Age to take son on out of archery elk hu
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: The dream
18-Mar-20
I want to take my son on an elk hunt with me in the near future. Next year or maybe later. He's 8 now and pretty fit. Would anyone here take a 9 year old on out of state elk hunt. Spending multiple days overnight.
From: wyliecoyote
18-Mar-20
Be the greatest memory of his life!!
Joe
From: Glunt@work
18-Mar-20
I started going at 10 and treasure those memories. I couldn't hunt the first few years but tagging along, tending the fire, helping take care of game, squirrel patrol, etc was a blast.
From: YZF-88
18-Mar-20
I took my 11 year old to Idaho last year. It was awesome. Snuck into a herd and almost got it done. Just the spike camping part was fun. The hiking not so much. He wants to do it again so mission accomplished.
From: Ucsdryder
18-Mar-20
Every kid is different. I have pictures of myself at age 6 on a horse deer hunting deep in the back country. My daughter is 8 and I plan on trying this year on a car camping elk hunt. I think it’s too early for her but she really wants to go. We will see!
From: cnelk
18-Mar-20
Take him but with limits. Don’t want to burn him out.
I took my son when he wasn’t very old. His little steps were about 3 to mine. :)
But there are plenty of positive things that will come from it. Take pics!
From: cnelk
18-Mar-20
Now I have trouble keeping up with him!
From: JohnMC
18-Mar-20
I would not do it as a backpack hunt. But if camping at truck and you are cool with it being more laid back than the average elk hunt I am sure it would be a great experience. I been taking my daughter who is now 17 for a number of years. The climbing up hills will slow the little short legs down a lot more than flat ground will. Just be ok with it being a less intense hunt and you both will have fun.
From: Bowboy
18-Mar-20
Yeah Brad but he probably packs well:)
From: Outdoordan
18-Mar-20
My best hunting partner muley hunting with me age 8.
From: Treeline
18-Mar-20
Absolutely take him! I started taking my boy in a backpack at 2. Lots of great memories along the way over the next 19 years in the elk woods.
From: Ucsdryder
18-Mar-20
I should add. Lots of good hunts to start them early. My daughter was antelope hunting with me at age 5. It was a short trip. Haha. At age 7 she was all over it.
From: cnelk
18-Mar-20
@ Bowboy - yeah he packs well. :)
From: DanaC
18-Mar-20
I'm thinking that a few shorter trips might be in order, see how he handles it all. An over-nighter or two, closer to home but just far enough.
From: MichaelArnette
18-Mar-20
Yes take him! Maybe as a spectator. Kids need to have something to look forward to and anticipate in my opinion I definitely wouldn’t plan on filling that tag though
From: splitlimb13
18-Mar-20
From: OFFHNTN
18-Mar-20
As stated, it depends on the kid, but yes take him, but don't drive him into the ground. lol. I think a lot also depends on where the kid lives. Meaning, if they are used to playing, hiking, and hoofing it up and down the mountains, going with on a hunting trip probably won't be much different. I don't believe my son who will be 14 soon, is ready for that. We live at 900', and everything is flat as a pancake (ask Scoot). :). I don't think he has been ready to do a mountain hunt and I don't believe he would like the exertion involved, yet. He loves his whitetail and turkey hunting, and I am taking him antelope hunting this fall, followed by a mule deer hunt either this fall or next, then onto elk. To each their own, read the kid and keep it fun, we will need them in the future! Good luck!
From: The dream
18-Mar-20
Thanks everyone. My wife is really stearing me to take him but I can be a little hard core at times. Also it's a 20 hour drive 1 way and I don't ever like to give up.
From: ElkNut1
18-Mar-20
Chad, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but only if he is chomping at the bit in wanting to go! If this is mostly your idea & he's sorta OK with it but has reservations then no he's not ready for such a trip.
Each kid is different no matter how much we want them to be just like us. My oldest Son (42) was the type of kid that wanted to be by my side no matter what, work or play, it was just how he was. He was by my side on tons of hunts & packed into a lake with me for 3 days on a freaking brutal hike on a fishing trip when he was 5, he just flat wanted to be there & still hunts with me till this day when he can.
