi! Good for you, dad!

Answer 9

I'm divided. I think taking her deer hunting is great, but I also think that starting smaller (like squirrel hunting) would be wonderful for her. A squirrel hunting trip tends to be much more relaxed and there's more she can do to help out.

I definitely don't think she's too young to hunt. I just prefer starting smaller, probably because that's the way my dad did it and there's NO WAY he could be wrong. :)

Answer 10

THIS SHOULD BE EASY TAKE HER GET HER INVOLVED
make it a fun experience for it don't matter if you get anything when you take her.The time you spend with her now she will carry all of her life you don't have to take her every time but i think you need to take her a couple times every year and you might take her and she will love it i took my daughter when ever she ask when she was younger maybe not deer hunting but for small game because they grow up fast and the more time you can spend with them the better

Answer 11

There is no law against taking a child hunting....at least not here, in Texas. Take her! My dad started taking me with him when I was about 6 years old. I didn't carry a gun; I just went for the experience. I was about 8 or 9 when I finally was allowed to start carrying my own gun. If you would like for her to take an interest in hunting, then it is never to early to start nurturing her desire to be in the field with you. What you teach her at this age will stick with her for the rest of her life. I encourage you to take her with you at least one time this season...you won't regret it and it will create memories that will last a lifetime for both of you.