As the first day of deer season rapidly approaches I would like to remind you dads out there that this is the opportunity you have been waiting on to spend quality time with your son or daughter. I would also like to offer some advice on how to make your decision to include your child in this past time a positive one.

First things first for you hardcore serious hunters that have to plan each and every detail of each and every hunt- forget it.  My father-in-law taught me this lesson… These first hunts are not so much about hunting as it is about making hunting fun. 

One of the biggest mistakes a lot of dads make (myself included) is that we get so worked up and focused on the end result of the hunt that we miss out on all the fun we could be having — even if we don’t harvest a deer much less see a deer.

I had been taking my daughter hunting since she was five years old and she was a trooper to put up with me constantly telling her to be still or to be quiet so as not to scare off any deer. Then one day we went hunting with my father-in-law and I noticed how much more fun she had with him. From that day forward I made sure our hunting trips together were all about having fun. 

Here’s what you need to focus on:  If they want to talk then talk, if they want a cold drink then go get them a cold drink, if they want to move around a little let them move around a little. In other words at first don’t worry about the end result of the hunt, but rather focus on the production leading up to the end of the hunt. If you do this it really won’t matter to your little hunter whether or not they got to see or harvest a deer it will only matter to them that they got some one on one time with dad.

Here’s another very important lesson:  Do not force them to do anything they don’t want to do when it comes to harvesting an animal. Don’t rush or force them to pull the trigger until they are ready. Have some self-control…if your child doesn’t want to shoot a doe don’t make them.  If they don’t want to shoot a deer at all don’t make them.  But when they do decide to take the shot… it is your responsibility to ensure that they’ve learned and understood gun safety rules. It is also your responsibility to ensure that through adequate practice your child is proficient with their gun.  Doing this first… will give them the confidence they need when it’s time to make a good clean shot. There is nothing sadder to see than the face of a child who has just missed or worse yet wounded a deer that is not found.

I hope that by following these few tips I have given and by the grace of God to overcome the mistakes we as fathers make you will have the opportunity to raise up the best hunting buddy you could have ever dreamed of having. I know that I have.

Even with all the mistakes I made along the way God blessed me with a great hunting partner — my daughter. I look forward to every hunting trip I have left with her and now that she has grown into a young lady at nineteen.  Today, I still get the same feeling of pride and joy when she not only harvests a buck, but when she just chooses to go hunting and hang out with her old dad. I can only hope that your story turns out as good as mine.

I hope you have a successful hunting season, but most of all remember to make it fun and they will grow up wanting to hunt and hang out with old dad.
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