How Old?

[sandmannd]

So I took my daughter out on the land I'm going to hunt this year to help scout for deer. She will be seven in a week and did great. She was so excited. Once I pointed out rubs and scrapes and what the pooh looked like, she started pointing them out on her own. We got to a point where there was a tree stand and she asked if she could go up. I said sure and so up she went. She came down and asked if she could come hunting with me. I said "Yea, you are great when I take you outdoors and I love the time we share." She is extremely excited. We stopped on the way home and got a two person tree stand with an enclosure to keep her warm (which I won't mind either). Wife is scared about it but this is private land that buts up to Carlos Avery. I've only ever seen one other guy out there and that's in that stand and it's about 200 yards of dense forest between us. Personally, Lizzy is so well behaved in the outdoors. She listens to everything I tell her to do (the only time that happens), she has fished hours out in the rain, fished 12 hours on Mille Lacs with only one fish reeled in and just loves to sit with her old man. I'm buying her a safety harness for her size and already have a fall guy that I will let her use. This clips on to her vest at the bottom of the latter and follows her up, if you fall at any point it snaps and you only drop an inch.

My question is, what age is too young to take out? I don't believe she is too young to have along but want some opinions.

[deadeye]

I think 7 is a little young to actually go hunting.  I would suggest a simulated hunt.  That is, go out now, before the season on a nice day and sit in the stand for a few hours.  You can do this several times and see if she likes it.  You might be disappointed if just as the sun comes up she says, I'm cold and want to go in. 

[dakids]

Did you start lizzy out on walleyes or sunfish and perch?   Some kids do better than others. I started my kids on squirrels. They both can sitstill for about the same amount of time.  Which is not that long.  If you do bring her. Keep it short. Bring lots of snacks.  Tell stories.  Don't plan on getting anything other than quality time with your dau ghter. Explane big loud bang. Deer dies. Blood and gut, then good eats. Have fun and take lots of pics. Only one first deer hunt.

[Mayfly]

My daughter is 7 years old and I plan to get her out this year for her first time. The plan is an evening hunt, possibly a morning hunt and we'll be in a ground blind. She'll have a comfortable chair and plenty of treats and hot chocolate to keep her occupied. I just want her to have the chance to see some deer in the woods and if we are lucky I'll take a doe. One thing I am bringing and I recommend would be something for her ears. I have a head set that I use when I shoot at the range so I will bring that rather than ear plugs. That shotgun blast in a ground blind can be devastating.

As far as age.. you know your daughter best. I know mine will last 1 or 2 short sits. That is the plan and we'll go from there. My daughter has been around deer and deer hunting enough to know she is ready for this step.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwRQK3Um5mw[/youtube]

[nontypicalhunter]

I have taken my son out this year, he is 5. Every night he asks if he can go with hunting. He usually makes it about 2 hours and luckily we are only a couple hundred yards from the house. He loves it. He understands the whole concept behind hunting, but feels the need to tell me we can't shoot Draven. Draven is our 6 month old buck fawn, we are a deer farm in the making. We started out (with all my children) going for hikes, scouting and so on. This weekend will be the first deer hunt for my 13 year old son, where he will actually be hunting, we both are beyond excited for opening morning. I have already been told that he is going to shoot a 12 buck. I had to explain that any deer he would get would make me extremely proud and if he shoots a 12 pointer, that will to be his last hunt with me, LOL! But honestly, nobody knows your child better than you and if you think they are prepared and they are wanting to try, you can't deny them of that, regardless of how young or old they may be. Hope it goes well and be safe out there!