Hunting with Kids

Taking the kids out hunting is a whole different kettle of fish. There's a couple of deadset crucial things to remember. First up, it's all about the little tackers, not you. Second, no matter how grown-up you reckon a kid is, they don't have an adult's way of thinking. Let's yarn about the first point; it's the one that takes a bit to get your head around. There's nothing worse than telling a nipper to toughen up when they're freezing, sweating bullets, bored stiff or whatever. I'll share some personal yarns about how this goes down and might be a bit of a sacrifice for you, but it'll pay off big time later on. Me and my boy Epi went out for a fish one arvo in autumn; we drove an hour to the lake, put the boat in, and started fishing. Epi was about seven, and 15 minutes on the drink he got bored. I chucked him some tucker and crossed my fingers. But not long after, he reckons he wants to bail. So, I swung the boat around, packed her up and we shot through. He's still keen as mustard on fishing. Here's another one from just last year, we got up at sparrow's fart and made tracks for the deer stand. We snuck into the bush and climbed up the stand just as it was getting light. We'd barely been there a tick and he starts wriggling about, which I thought was a bit how ya going since he's been deer hunting heaps before. He says he's just not up for it this morning. So, no worries, we nicked off home. He's just told me the other day that he's stoked for the deer season this year. If I'd made him stick it out, he might've chucked in the towel on deer hunting for a good while. If you're keen as to make sure your kid never wants to hunt again, just force them to stay out in the bush when they're not in the mood.

Kids don't reckon like grown-ups. I've gotta remind meself of this all the time. I've been hunting with Epi for 11 years, so I sometimes forget he's just a nipper. He's obsessed with rabbit hunting and once he spots the rabbit his whole attention is on bagging the bunny. He gets cheesed off with me always asking 'is your safety on', or 'watch where the barrel's pointing' and stuff like that. I still won't let him stray too far from me when we're hunting. If we have guests on our hunts I stick right by him the whole trip. He's starting to get a bit cocky and thinks he knows more than he actually does. This past trapping season on the first day we were setting up a creek for coon and beaver. I warned Epi that the creek can get pretty deep and to stick close by. I began making a set and he decided to wander down the bank to a beaver slide. I shouted at him to stop and come back to where I was. As soon as I said that he stepped into a hole and went in up to his chest, filling his waders with icy November water. I reached him in a couple of big strides and yanked his arse out and chucked him on the bank. I stripped him off and got him in the ute to warm up. Needless to say, our day was done. I asked him why he went where I told him not to. He just reckoned it looked like a dead cert for catching a beaver. Kid logic, he didn't think about anything else, just nabbing a beaver. They don't consider the consequences. I don't care how clever they are, how much they read. Kids don't have the life smarts to make solid choices in the bush, or anywhere else for that matter. You've always gotta remember this. It's our duty to keep them safe.

Two years ago we were rabbit hunting with our dogs when a winter storm came through. The wind was strong and it started sleeting. We'd only been hunting for a bit and the dogs were chasing a rabbit. I kept asking Epi if he was alright, he'd just give me a thumbs up. Every time I looked over at him he'd just smile. Finally, out of the corner of my eye, I saw him shivering. I asked him again if he was alright, this time I could see his cheeks looking pretty cold. Again, he said he was alright. I looked at him and told him I was pretty cold and getting peckish. I wasn't, but I knew if it was my idea to knock off he'd be alright with it. He looked at me and said, 'Since you're cold we should head in.' I could see the relief on his face. As they get older you've got to be the one that needs to call it quits or head in. This helps them keep their dignity. They don't want you to be disappointed in them. Speaking of cold, I don't skimp when it comes to kitting out the lad. Even though I know he's going to outgrow his boots and clothes by next season, I make sure he's well equipped with gear that fits him and is right for the conditions we're in. We've all been on hunts in our lives with the wrong gear; it makes for a miserable trip. Don't put a kid through that. Let them experience that when they're grown and do it to themselves.

At what age should we let 'em handle a firearm? There's no single answer to that. It's all up to the kid. The training they've had, and how well they pay attention. I know some blokes who shouldn't be allowed to carry a firearm in the bush. In my case, my kids have grown up around firearms and shooting. They all learned to respect a gun from a young age. I started by letting Epi carry an unloaded air rifle while hunting when he was five. I tried to teach him how to hold it in the field, to always be mindful of where the barrel's pointing. I'd always tell him to act as if it was about to go off any tick of the clock. When he was seven, I got him a Rossi Mini, 410 single shot. He carried that unloaded for a few years. If a bunny was heading his way, I'd load it and cock it for him and help him aim. I did this until he was 10. At 10, I gave him a Stoeger over under 20 gauge. This was a big deal for me because an over under's got no hammer, so the gun's ready to fire as soon as you snap it shut. That first year was pretty stressful for me. I know it's got a safety, but I never trust any safety. This year I got him a Remington 870 20 gauge. We shoot heaps of clay pigeons in the off season to sharpen our skills.

