Taking kids big game hunting is incredibly rewarding.

Is your kid ready for the hunt?

By Mark Kayser

Published in

The Hole Story

6 min readMar 19, 2016

Are you eager to get your son or daughter in pursuit of whitetails? Are you unsure if they’re ready for the hunt or even the kill? Your child’s first whitetail hunt should be a momentous event in their life and yours. And like your 30-year-old cousin who never seems to grow up (the one still living with parents), kids mature both physically and emotionally at varying ages. You’ll search long and hard to find any research on when a child is ready for any activity due to this wide-ranging maturity process.

Despite the lack of university thesis data you do need to evaluate your child before you drop them into an adrenaline-charged situation. It’s up to you to make the best decision possible. If you start them before they are ready you could cement unpleasant memories into their minds. If you start them at the right time you’ll make a new hunter ready to carry on the hunting tradition long after you’ve hung up your rattling antlers. Yes, it’s a big decision.

Are they responsible?

Hunting requires a responsible mindset. Youth will be handling firearms, archery equipment and ultimately making a decision to kill. As parents you’re the ultimate decision maker on when they exhibit ample responsible nature to be a hunter. You’ll have to make similar decisions on when your child is ready for a summer job, driving and even dating. No two children are alike and many activities require initial supervision. Obviously the same is true of hunting.

Kids aren’t perfect, but living with them day to day gives you better insight on whether they have what it takes to go afield armed. Do they show respect for others? Do they complete chores? Do they engage with other children and are they actively involved in group settings? Are they in constant trouble? Do they continually miss homework assignments? Do they already go afield and show interest in your hunts? All of these clues and more tell you when your child may be ready to hunt.

Read your state’s hunting regulations to give you more insight when your child can begin hunting. Some states have no minimum age while many have a set, minimum age to hunt. If they’ve successfully completed a certified hunter’s safety course or a mentored hunting program they may be legally ready. And if they are involved in a shooting sports organization like 4-H they’ve already revealed a responsible tendency and may be ready for the real deal.

No two children are alike and many activities require initial supervision. Obviously the same is true of hunting. Kids aren’t perfect, but living with them day to day gives you better insight on whether they have what it takes to go afield armed.

Are they physically able?

Along with responsibility comes the simple fact of physical strength. Is your child strong enough to handle a firearm or archery gear under the conditions warranted by a hunt? Hunts conducted from a blind differ from those where stalking or still-hunting call for firm firearm control. While using a blind a weapon can be steadied with adult help or by using a commercial rest. However in the field conditions may require instant reflexes and the ability for the youth to control the weapon. Firearm safety is first and foremost in any hunt. If the child can’t physically control the weapon then hunting should be postponed until the child reveals stronger muscle power.

In addition to handling a firearm with certainty youth need to be able to physically carry out a hunt. All hunts are not created equal. My son’s first deer was a great example. We belly crawled nearly 300 yards downhill to get into position for the shot. Cold weather also invades many outings. Every youth hunter isn’t ready for such challenges the first time out of the gate.

Like responsibility, it’s your decision to evaluate your child’s physical abilities and match the hunt to their strength. Again, it just takes one bad experience to dissuade someone from a hunting future.

Perhaps try Hornady CUSTOMLite ammunition for your kids first hunt

Are they emotionally mature?

After considering responsibility and physical strength a last, but very important consideration is required. Is your child emotionally mature to handle the actual killing and field-dressing of a deer? Even seasoned hunters feel some remorse after shooting a deer. You’re taking the life of an animal to sustain your own life and that of your family. If the shot isn’t perfect your child could be subject to a close-up experience of putting a deer out of its misery. That means looking into Bambi-like eyes to finish the hunt.

After the animal has died then the real work begins of field dressing an animal. Your child needs to be involved in the gutting and processing of an animal so they understand the concept of “field to table.” Venison steaks don’t miraculously show up in your freezer like Jimmy Dean sausage packages and witnessing how that meat makes it into the freezer educates them on the real “circle-of-life” concept. Clearly that involves, blood, entrails and precision cutting. It’s not for the squeamish, but essential in a successful hunt.
If your child is reserved in fish cleaning, pet funerals or other aspects of death you may want to consider the postponement of putting them front row in the killing of a deer.

Steps to success

Hopefully you planned on making a hunter out of your youth from the time of their birth. We started introducing our kids to hunting as toddlers. They scouted with us, went shed antler hunting with us and even sat beside us in blinds during the hunt. We laid the groundwork to familiarize them to the sport long before we hoped they’d be ready for their own hunt. We also enrolled them in programs to facilitate firearm safety and shooting proficiency such as 4-H Shooting Sports, and Boy Scouts.

The author’s daughter Katelyn was ready for her first whitetail when she turned 12 due to time spent in the field and activities such as 4-H Shooting Sports.

The physical activity of hunting can also be a stepping stone toward a successful child according to some research. Being physically involved in outdoor activities bolsters the overall success of children according to a study by Francois Trudeau published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. In short it says that kids that are involved in sports and physical activities academically outpace their peers. Other research affirms physically active kids have better self-esteem and social skills.

I’ve seen it in my own kids. They’ve been involved in outdoor programs and pursuits since a young age. It’s kept them active and the education enforces safety, ethics, interest and excitement in hunting. They also get good grades. To cap it off, my son shot his first turkey when he was nine and my daughter when she was 10. Following state law they both shot their first deer at the age of 12.

Your planned efforts can also make an enthusiastic, new whitetail hunter to support our hunting heritage. And you may just be surprised with the responsible young adult that emerges later.