You're Kids' First ???
General Topic
....before I owned a digital camera, so I don't have a photo to load, but...
My son was twelve before he could accurately shoot legal draw weight here in Indiana. That first season, we bowhunted the same spots in seperate treestands. A few close calls, but no cigar.
Opening day of year two, I put him in a white oak grove that was loaded with fresh sign. He asked that I at least hunted out of sight...which as a bowhunter, I understood completely. I gave him a whistle and instructed him to blow it if he needed me.
As I approached his stand just after dark, I heard deer blowing. When I got to the stand, he wasn't in it. I looked up the ravine and saw his light. He had arrowed a big doe at eight yards. She went down within sight. I walked up on one proud young bowhunter that evening.....feeling some of that pride myself.
I'm a 4-H archery instructor and regional rep for the United Bohunnters of Pennsylvania, so my kids have been around archery alot. They first started with a Golden Eagle Brave, which my daughter (Emily-10) still uses. My son (Matthew-now 15) started bowhunting (at 12) with a Hoyt Magna Tec and then early last year went to a Hoyt Ultra Tec. The picture is his first deer shot in November of last year. Typical rutting buck came in and rubbed an overhanging branch and pawed a scrape at 20 yards, oblivious to the "danger" he was in. Amazingly my son kept his cool made a great shot at 15 yards. We let the deer go for a few hours (now dark) and then my dad, Emily, Matthew & I went tracking. Emily found the blood first, which she still lets everyone know, and we tracked for about 30 yards. The deer jumped from some thick brush and I decided to wait until morning. We later found that the arrow clipped a rib and hit one lung. What a sleepless night! We went back early and tracked for another 100 yards and my dad found him. My dad was never a bowhunter, but he had tears in his eyes when Matthew & I came running up. Bowhunting with kids is great because its alot slower paced and they get to see the animals acting more natural.
My sons first was this past winter, Joseph is 7 and work all winter long shooting in our basement at 10 yards with a PSE Spyder. I had told him that he had to be ready not only in his mind but in mine before I would let him shoot. On the first day of our hunt at Bowhunters Paradise, Joseph passed on a chip shot at a ram because he was not comfurtable (well, I was not comfurtable!) 2 days later he got another chance and proved to me he was ready! Took this nice ram at 8 yards! I was way more nervous and shaking then he was! Now he wants a hog! Maybe next year!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot! GOOD LUCK MATT!!!!!! And remember to have fun!
Good Luck Matt!! You've got a great teacher!
Here's is my daughter Jodi's first deer from last year. It was a rifle kill, but as soon as she can handle a 40 pound bow she'll be hunting with it.
I enjoyed that video a ton. My boy was 5 when I started him off with a Lil Brave traditional. The draw length on it was really long, back behind his ears. I posted the pic on another site of him at full draw, and asked if anyone knew of a trick to shorten the draw length. Just so happens, the owner of the company read the post. About 2 weeks later, I received a package in the mail. This guy (whom I have never met)sent us a brand new Fred Bear compound bow. It was loaded to the gills, whisker biscuit, cobra site... Enclosed was a note. It said (paraphrased), "I remember how much I enjoyed starting my kids off with their bows. Enjoy it while you can." It was an amazing moment for my son and me. The bow is still too difficult for him to pull back, even dialed all the way down. But, he's working on upper body strength in order to shoot the new bow.
Is that the same Matt that was here 2 years ago!?! Wow, you have grown young man! You look just like your Momma too.
Well, from what I can see in the video clips, your going home with some bacon, Matt! Good job on your shooting. Nice going Mom and Dad!
We'll have things ready when you arrive. It will be good to see you to, Pat Jr., Mom and Dad!
Matt & Cheryl Napper
Shiloh Ranch
Not hunting with the bow yet, but my 8yr old brought home a first place plaque at a 3D shoot this weekend. He's prouder of this than all his baseball trophies.
my oldest sons first when he was 14....
My son started in a basement range on the Brave bow and was a tag-along in tree stands for several seasons.It was important that he become a hunter and not just a killer.