Here are me suggestions on firearms and kids. The single shot 410 is light and easy to carry. However, being so small and light, it packs quite a kick for a little kid. A single shot has a hammer that's hard for them to pull back. It'll smack 'em in the face on the recoil if they don't hold it right. If a shot can't be made they have to release the hammer. I've seen the hammer slip off a child's thumb and fire the gun. Lucky it was pointed down and out. The over under didn't have a hammer, just the safety and I've already gone over that. The downside of the over under was that we couldn't put a sling on it. We could never find a good way to attach the sling to the front of the gun where it would stay and be comfortable. Speaking of slings, put a sling on your rabbit guns. This will help your kid heaps. I don't care how light the firearm, it gets heavy after a while, and when it gets heavy things start going downhill. This leads me to the last point on this matter. Make sure your firearm has a sling and is comfy, 'cause by the end of the day you'll be carrying your gun and theirs. Not to mention all the rabbits and every deer skull, cow skull, deer shed, turtle shell, fossil rock and turkey feather in the country. Epi's got his own little natural history museum in his room. All collected while hunting, and lugged back to the truck by yours truly.

Kids love to eat every 10 minutes, make sure you're prepared. That means you have more food and drinks in the ute than most grocery stores. At the beginning of the season I take Epi to Wally World and let him do some shopping. He picks out what snacks are going in the ute and what drinks he wants; it's all part of the experience. October to March if you get peckish just find my ute and it will have enough snack cakes, chips and jerky sticks in it to keep you going for a while. There will be a cooler in the back full of bottled water and soft drink too. What goes in must come out, be prepared for this as well. Toilet paper and wet wipes are a good thing to have. When he was younger, extra clothes were also brought, including an extra coat. I also always have dozens of jersey gloves in my ute, nothing worse than cold hands. The one thing not allowed, is any kind of electronic device. I take my phone, and that's it. Epi knows where to find my phone in case of an emergency. Although most places we hunt we can't get a signal.

That brings us to what happens in case of an emergency. One of my biggest fears is something happening to me, and Epi would be stranded out in the middle of woop woop all by himself. It’s not an easy subject, but teach them what to do, or show them where to go if something happens to you. Last year I taught Epi how to drive my ute well enough to get to safety if need be (he’s 13 now). I always tell him where to go in case of an emergency. I tell him my keys are in my right pocket and the phone is in my chest pocket. And that if anything happens to me, you just get yourself to safety. As he gets older it’s not as big of a concern as it was when he was a little bloke. I learned years ago when trapping, to always let someone know where you’re headed and when you should be home. Miss Kim is sure good at keeping track of me, especially when her little one is with me. One minute past the time I say, and that phone is ringing.

When you're out hunting with a kid, it's not just about bagging something, it's about the young one. It's the time they spend with you. It's the whole experience of the day. We've got our traditions, starting with the shopping trip the day before. Then the morning of the hunt Epi will help make our sangers for lunch, he'll fix me a coffee in a travel mug. He gets the dogs from the kennel while I strap on the e-collars and load 'em up. We always stop to grab a brekkie on the go in one of the towns on the way. When we head back, we stop and have a feed at the same bloody place every time. These little things are all part of creating memories.

I'm gonna leave ya with one last yarn. In 2010 Epi and I shot through to Western Kansas and bunked down in a cabin. We were gonna meet up with two other Beaglers and hunt for 4 days. The hunting conditions were tough, really dry, unseasonably hot and bloody windy. The other two beaglers nicked off after the first day. Epi and I stuck it out the full four days. The first day Epi bagged his first bunny ever, did it all on his own. That was the only bunny we got the whole trip. Oh we did a bit of hunting, but mostly we just drove around having a squiz at the countryside, walking around the lake or just hanging about at the cabin. To this day Epi will tell ya it was the best hunting trip he's ever had. It was also one of the best I've ever had. I used to guide hunts, and now and then people ask why I gave it up. I tell 'em, 'cause I'd rather hunt with me kids than get paid to hunt with a stranger. Epi and I hunt every weekend during the season. We spend all of Thanksgiving and Christmas break hunting and trapping. Me oldest son Jacob even joins us sometimes. Get your kids out there folks; make some memories for them, and for you. Take every chance you can to spend time with them, 'cause in a blink they'll be grown and gone. I hope when I'm cactus me boys will take their boys hunting, and tell 'em how their grandad used to take them hunting with him. I hope they pass on all I taught 'em. And always remember the times we spent together out in the bush.