Public Land Some Tough Hunting

[Quantum673]

I had the opportunity to finally get my son out for his first time this past Saturday. He is 9 years old and has been asking me for the last 2 years to go with me. I told him the first time he asked that he needed to work on being able to settle down and not be so antsy all the time. Well I decided it was time and we headed out for an evening in the woods. I took a double blind for us to set up in and proceeded in the woods. He would not be hunting just sitting with me in the blind. We walked to one of the spots I have picked out as far away from the main road as possible. We get in the woods at about 1pm get set up and start scanning the woods. We had 6 turkeys that spent close to an hour 15 yards from us. He really got a kick out of watching them. We don't see anything else for a while. I tell my son don't worry it is getting close to the time things should get going. It was 5:30 and I knew the closer to dusk we got the better the chance to catch them moving out of the bedding area that was about 100 yards away. Then it happened. Thats right A man A woman and 3 kids come within 25 yards of us having a very funfilled hike through the woods. My son looks over at me and says I guess it is time to go huh? I said yeah it is. He looked at me with eyes that were fighting disappointment and he said "Dad I had a great time, I can't wait to come back out". It was then I knew that not even a spoiled hunt could ruin a great time with your son in the woods. Now I am the one that can't wait for the next time and every time after that. Kids make everything worth while. Just thought I would share - sometimes we need to see things through the eyes of our children it is really a neat perspective.

Good luck to all.
Maybe this Saturday we get a chance to fill the freezer.

[traphunter]

Your son sounds like an awesome kid. You should be very proud of him.

I too hunt mainly public land. My whole season has went basically how you just described. Just keep at it and hopefully when it pays, it will pay big.

That's what I keep telling myself anyways.

[Quantum673]

Thanks Trap. He is a great kid. I am very proud of him. You can trust one thing is for sure. We won't give up. He wouldn't let me even if I wanted to. He wants a big boy to hang on his wall. He reminds me before every hunt. "Dad, If you kill a buck I got a special place to hang him."

[omenone]

I have been taking my kid hunting this year too and when we're out together it's the best time.



I've been out alone and with life-long friends but the best times are with my kid. We've been out together 4 times this year and only got one squirrel together but they were still the best times out this year.



I do hope we get some deer in a few weeks.

[Deehntr56]

Yes sir Quantum and others...always a great feeling to hunt with your kids!!:)

Mine started with me at 14, and we still hunt together even though he is 19 now and in college. Sports played a big role until then, then one day he said "Dad, I am ready to take the Hunter safety Course". :yikes:

Suffice to say, he was scheduled in a class by the end of the week, within 2 months took the course and got every answer right, got his license and 1st time out that fall, harvests a nice Young Button Buck!!! We have had other great memories since that day!!

I TOLD HIM...IT TOOK ME YEARS TO GET MY 1ST DEER!!!:biggrin: :biggrin:

It's been hard this year due to him starting college, but he will be able to make a few hunts....one this Saturday. It's always a good time to have him with me for a few days.

He has gone on several Pheasant hunts as well, and is a real good shot taking several birds over the last few years. (He doesn't it know it yet, but he has a new over and under coming for xmas, and a pheasant hunt scheduled for Dec. 27).

The thousands of clay pigeons he has shot at the range over the years, probably has helped with his shooting.

Enjoy every day with them...it is a great time to share and spend time with them!!!:)

[Quantum673]

After posting this yesterday I was pumped to get my son back in the woods as soon as I could. So I went home last night and started getting some of the Honey-Dos done. My Son was helping me out while we worked in the barn we were shooting the breeze. I started thinking about the hunt again so I asked if he wanted to go out again this Saturday. He said yes and then asked if it was going to be colder. I said yeah I think the temps are going to be good and chilly and there might be some rain. He said good that means there won't be any hikers. I laughed and said I hope you are right. So we have the plan. We are going to hit the woods Saturday for a morning hunt. We will hit a different spot and hope we can catch them coming out of the joining fields. Hopefully he can watch dad stick his first bow kill.