We did the pre-season treestand practice shoots before his first season. I put a McKenzie deer target on wheels and pulled it around, teaching him how to figure shot angles and when to flat-out pass up a shot.
His first season I think we were in-stand 18 times, with deer around us 12 times, before he got a 12 yard shot at a funky-racked buck that came to calls and an Outlaw silhouette. After the shot I asked him what he thought..."I should have both lungs or at least the top of the heart," he said. "It shouldn't be a problem to find." It wasn't.
Fortunately Kansas law stated I had to be there with him when he hunted...my most memorable bow season.
Keep it fun, no matter what.
Cheryl, Matt and Sage will help make it special.
Hey writer, what is up with the comment about wanting your kid to be a hunter not just a killer? I hope that was not directed at anyone here. I would like to believe that everyone here tries to instill in thier children that the hunt is more important the kill.
Everyone in the Bowhunters of Alabama knows my son by the nickname of "Ladies Man". He has been shooting 3-D with me since he was 3 years old. So, after four years of shooting I beleived he was able to go on his first bow hunt. He took his first bow kill earlier this year. He is 7 years old. He harvested a Gold medal(ROE) Black Hawaiian ram in Texas. He made a 18 yard shot using a Hoyt Rintec 18" draw length and a 28 pound draw weight. His was shooting the ICS Beaman jr. arrow tipped with a Sonic broadhead. The ram was quartering away when he shot, the arrow entered at the back rib angling toward the front shoulder with about 12 to 16 inches of penetration. We had about a 250 yard tracking job and found the ram piled up in a thicket. What a great day. I don't think I have ever seen him so excited and I'm not sure which one of us had the most adreneline pumping through our veins.
For preperation we shoot bows every other day in the back yard and we shoot 3-D tournaments on the weekend.
I am a firm believer in the statement "Take a child hunting and you'll never have to hunt for the child"
I had more fun watching him shoot than if I had shot myself!
My youngest last Christmas with his first Axis
My son tagged along with me on many hunts before he actually was old enough to get a license. Here are but a few of his firsts.
This is the first antelope he ever watched taken with a bow. He was about 5. He sat in a blind for dang near a week. I knew then he would make it as a bowhunter.
We were sitting a waterhole one year for deer in the Books and this porky walked by. He made a great hit and it disappeared into the sage brush. This was his frist blood trailing of a critter he shot.
This is his first mule deer. I was right along side of him when he shot this buck.
Here's his best mule deer buck, taken a few years after arrowing his first buck. He spotted this buck the night before the archery opener and told me that he was going to kill that buck. I thought in my mind, oh ya! Be danged if the next morning we didn't find it, made several unsuccessful attempts, and on the third try he arrowed the buck at 10 yards as it stopped to look back towards me.
This is his first antelope.
And here's a picture of his first major accident incurred while bowhunting. He fell 21'-4" last fall while placing a treestand and dodged a big bullet. But he still had to undergo a major operation with plates and 9 screws and probably will never walk again without a bad limp.
Have fun, but be very careful!
Have a great bowhunt. BB
My little guy killed 18 whitetails with a rifle between the age of 6 and 8. We ordered a Matthews bow for him this week and he is going to try his hand at archery. Can't wait to see how he does with deer in bow range!
Here is my son's first Big Game Animal in July 05.
And a couple months later he took his first Muley
This is my Nephews first Big Game animal taken back in 04.I watched this buck for a week and a half and opening morning at about 8:00 he took him.
My 7 year old son, Aaron and grandpa with his first turkey. We gave him a box call and let him do his own calling. Just when we were about to tell him he was calling to much, out came a hen, she was dragging behind her... a nice tom. After about 45 seconds of strutting and gobbling Aaron shot him at 22 yards with a 20ga. The tom has 9" beard, 1 1/4 spurs and 22 lbs. He does shoot a bow, but he is not near ready to harvest big game. He does put a mean stalk on the rabbits in the yard.
Aaron and grandpa again. This was a spot and stalk. 2 shots 2 Squirrels. About 40 yards open sight .22.
