Advice needed

[TXHUNT3R]

My son who is 3 1/2 years old is having a problem with me killing animals.

Back story.... I just moved to the Hempstead from Woodlands so country life is new to him (not me a I grew up in it)

He has been around a few dead deer and hogs that I have brought back to the house from hunting since he was about 1yo and never really had a problem because he was young and didn't understand. He would always say don't wake them up, they are sleeping.

This past deer season he was sitting with me when I shot a buck this was his first hunting experience (3yrs old), at first he said cool but then realized it was dead and said why did you kill my friend? I told him it was not to be mean but we eat animals and deer are yummy and good for us. So he went along with this.

Since then he has gotten worse, anytime I shoot a squirrel / rabbit / hog. He freaks about me killing his "friends". I shot a cotton tail last night with him not around but he heard the shot and came out to see. Oh man, when he saw that rabbit laid out, freak out time.


My question is, how can I teach him that I am not being "mean" or "killing his friends". I don't want him to have a bad view about hunting.

Did I expose him to hunting to early?

[Split Arrow]

Tough spot... I guess my advice is to not kill anything unless you intend to eat it...

[TXHUNT3R]

Tough spot... I guess my advice is to not kill anything unless you intend to eat it...

Agree, and I do

Well with the exception of coons at night.. but he doesn't know about those

[systemnt]

He's getting indoctrinated by the movies/stories he watches/reads where the animals are humanfied (given human characteristics).
No real advice here, but I can't help but think that spending more time in the woods with him, even if its just walking, might help with that..
Good luck

[MKH]

I remember being that kid... I named a steer that ended up on the dinner table. My parents had to talk to me about what is a pet and what is food, and where food comes from. My parents said it took about a year to grow out of.

[TXHUNT3R]

I remember being that kid... I named a steer that ended up on the dinner table. My parents had to talk to me about what is a pet and what is food, and where food comes from. My parents said it took about a year to grow out of.

That might be an angle I could try, there are pets and there is food.

[txpitdog]

Here's what I did with my kids, who are 7, 5, and 3. I sort of had the opposite problem...they wanted me to kill everything in sight, mainly because they love venison and wild pork and rabbit and on and on.

I made up a character called Hunter Joe (like the hunter in the movie Open Season) and told them a story about how all he did was kill the animals and leave them and laugh about it and kill more. He killed for the fun of killing, not to eat the meat. He did it so much that he ran out of animals to kill and one day when he was hungry there weren't even any animals left to hunt for food. Then he regretted what he'd done and quit killing them just to kill. Slowly the animals came back, and Hunter Joe learned to appreciate them and only killed what he could eat.

Basically I tried to first teach them that we don't laugh about killing, second that we only kill animals to eat them, and third introduce them to hunting as a form of wildlife conservation. I've told it to them many times and they've all got it. May not work for your little guy, but it worked for my kids.

Also, definitely teach him that the only time you are going to kill something is when you intend to eat it. I also make it a point to show my kids that I enjoy watching deer and other animals even without doing it to hunt them.

I don't think there's a one size fits all answer for ya, but I hope this helps.

[az2tx]

it sounds like he has seen too much disney stuff, he will probably out grow it.
might also want to try the national geo channel

[TXHUNT3R]

Here's what I did with my kids, who are 7, 5, and 3. I sort of had the opposite problem...they wanted me to kill everything in sight, mainly because they love venison and wild pork and rabbit and on and on.

I made up a character called Hunter Joe (like the hunter in the movie Open Season) and told them a story about how all he did was kill the animals and leave them and laugh about it and kill more. He killed for the fun of killing, not to eat the meat. He did it so much that he ran out of animals to kill and one day when he was hungry there weren't even any animals left to hunt for food. Then he regretted what he'd done and quit killing them just to kill. Slowly the animals came back, and Hunter Joe learned to appreciate them and only killed what he could eat.

Basically I tried to first teach them that we don't laugh about killing, second that we only kill animals to eat them, and third introduce them to hunting as a form of wildlife conservation. I've told it to them many times and they've all got it. May not work for your little guy, but it worked for my kids.

Also, definitely teach him that the only time you are going to kill something is when you intend to eat it. I also make it a point to show my kids that I enjoy watching deer and other animals even without doing it to hunt them.

I don't think there's a one size fits all answer for ya, but I hope this helps.

Love that idea about "open season", he loves that movie!

Thanks for your advice!

[Kdog]

I would simply tell him it is a wild animal, not his friend. You could also show him how you take care of the meat. I personally would try not make too big of a deal about it even if he does. He is still very young, maybe even lay off having dead animals around him for a while he will probably forget about it. That would be your choice though.

Is there someone else that could be putting these anti-hunting ideas in his head? (mom, grandma, aunt cousin etc.)

Does he have a dog? Maybe get him a dog to be his friend.

[MKH]

That might be an angle I could try, there are pets and there is food.

Yes, they went through all the animals at the house and explained pretty much that we eat everything but the dog, cats, parakeet, and each other, but the turkeys, quail, doves, chickens, hogs, fish, deer, and cattle were food, and then they would get me in the kitchen to cook with them. My dad also continued to keep me outdoors, and take me with him hunting and fishing, so I came around. It didn't help that my brother tortured me every time we ate beef and said we were eating my pet!

[SouthTX1911]

There are some great ideas here. I would just be patient and understanding and keep exposing him more and more, as it seems you are doing. He will probably grow out of it especially if he is around it a lot.

[TXHUNT3R]

I would simply tell him it is a wild animal, not his friend. You could also show him how you take care of the meat. I personally would try not make too big of a deal about it even if he does. He is still very young, maybe even lay off having dead animals around him for a while he will probably forget about it. That would be your choice though.

Is there someone else that could be putting these anti-hunting ideas in his head? (mom, grandma, aunt cousin etc.)

Does he have a dog? Maybe get him a dog to be his friend.

The only anti hunting / killing message he could be getting is through cartoons / movies.

No dog right now but soon when our house is completed (building right now). I like the dog idea, thanks!

[TXHUNT3R]

Yes, they went through all the animals at the house and explained pretty much that we eat everything but the dog, cats, parakeet, and each other, but the turkeys, quail, doves, chickens, hogs, fish, deer, and cattle were food, and then they would get me in the kitchen to cook with them. My dad also continued to keep me outdoors, and take me with him hunting and fishing, so I came around. It didn't help that my brother tortured me every time we ate beef and said we were eating my pet!

Had to laugh at the brother messing with you... lol


Great ideas though

[Michael]

Here's what I did with my kids, who are 7, 5, and 3. I sort of had the opposite problem...they wanted me to kill everything in sight, mainly because they love venison and wild pork and rabbit and on and on.

I made up a character called Hunter Joe (like the hunter in the movie Open Season) and told them a story about how all he did was kill the animals and leave them and laugh about it and kill more. He killed for the fun of killing, not to eat the meat. He did it so much that he ran out of animals to kill and one day when he was hungry there weren't even any animals left to hunt for food. Then he regretted what he'd done and quit killing them just to kill. Slowly the animals came back, and Hunter Joe learned to appreciate them and only killed what he could eat.

Basically I tried to first teach them that we don't laugh about killing, second that we only kill animals to eat them, and third introduce them to hunting as a form of wildlife conservation. I've told it to them many times and they've all got it. May not work for your little guy, but it worked for my kids.

Also, definitely teach him that the only time you are going to kill something is when you intend to eat it. I also make it a point to show my kids that I enjoy watching deer and other animals even without doing it to hunt them.

I don't think there's a one size fits all answer for ya, but I hope this helps.

Excellent!