Should I let my daughter go hunting?

[MeNoLikeTofu]

Ok, so my husband wants to take our daughter hunting.
She's 5 1/2 and has no true desire to go out with him. Brian (the hubster) usually goes hunting with his dad, and they're very serious hunters. I don't think she should go hunting with him until she's old enough to understand what to do. Our daughter has no concept of what to do if she were lost or hurt or if someone else got hurt. She knows about guns, but doesn't really "get it." I'm worried that he would be so focused on the hunting, that he wouldn't really be watching her. His and his dad's idea of "outside supervision" is to let her run around where she wants and pretty much just tell her to stay close by.
This past October, while he was elk hunting, he got lost twice (yea, he's like that), but luckily found his way back to his camp. Also, we live in Wyoming, and if anyone has ever been in the mountains in October, you know how COLD and snowy it gets!
What do ya'll think? I have *no problems* with her going out when she's older; I'm just not comfortable with him taking her out so young or with the idea that she wouldn't actually be 100% supervised. Any advice is helpful!

[fisherman66]

Before I read the post I was prepared to say "Of Course" but...

She's 5 1/2 and has no true desire to go out with him.

I'm just not comfortable with him taking her out so young or with the idea that she wouldn't actually be 100% supervised.

If she doesn't want to go now, then she will surely never want to go again if she is drug out there against her will. I not sure how you know her "true desire", but I yield to mother's intuition.

If she's not going to be 100% supervised at all times during her first several years of hunting, then she should never go hunting. That's just nuts.

[kraigwy]

She's 5 1/2 and has no true desire to go out with him

Based on that statement I vote NO.

I'm a firm believer in starting them out early. The earlier the better, IF THEY SHOW THE DESIRE TO GO.

You push them when there is no desire to go, then you could turn them against hunting (or what ever sport).

All my kids and grandkids wanted to go. Once they are excited about it, then you take them out, have a great time, and they are hooked for life. If on the other hand, they arn't ready, dont have a disire, then you ruin them for life.

This is just my opinion, I'm not child expert. I am an expert at spoiling grandaughters though.

[hogdogs]

responsible supervision is a must... The not wanting to go is different... I feel we need to "brainwash" the future human predators early...
The first MANY times fishing either from a river bank, a row boat or spearing pike thru an ice hole (I love to type ICE HOLE) until near 10 or 11 I was not interested in the task at hand... But I will drop what I am doing right now to go wet a plug and rip some lip... Same may be said of my first hunts BORED STIFF is what this wound tight hyper little boy was but it taught me to overcome distractions to accomplish a goal. It is those bored moments from 4-10 years old that helped me thru those long slow days in the workplace... Life lessons!
Brent

[fisherman66]

Great Pict Kraig! Were you about to bust with pride?

[Brian Pfleuger]

She's 5 1/2... I'm just not comfortable with him taking her out so young or with the idea that she wouldn't actually be 100% supervised.

What?!?! A 5 1/2 year old should be "supervised" at home! How could she possibly be taken hunting and not supervised? That's insanity.

[MeNoLikeTofu]

Fisherman66: I made sure that Brian told her what it'd be like, and keeps trying at me and trying at me to agree to let him take her, but she's told him over and over that she doesn't want to go. It's not "mother's intuition," it's merely listening to my daughter. She's said that she doesn't want to go out and stay long like daddy. He's usually out for deer for at least 2 days before he comes home and elk was almost a week this year. She has no problems playing outside when it's cold and snowy, but when she wants to come inside, she WANTS to come inside. I mean, I can see it now. A screaming, crying child wanting ot go inside while you're out hunting... I would think that would attract a number of animals.
About the supervision thing, THANK YOU!! If only you could beat that into my husband! He doesn't think it's a big deal to let her wander a little or have her stand next to a tree "for a minute" while he gets his shot off!

kraigwy: Nice doe! You make an excellent point, and it's one that I've tried on my hubby. "If she doesn't want to go, don't make her!" My parents have that spoiling the granddaughter thing down pat! My daughter is their only grandchild so far, so she's got it made!

Ok, I would really *love* if you all ganged up and beat some "supervision sense" into my husband! I don't get how you guys get it, and he doesn't. I won't let her play outside of my grandparents' house without an adult out there with here even though their backyard is fenced in because Cheyenne had problems with people shooting puppies in backyards!!
Thanks guys!

[fisherman66]

It's not "mother's intuition," it's merely listening to my daughter.

My apologies. I made a poor assumption that each of you are getting a different answer.

My recommendation is that Daddy take her for an hour trip to a feeder (without a gun) and watch deer feed. See how that plays out.

[MeNoLikeTofu]

No need to apologize, I was just clarifying!
That feeding thing is a good idea. I wonder if he'd do it...

[fisherman66]

Yer the wife. Make it happen. Or better yet, take her yourself. Make it a mother/daughter thing.

[Bitmap]

Seems to me it would be difficult to take a 5yo on the kind of hunt where you get lost. I take my young ones to hunt in a ground blind or permanent elevated blind where I can get close with a vehicle, not where they have to hike for miles in up and down hills and through heavy brush in the cold.