My kids are fortunate OR maybe I am. My girls are just getting into Bowhunting (2 of them) & my son has been going with me since he was about 4. This is him on a Caribou hunt at 16-he took TWO good Bulls. I was with him when he took his 1st Whitetail & 1st Buck. This year, I hope to b e with the girls when they take their 1st.
My son's first deer, this past October, 4 months after he got his hunter safety certificate. You need to be 12 years old in Wisconsin.
So many memories on this thread for so many dad's ! BB i'm so sorry about your son's accident, I hope he still has many good days in the outdoors yet to come !
I was with my son and daughter on their first hunt and kill ! Now it's the grandaughters turn ! She just passed her hunter education course and we are headed for the deer woods this fall ! She will shoot a 250-3000 Ruger featherweight M99 rifle ! Same rifle as her dad and aunt used for their first hunt .( the little girl can shoot). I just bought two boxes of shells for the practice range yesterday !
Pat that boy of yours has some serious consintration in his eye ! Pretty good shot also !!
Good luck to all the young hunters on their first hunt !! bearman,
Cody with his first animal with a bow.
My son's first deer at age 12. First time ever bowhunting, just minutes in the stand. Buck was actually walking past as he was getting into the stand.
One more time. This was his reaction when he shot his first one with a gun and I filmed the whole thing. It was really funny because his day started off bad because as we were heading to the treestand on opening day we were almost late becasue he needed to take a crap and ended up poopin in his hood of his jacket. I had to give him mine, but all work out ok. We laugh about it every season. He will turn 18 next week and wants to join the Marines! I am so proud of my son!!
This is Taylor's first buck she is ten .Rifle kill but I stiilcant get the smile off my face.
Woodie
My daughter Lexie is really interested in bowhunting. She came to me and made me sign her up for a bowhunter's education class that we took together. Before that, she had me get her a new compound bow, we got a Diamond Edge just like Jake is using.
She went out turkey hunting with me this year and we got into 3 active roosts opeing morning, and she got to see dad miss a big gobbler at about 14 yards! She turned to me and said, "dad, I would have made that shot". I chuckled and thought to myself, she is probably right.
The only thing she really has said she intends to hunt is antelope, so next fall when she turns 12, I am going to try to find a place to hunt over a waterhole for her (hopefully here in Colorado, but Wyoming is not out of the question).
It has been very rewarding to me to help her, it is just different when it is your own child than helping get a friend introduced.
Here are my kids about 3 years ago or so. They came along to help me get some scouting in, and to clear out the vegetation around the waterhole I've hunted since I first started back in 1985 I believe it was.
We trim down all the saplings between the waterhole and the blind.
I've taken 9 or 10 mule deer mostly bucks, and probably close to that many elk from this spot. Between my dad, myself and the few close friends we have let hunt at this spot, we have probably had well over 500 elk under 40 yards on this waterhole during the years we've hunted it. Oddly, there have been many great bulls, but it seems we have a lot of stories about them but never put a tag on any really great ones.
Last year my son Cooper came along and we cut down all of the saplings in the photo. Aparently some kids have been throwing boards and junk in as well, so we cleaned and fished out all of the junk and trash too.
As you can see, when you kill an elk or a deer at our old reliable spot, it is a real workout getting it packed out- That's my truck back door on the left of the photo :^)
Who says you have to get far back in and away to see elk? I've watched ATV's and Motorcycles ride by, even through the waterhole, and seen Bulls and deer come in a few minutes after they cruised by.
Animals are where you find them. Lessons I'm sure my kids will learn in the next couple of years.
My boy's second archery hunt and first kill. He did it all on his own and I was extremly proud to be present to watch the hunt unfold. I didn't say a word. It is truly amazing the rush and adreniline you feel watching you kids take their first animal. I shed a tear of pride and excitement.
Here is a picture of my two beautiful daughters who love to come along with me as well!!!!! Whitetail hunt last fall........this picture was taken at the begining of the hunt!
this picture was taken 5 minutes after the first....
:)
This is a picture of my daughter and her 1st.
