What age?

[ctom87]

What age is appropriate for your kid's first hunt? I was thinking about doing a trip to a NF opening weekend with the little guy. No pressure, just camping, sleeping in until he wakes up (usually 7 am) and not going too far from camp. Just test the waters a bit. Wife believes a lease is a waste of money until age 5 to 8 depending on maturity. Husband is known to wear rose tinted glasses and live with head in clouds. What say the GS?

Opening weekend he would be a month from 3. Also want to reiterate, very low expectations.

[Big pig]

I was in the blind at 5
And my daughter was lethal by 6
But all kids are different.

I suggest a state park camping fishing trip and/or a casual dove hunt.
Until he wants to go deer hunting with you.
Just my opinion

BP

[Passthrough]

Every kid is different. My kids killed deer at 6 and 7 YO. One son and one daughter.

[SmTx]

I'm childless but I'd nix the 3 year old on public land opening weekend.

[Javelin]

I can remember being very young going to the lease with my parents. I don’t remember ever not going. I killed my first deer at 8, but by that time I had been hunting small came for years. I was deer hunting in a tree lounge climber alone by 11

[ctom87]

I'm childless but I'd nix the 3 year old on public land opening weekend.

Good point. To clarify, archery opening weekend. I did DCNF a few years ago and had the place to myself on opening weekend. Maybe it was luck.

[Czechfish]

When they were potty trained was my rule.

[Aggiebush]

My sons first hunt was sitting in the deer stand with me on opening morning of deer season shortly after he had turned 3. Didn't see much, but the memories will last forever.