If she doesn't really want to go then don't make her. I think it is going to be unanimous here on this point. The kiddo won't have fun and because of that she won't be still and quiet enough for Dad to be likely to see game so he won't be happy either.

Another thing with kids that age is that after an hour or two or maybo only 20 minutes they may suddenly decide they want to do something else. If the parent isn't willing to accept that and go along with it with no hard feelings then don't take them.

[JagFarlane]

Hmmmm in all honesty...I'd say scouting would be fine, if she was interested. However, due to her young age and lack of interest, I'd say he should wait another year and see how she feels about it.

[armsmaster270]

There is also at that age if not ready for it she could be tramatized by seeing "Bambi" shot and gutted right before her eyes and be turned off to hunting altogether.

[ZeSpectre]

Hmmmm in all honesty...I'd say scouting would be fine, if she was interested. However, due to her young age and lack of interest, I'd say he should wait another year and see how she feels about it.

Yup, that's about how I feel too.

At 6 my niece had no interest in following her dad and older brother out into the woods for any reason.
At 7 you couldn't keep her at home when they went "scouting".
At 9 she thinks she wants to go on the actual hunting trip but hasn't made up her mind yet.
My sister and her husband are letting her decide at her own pace.

[Double Naught Spy]

There is also at that age if not ready for it she could be tramatized by seeing "Bambi" shot and gutted right before her eyes and be turned off to hunting altogether.

Yep.

I think the solution is that both daughter and mother go along!

[JagFarlane]

At the least though, she is old enough for nature walks...I'd avoid a firearms season for now, but next spring and summer take her out for day hikes. Then, perhaps, books about animals. Animals tend to fascinate younger kids, so learning about them helps [and helps separate them from just being Bambi].

[Bitmap]

I think the solution is that both daughter and mother go along!

I like this answer. If the little one gets tired, wants to go home, or whatever, then the hunting doesn't have to end for the old man.

To the OP: Have you got ear protection to fit the little one? The blast of a high powered rifle up close might be a turn off a little one.

[sserdlihc]

My daughter is 8 years old. She has asked me to go hunting several times. Unfortunately , she loves to talk so I have been hesistant. I will take her when she gets older and can dial down on the talking.

[hogdogs]

Put a few "nummy nums" in yer pocket and you will never lose the child, NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY(TEE-RUST ME I TRIED)...
Brent

[kraigwy]

Unfortunately , she loves to talk so I have been hesistant. I will take her when she gets older and can dial down on the talking.

I disagree with that also. I took my Grandaughter Elk hunting. She talked, I got hit up the side of the head with snowballs when I was glassing a hillside. I had chocolate pancakes that looked like dropped dumplings except they were raw in the middle. I had to warm up her feet under my shirt after she fell through the ice chasing chipmonks. I was served coffee in my sleeping bed that was more ash then coffee.

Didnt see an elk but it was about the best hunting trip I ever had. I wouldnt have missed that trip for all the elk in the world.

[fisherman66]

Sweet story. Thank goodness for grandparents.

[sserdlihc]

Didnt see an elk but it was about the best hunting trip I ever had. I wouldnt have missed that trip for all the elk in the world.

It sounds like it was a great trip. I guess there are hunting trips and then there are hunting trips

[BeCoole]

5 1/2 is a little small to keep up. Unless he is going out in the back yard to hunt squirrels.

As far as whether or not the girl wants to go, that shouldn't matter. Kids have never been here before and don't know **** from shinola. They have no experience upon which to base the decision. My parents asked me if I wanted to play sports and, guess what, the default answer was "no". Now I live with the regret of not having played Little League. My Dad asked me if I wanted to deer hunt with him. It involved getting up early, so guess what that answer was? Dad's gone and I really regret missing what would have been some of my most joyful days as a youth.

Last point. Most people are are bunch of unrealistic, ignorant, fraudulently moral ignoramuses who have no idea where food comes from and are incapable of making tough decisions. It would be a great service to your daughter and even the world to train her such that she can kill her own food and revel in the beauty of the cycle of life.

[BeCoole]

There is also at that age if not ready for it she could be tramatized by seeing "Bambi" shot and gutted right before her eyes and be turned off to hunting altogether.

It gets worse with age, not better. Take your kids to funerals too and let them see everything. Hiding them from life's realities is not a favor.

BTW, "Bambi" should be banned from your household.

[taylorce1]

My recommendation is that Daddy take her for an hour trip to a feeder (without a gun) and watch deer feed. See how that plays out.

fisherman66, while I like your idea I'm not sure of the legality of it in Wyoming. Having a deer feeder out might be considered baiting, as far as I know baiting of deer is illegal in WY. No if the deer were to frequent a cattle feeder that would be a different story, but there would have to be at least a few head of cattle in the pasture with the feeder. Better just to watch them feeding an alfalfa field or something. Any way you can get your daughter introduced to the outdoors the better.