7 yr old son okay for LE hunt?

A

archerallred

Guest
New to MM. I drew out the LE San Juan muzzleloader tag and my 7 yr old son wants to go.. What do you think? Willl he hinder my hunt or are the memories worth it?
 
Take him with you 120% of the time but be smart about it, you have after all invested an enormous amount of time and money on the hunt, make sure he is on the mountain with you, but don't put him in a position that would compromise your hunt......

littlebeaver.jpg
 
Absolutely take him with you!! Take him out into the woods now and start practicing being quiet and still around game. Teach him to slowly cover his ears before you shoot, not to point at the game or call the game outloud to you. He'll get the hang of if quicker than you think and in a few years be a great hunting partner for life!
 
Definatly take him with you. I have a 12 year old son that drew a good tag for himself this year and all those years of hunting with dad before he could be the shooter have made him an excellent hunter. Youll make memories that are priceless.
 
When I was 7 my dad left for an elk hunt without me. He surprisingly returned the next day showed up at my school pulled me out of class and took me to the store to buy boots clothing etc.. I have been hunting with him ever since. I am now 40 yrs old and have never forgotton that. I now have two sons that I take hunting with me as much as possible. The memories in the field are way more important than the size of buck or bull you may shoot.
 
I started with my Dad when I was five and this is now my 60th year of hunting---take the kid hunting and you'll never regret it!!!
 
Take him. This will probably be the best hunt of your life that you will always be talking about. Make it that much more of a memory with your son by your side!!!
 
Yes he may hinder your hunt, but yes the memories will also be worth it! Try planning your hunt strategy to accomodate him. Hike into waterholes, spot and stalk, hike one one side of a draw while watching the other, anything to lessen the impact of a less experienced hunter. He will be loud, he will make mistakes, but it is a great opportunity to teach and have some great memories with your boy. Anything you get will be the best ever, spike, raghorn, 350" bull, the one you get with your son will be your alltime favorite. Good luck!
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-10-12 AT 04:30PM (MST)[p]Hell yeah take him I have been taking my son since he could walk!
My son has watch me put animals on ground help gut skin pack out hell a few times I packed him...lol!He is now 13 and the memory's we have are irreplaceable.
He killed his first big game animal at the age of 8 a whitetail doe since then four whitetail and just put his first archery elk on the ground!
"Gone huntin"
 
Take him no doubt. I started with my son bird hunting when he was five. Used to have to carry him on my shoulders most of the time.That was 25 years ago. Now I have 3 grandkids that want to go. Nothing better.
 
Take him, elk are herd animals they are used to noise. He may hinder what you can do physically but well worth it. Good luck, your son will NEVER forget this fall!:)



Traditional >>>------->
 
hunting is also about making a memory that you will never forget.. he will never forget it either and just get that much more into hunting.......good luck to ya guys
 
What you want is to have a good experience and only you know if you can provide that for him. Some 7 year olds can handle tough long days, and others can't. What you don't want is for him to come along and get tired and want to go home when you are in the middle of your hunt, or even worse get home-sick and be emotionally miserable. The experience could be wonderful or awful, depending on the kid.
Seven is pretty young, so if I decided to bring him along, I would have some contingency for him getting back home if things go sour for him.
My son has become my best and favorite hunting partner. I didn't start bringing him along until he was 9 or 10 but that was when I felt like he was ready. After 16 years of hunting together, he is now hooked on hunting worse than me, so you have plenty of time to make it happen if he isn't ready now.
Regardless of what you do I hope you have as much fun hunting with him as I have with my son.
 
My sons have been with me on all my hunts since they could keep up. Some hunts at 6 years old, most all by 7. Hunting with their own tags by 8.
 
I took my 7 year old last year at this exact same time to wyoming for an antelope hunt. Yes, a different type of hunt, BUT, that is all he talk about now days. He love to go with me and begs to take him even when I do the hard stuff. I think take him, but be smart. Have fun and good luck!
 
I think the voice of reason needs to be injected here. Yes some 7 year olds can really handle that situation, but some can not. You need to decide. If he ends up whinning about being cold/tired/etc and you get upset and end up bitter, that won't be good.

I was born to be a hunter and would have done anything at any age, and I feel most people are really born into or are not. I envy some here who post about every member of their family being 100% into it. I have three boys and 1 is 100%, one is 50%, and my youngest is 10%. The youngest is 100% into skiing.

So don't assume, but if he seems like he is a HUNTER then for sure take him. If he just wants to go with dad, but doesn't seem like a hunter, think it through.

Can Mom come to camp just in case?
 
I agree with littlebighorn and BPK,
It depends on the kid. Most kids would have a great time. Plenty of action with elk bugling. I will be down there in a few days. My brother took his 5 yr old boy on a LE elk hunt and he did fine. You have a great tag.
 
+1 on what huntin50,littlebighorn and BPK posted. The lasting memories for you both will be worth every minute on the hunt.

Be a realist because your son at 7yrs. just will not be able to keep up with you for long up a mountain. Depending on how hard you hunt. You will need to adjust yourself to your sons capabilities what ever that may be.
Just remember that you can't control the elk but you have control of the memories. What I am trying to say is keep it fun for your son. It would be great if you had someone else on the hunt that could hang back with him while you did your stalk. Or stay in camp with him on some mornings when he is tired and let him sleep in. Then he can do some afternoon, evening hunts with you. If you kill something when he is not along just quick gut job,tag it, and go back to camp after him to retrieve the Bull together. At 7 yrs old humping those mountains everyday he will get tired after some time on the hunt. Some 7yr olds attention span changes and then they want to play...let him play, rest, sleep in etc. if he needs that... so you both will have the great memories...



Just about every 7yr old love's to have a remote control car in camp :)
Have a great hunt.
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LAST EDITED ON Sep-11-12 AT 10:33AM (MST)[p]rifle hunt heck yes! but probably not go out wiht you everytime. he will have a great time in camp and waiting for you to get back.
 
>I think the voice of reason
>needs to be injected here.
> Yes some 7 year
>olds can really handle that
>situation, but some can not.
> You need to decide.
> If he ends up
>whinning about being cold/tired/etc and
>you get upset and end
>up bitter, that won't be
>good.
>
>I was born to be a
>hunter and would have done
>anything at any age, and
>I feel most people are
>really born into or are
>not. I envy some
>here who post about every
>member of their family being
>100% into it. I
>have three boys and 1
>is 100%, one is 50%,
>and my youngest is 10%.
> The youngest is 100%
>into skiing.
>
>So don't assume, but if he
>seems like he is a
>HUNTER then for sure take
>him. If he just
>wants to go with dad,
>but doesn't seem like a
>hunter, think it through.
>
>Can Mom come to camp just
>in case?

+1!
 

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