My youngest Son could care less about being with me, he just wasn't that kind of kid even though I wanted him to be. I took him elk hunting 3 times, he killed two bulls & said he didn't like it & didn't want to go anymore. I supported his decision then & still do today. ( he's 38)
Point is don't drag him along for your sake, make sure he's as excited as you are & you two will have an awesome time together building memories!
ElkNut/Paul
From: Rgiesey
18-Mar-20
Took my kids a lot. Took my youngest son when he was 10. Long drive and hard hunting. Kept up and no negative. Elk hunt in the bighorns. He’s possessed now.
From: Monarchcx
18-Mar-20
So long as he can follow directions I'd say he can go at any age. You just have to accept that you may never see an elk.
From: Leatherneckgrandpa
18-Mar-20
Take him, take him, take him. (Or, her.) I have 2 sons, one now 50, other other 45. I used to take them with me, elk hunting, starting when they were 7. The boy would carry his small recurve and a few rabbit arrows. The only problem was, I could hear bugling bulls just over the ridge, and about that time, we would get into a mess of grouse or jump a snowshoe hare or a pine squirrel. OK, put those elk on hold and go chase grouse or rabbits. More than once - true story - we were chasing lil animals round and round, and I could hear those elk getting farther and farther away.
Best times of my life.
Today, those 2 boys are top of the food chain, apex predators. Killin' machines (when they really want to be.) And now, they're takin' their kids out.
From: bentshaft
19-Mar-20
If you make it about him and not about getting an elk, it'll probably be fine. If you push him you'll push him away from hunting. As already said, at times it'll be more important to explore small game in sight than chase elk.
From: LINK
19-Mar-20
I imagine every kid and every hunt is different. My oldest daughter is almost 11, she’s fit and built for endurance. That said I don’t think she could handle the grind of my typical elk hunt with 8-10 mile days above 9800’ I’ll probably take her on a short 3 day stint when she’s 12 and see how she does. Most likely I’ll tone it down a bit even if that means not finding elk.
From: shakey
19-Mar-20
I took my son for the first time at age 10, poor guy got food poisoning from McDonald’s milkshake. Spent the first three days vomiting and craping. His saying after that trip is “ windfalls suck and never trust a fart!”
From: splitlimb13
19-Mar-20
Here he is a now . Still wears the same smile.
Here he is a now . Still wears the same smile.
Baby girl first hunt
Baby girl first hunt
My son was 8 first time he got on his horse and went with me . Mom wasn't to happy 13 miles to camp on horseback but totally worth it. He's a great hunter and best partner I could ask for. My daughter went on her first pronghorn hunt with me and Mom at 9 months.
From: The dream
19-Mar-20
It's great to hear the comments on this topic I appreciate it.
From: cnelk
19-Mar-20
Back in 2008, my buddy and I took our boys [ his 3 and my 1] archery elk hunting opening weekend.
OMG, what a time we had. Every stone, stick we came across was picked up and thrown. Peeing on trees, giggles and trying to keep them quiet.
Not an elk was seen, but the memory will last forever. Priceless
From: ElkNut1
19-Mar-20
Great photo! Those boys look like they grew up right, hope they still enjoy a good elk hunt with good friends.
ElkNut/Paul
From: badbull
19-Mar-20
I like what ElkNut1, cnelk, and others posted. I took my oldest boy bowhunting at about 7 and elk bowhunting as a shooter at 14. For us elk hunting was a lot more challenging than other hunting for him at that age but there are still a lot of bonuses also. I have 2 sons that I have taken bowhunting every year for the last 45 years and the bonds and experiences have no equal. As usual, the bowsite hunters above give some good insights. In my opinion, if you go with realistic expectations you both will have a great time. Good hunting to you..........Bob
From: FORESTBOWS
20-Mar-20
Every kid is different
From: LUNG$HOT
20-Mar-20
Yes absolutely take him! Took my son on his first elk hunt at 9 yrs old. We were there for several days (8 I think) and had a ball! He kept up like a champ and honestly surprised me with his resilience!
