My most successful hunt!

[ga2akwild]

No there are no pics and we didnt get an animal to enjoy at the table. On a shortened hunt up the elliot for small game, my eight year old grew up in front of me. We saw a bunch of ptarmi tracks, saw two(he just missed one with his 22), and chased a fox for about an hour. I thought he would be upset he didnt get anything. Well to my suprise he told me that he had the best time he ever had tracking that fox and that even though we didnt get him or the birds that the chase and that being outdoors with his dad was more important and cant wait to get back out there. This was only his 4th hunt!! Needless to say I was speechless and more proud than the day he took his first grouse. He has the "bug", now I just got to get the other three on board.

[ThatGuy]

Originally Posted by ga2akwild

No there are no pics and we didnt get an animal to enjoy at the table. On a shortened hunt up the elliot for small game, my eight year old grew up in front of me. We saw a bunch of ptarmi tracks, saw two(he just missed one with his 22), and chased a fox for about an hour. I thought he would be upset he didnt get anything. Well to my suprise he told me that he had the best time he ever had tracking that fox and that even though we didnt get him or the birds that the chase and that being outdoors with his dad was more important and cant wait to get back out there. This was only his 4th hunt!! Needless to say I was speechless and more proud than the day he took his first grouse. He has the "bug", now I just got to get the other three on board.

Sounds like a great time! Being new to the "game" myself I have been skunked then I'd like to admit but just being out there is whats its all about. My son is only two so my dog is my pal for now.

[Cast&Blast]

Give me one day like the one you mentioned, rather than a lifetime of good days at work, any day.

I believe your boy will tell stories of chasing that fox to his boy's boys.

........priceless

[AKsoldier]

Sounds like you have succeeded in teaching your son the most important lesson in hunting - enjoyment of the outdoors simply for the sake of being there. It's important to learn that, instead of focusing on making the kill. I hope you have many more trips with your son, and may you get one next time.

[BakInAlaska]

There is nothing in life better than watching your kids grow before your eye's.

I took my three boys up hunting at our cabin off the old Edgerton Highway last Sunday and while we didn't catch anything they had a fantastic day walking through the woods and learning to track. We still need to work on the whole lets be very very quiet with the 4 year old but needless to say anytime in the woods beats worthless time spent in front of the TV!

Any Dad that gets his kids outside hunting is OK in my book.

Jeff

[akeman]

I also had a similar experience recently. my daughter decided she wanted to go bunny hunting and got her first one. we spent 2 days walking around in the woods learning about what type of tracks are what, learning not just how to safely handle a firearm while standing or sitting at the range but how to safely handle one while walking through the woods. granted the attention span is a little shorter than I would like the experience is priceless

I hope we all have, or make as the case may be, many more opportunities with our children such as this.