This is my my 10yr old sons 1st. He was 10 years old. He is a friend of PatJr amd Matt's. We wish you luck Matt. Have a good time.
Mabow... beautiful daughter and very handsome son you have. They are definately in the right direction... may you have many more hunts and memories with your children!
Thats good stuff and Great photos!
Rick
This is my step-son Jake with his first Big game animal last winter. He had just gotten his hunter safety course 3 weeks prior. His Mother and myself were both in the blind... It was definately a GREAT Day!
Rick
Here's a picture I always get quite a kick out of when I look at it. My son Cody was along when I took this small Utah buck in the road area of the Bookcliffs. He to this day has a pretty soft stomach and smell really get to him. He even gags brushing his teeth some days. Notice what he's doing.
Take your kids hunting when they are young. You owe it to them.
Have a great bowhunt BB
Hey, Matt...are you ready?!? The hours are ticking away!
C'ya soon my friend!
Matt & Cheryl
When does this hunt start? Did I miss the semi-live feature article?
This is my son, Ethan at the Alabama State Shoot when he was about 18 months. His first 3D shoot.
Watts
Here he is again at 2 helping me on Mathews Man's mountain lion base.
Watts
Here he is at four showing his form. I commonly refer to him as my "Robertson Stykboy."
Watts
And here he is with his first bowkill at 4 years old. Don't know who was prouder.
Watts
He is how I got my handle! A BOWhunter's DAD.
Preparations were endless. Got him lessons on how to shoot at the proshop where we bought his first bow at 10 yrs of age.
A friend took him in tow at a 3D range for months before his first hunting season.
Bowhunter Ed course was also on the menu.
He was a member of the United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania before I was.
I'm proud to say He's got more ethics than anybody I know !
My son Hayden age 13, went to Texas with me last week. He has never had any interest in hunting, but decided to give it a try. He took this boar on the second morning and was more excited than I ever thought he would be. Hog hunts are alot of fun, and if your kids are on the fence, its a great way to introduce them to hunting.
In 1980, a 15 year old kid I knew saved up his money from his grocery sacking job and bought a brand new Browning Cobra he had read about in Outdoor Life. He got a few Easton Gamegetters and Bear Razorheads too.All this came from a sporting goods store far away as that was the only way to get that stuff then.
Although his family had rifle hunted all their lives, they privately thought the kid was wasting his time practicing with the bow and that he would be lucky to get a rabbit with it. He had to first beg his Daddy and then the owner of their East Texas deer lease to even be able to hunt deer when October came. They only allowed it because, again, they thought there was no real chance the boy could get close enough to even shoot at a deer(portable treestands were unheard of then).
One early October morning the boy saw some whitetail does feeding towards him through the trees about 100 yards out. He simply stepped into a blown down tree and waited. Sure enough, a fat doe fed up within 15 yards of him and when she went behind a big oak tree, he drew his bow. When she came out he launched an arrow and watched it disappear behind her shoulder. She kicked and ran off into a cane thicket.The boy was stunned.
He ran back to camp and excitedly told his Daddy and their friends what had happened. When they took up the trail, it was his Daddy who found the doe about 50 yards into the canebrake. As he drug it out his Daddy had tears of pride flowing down his cheeks.The men cut a pole and hauled the deer out on it. The boy was hauled out on his Daddy's shoulders. The boy had never been so happy and only has been a few times since.
Yeah, the kid was me.
That, my friends, is what hunting is all about.
Thanks for letting me share.
My Son Mateo Lewis with his first squirrel. He often accompanies me when predator hunting, he handles the digital foxcaller and acts as a spotter. He just received his first rifle, a cricket model 230.
Cheers
My son had several close calls, and finally managed to sneak up on this whitetail doe the last day we could hunt this year. Amazing how my heart was pounding as I watched over his shoulder while he got in good range, waited for the deer to put her head down, drew, and (after an eternity for me) let the arrow go.
We've spent several years shooting 3D together, just the two of us at the local shoots. I knew when he got close this would be a chip shot for him, because of our experience at the shoots.
