Getting Daughters Into Hunting

My son, 7 years old, has always loved the outdoors, always loves to go hunting and fishing with me, and absolutely can't wait until he can get his own hunting license and enjoy our favorite past-time.

I'll have to admit, I've been a tad old fashioned ("tad" is an understatement) in that I've never promoted my daughters to hunt with me, I have twin 10 year old daughters, and a two year old. I fear one ten year old may be too far gone to bring into the sport (although you never know), but the other 10 year old really enjoys getting out in the woods, going for walks, learning about nature and animals, and even terribly loves fishing.

Recently, I bought my son his first BB gun, a Daisy Red Ryder anniversary edition - the first gun I ever owned as well. My son was more interested unfortunately in his new Tablet he got for Christmas instead, so my outdoorsy daughter went shooting with me. To my astonishment, or amazement (whatever you may call it); she was a crack shot, a natural so to speak! I tried her on my .22 - and still, a crack shot, right on target! That got me to thinking - why did I never encourage the outdoors to my 10 year old girls!

That being said and all history aside - what suggestions can be offered to help bring my daughters into the sport? I've got one teetering on the fence, one that is a 10% chance she'll ever even enter the outdoors, but I've got a fresh one -- a fresh mind ready to bend and sway (that sounds evil in a way I suppose).

Ultimately - since I was talking about the hunting camp a few weeks ago - we'd like our hunting camp to be a family camp, with my brother-in-law's son being the first of our offspring joining the camp as a junior member this year, his daughter, and my twins will be next in line. Sure there'll be other "members" there, but in the end; it's our family traditions we'd like to pass on.

My 16 year old boy has no interest (probably because I only got into guns a year or so ago), but my 10 yr old daughter goes all the time. Crack shot with Savage .22 youth I got her for Christmas. Wails away with the 10/22, bit squeamish of killing grouse, but 1^st to line up and eat them and rabbits. Bugged me way too much during rifle hunt to go with me. She openly says she wants to shoot a deer. Get a lot of raised eyebrows for those comments, and had to explain to school about the .22… Then told them to pound salt. Take her often and developing shooting skills. Trying to avoid messy kills, as she is ready (in her mind), but I don’t want to push her away as well. We plink in the basement with Crossman BB gun into cardboard box filled with Styrofoam and paper. Keep it up, she will find boys soon and be ready to defend herself as well. Got her some pink camo pants and shirt in the fall and she followed me all over Marborough Forest, great fun and outdoors.

Two teenage girls here. One is now 20, the other 16.

Both girls enjoy the outdoors. Both started fishing really young, both enjoy camping. The youngest is the girly girl, into clothes, makeup, gymnastics, cheer, all things girl. The oldest, the tom boy. Both enjoy archery. Each have had their own bows for a number of years.

When it comes to "roughing" it, my youngest (the girly girl) enjoys it, but wants her comforts. It was a few years before I could convince her to use a thunder box.

Of the two, my eldest has no interest in hunting, my youngest has surprised me and more than once has mentioned to like to get her licenses and go. Surprised the bejuses out of me, I didn't see that coming.

Girls require some extra care and thought. They are built differently than boys, get edgy and squirmy when nature calls. Also might run into other natural things than have a big impact on you/her, her enjoyment if stuck in the field/blind for a handful of hours. They also have a harder time getting clothing that fits.

Be mindful of their differences, make intitial outings short and fun.