From: Deerbun
20-Mar-20
Wow! 9 month is the record here. I think,, I'll take my children with me after their 12, I think it's the perfect age for such trips!
From: Deerbun
20-Mar-20
Wow! 9 month is the record here. I think,, I'll take my children with me after their 12, I think it's the perfect age for such trips!
From: LINK
20-Mar-20
He might not go again until he’s 5, lol. He’s too active now.
He might not go again until he’s 5, lol. He’s too active now.
Not trying to be a one upper.;) If we are talking animals other than elk, I took my son when I killed my buck in 2018. He was under 3 months old and he slept through it. The women all went to a movie so we had to do some guy stuff, lol.
From: APauls
20-Mar-20
If you're a results driven hard core hunter, hunting or fishing with kids will be a different activity than hunting/fishing by yourself. That's the way I've had to look at it. After that preposition is made, it's awesome.
I don't seem to think like most parents my age, but I don't give my daughter too much choice in the matter, but I do make sure it will be fun. I don't believe in having kids run your life. That being said, if it's something they'll obviously hate, I wouldn't push them into it. But I know my daughter will love it when we do things. If I give her the choice, she might not go. Tomorrow, for instance, we will be going fishing. I don't ask her if she wants to go fishing. If we stay at home (we don't allow much TV) she will be bored, and we will all have to find ways to fill the time. So I tell her today: "Hey Sweetie, tomorrow you and daddy are going fishing!" And I make sure to bring snacks and we won't be leaving at 5:30am but it will be fun. Hunting is same deal. I even debated taking her on a fly-in moose trip. She was so bummed she couldn't come.
From: grizzly
20-Mar-20
Took my two daughters along one day whitetail hunting. I was in a treestand with the bow, both girls were on the ground sitting by separate trees. Each decked out in camo clothes and paint. I would nod to the first one, she would rattle the horns together for ten seconds. Then she would look at her sister who would blow the grunt call a couple of times. It was a hoot to watch the calling team in action. Went pretty good until one of 'em had to pee. A long lasting memory that they still talk about. They were around 8-9 at the time. When the oldest one was twelve, she took a cow elk off a water hole with her bow. A proud papa that day. They dont hunt anymore but there husbands do and i'm working on the grandkids slowly. Its good to get them involved and away from facebook etc for a change. They need to know there is more to life.
From: shakey
20-Mar-20
I haven’t killed or harvested a ton of animals but I get the most out of hunts when I see someone ( newbies) shoot something! I’ve been there for most of the people I care about first critter. Take your kids, listen to the excitement in their voice and actions! It is us passing down the passion for what we love. My sons first buck and my daughters!
From: shakey
20-Mar-20
My sons!
From: shakey
20-Mar-20
Son’s first bull
Son’s first bull
They have moved on to bigger and better things
From: shakey
20-Mar-20
Daughters California buck!
From: Ermine
21-Mar-20
My dad would take me elk hunting when I was 4. I still remember it to this day. And I’m hooked on hunting. I took my daughter out a few times when she was 4. The experience is awesome.
An 9 year old? Heck yea you should
From: LWood
22-Mar-20
Colorado Elk 2018-
My older son (14) was hunting and youngest (10) came for fun. Both had a blast. Colorado is a great out of state hunt for youth, the youth tags are cheap.
From: svrelk
23-Mar-20
Never killed a cow before..but when he said shoot it... Well
Never killed a cow before..but when he said shoot it... Well
Started taking my son Lance after elk with me at 7.. if yours once to go take him. Just be realistic and KEEP IT FUN! the trip needs to be about the overall experience, not getting a kill... But good things can happen.. enjoy
From: wyelkhunter
23-Mar-20
Taking kids hunting is the best memory of my life!
Taking kids hunting is the best memory of my life!
I took my son and daughter, and their two friends a number of years ago. My son has gone with me and turned into a great archery hunter and has taken a bear, elk, turkey and lots of deer and he is only a senior in high school. Start early and you will have a hunting partner for life!!