Attachment 24175Here she is on Christmas morning with .22, the first thing she did when she took it out of the box was a safety check. Proud papa moment, she can recite ACT and Prove and the gun was only $169.00

My young fella is 9. I bought a Henry Mini Bolt ($200 at Lebaron) for him. He has taken to the Act and Prove like a duck to water. I had him out last weekend shooting my 22-250 (he howled like he had just climbed Everest). My opinion is, boy or girl, the sooner you can get them into it the better. There is no question in my mind that girls should learn it just as boys do. If you don't believe girls can handle rifles and guns just Google Jessie Duff (she is also very HOT).
After I got him trained using iron sights I mounted a scope on it. I sighted it in and promptly drove 10 x .22 LR rounds into a dime sized hole at 25 yds. The Mini Bolt has a two part safety. As such I am now teaching him to walk the woods with a rifle. He can chamber a round but is not allowed to pull the bolt spring or go off SAFE. As we walk we talk thru knowing the woods and scenarios when and when is not a good or safe shot to take.
When it is not too cold I take him coyote hunting. I dropped a couple of coons in a friend's barn in the Fall and let him finish each one off in order to allow him the chance to understand the feel of dispatching an animal. Since we have always skinned cows and pigs he is already used to seeing animals gutted.
They have to see and do all this. It teaches them that meat doesn't really grow on a styrofoam tray in the grocery store.

My daughter has an interest in hunting, unfortunately, my ex has been doing everything her power to block it. My daughter recently turned 18 and is anxious to get her PAL and hunting license. I started her on the range with a couple of my .22's, pump and bolt and once she learned to handle borrowed an AR-7 from a buddy and she loved that. Then one day she ad her eye on a pink Ruger 10/22 that I gave her for Christmas and she absolutely loved it. After wetting her appetite and a few bricks of ammo later, I took her out rabbit hunting with a myself and a buddy as an observer (I checked with a CO and there is no problem with that). I got her a .410 sxs and wanted to get her into a hunting course and hunter apprenticeship program, but my ex did her best to scuttle that. She wants to try deer hunting now and has a .243 that she is quite comfortable with. Her boyfriend is an avid waterfowler and deer hunter and we are targeting this spring to get everything settled. She's gone through quite a bit, but hasn't lost her desire.

Roe+

Great job sticking with it Roe+, those fights can be tough.

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Originally Posted by Roe+

My daughter has an interest in hunting, unfortunately, my ex has been doing everything her power to block it. My daughter recently turned 18 and is anxious to get her PAL and hunting license. I started her on the range with a couple of my .22's, pump and bolt and once she learned to handle borrowed an AR-7 from a buddy and she loved that. Then one day she ad her eye on a pink Ruger 10/22 that I gave her for Christmas and she absolutely loved it. After wetting her appetite and a few bricks of ammo later, I took her out rabbit hunting with a myself and a buddy as an observer (I checked with a CO and there is no problem with that). I got her a .410 sxs and wanted to get her into a hunting course and hunter apprenticeship program, but my ex did her best to scuttle that. She wants to try deer hunting now and has a .243 that she is quite comfortable with. Her boyfriend is an avid waterfowler and deer hunter and we are targeting this spring to get everything settled. She's gone through quite a bit, but hasn't lost her desire.

Roe+

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Originally Posted by line052

Great job sticking with it Roe+, those fights can be tough.

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Thanks

Roe+

Been through that too Roe .:( My daughters hunt, fish and trap . Youngest has been doing it since she was 2 years old . Was cute seeing her in pink while in the duck blind ordering the retriever to fetch up the ducks . LOL I think she started shooting the .22 around 6 or 7 . Killed her first partridge and rabbit by 8 . I didn't ask Co's at the time nor would I care what they thought . I won't with my great nieces or nephews either . I'm there supervising and that's all that matters . My buds who had girls to never held them back either . The young lads who ,hunt trap or fish owe us a big thanks for introducing our girls to that . I just told the girls to bring me home a hardworking lad who hunts and fishes and has a strong back to help with MY chores :D. LOL If not I'll send those testerone raged horny devils to the curb . LOL:thumbup:

TD

I cannot express enough the joy I experience hunting with not only my daughter, but also my wife. I never thought either one would ever take to it, but then they were both invited to Womens Weekend in the Outdoors. After their second year, they both came home, and without even consulting me, they both signed up for their hunting and firearms course. I wasn't sure how this would play out....but for me.....priceless. Embrace it.