Creative ideas for taking my son hunting

[Singlereed]

I have a five year old son that I want to start taking duck hunting. I mainly hunt public land so I don't have the luxurious of having a duck blind up out of the water that I can put him in. I would like some ideas that I can use to get my hunting buddy out there with me.

Thanks for your input.

[MrGoodtime]

If you have trees, put a climbing stand on one for him to sit in

[JDgator]

Bring snacks that you think he will enjoy. If there is no action, maybe you can also shoot a coot or diver so there is something going on. Don't stay too long, because he might get cold. Also, don't overlook the simple hunts where you just walk a creek or small river and jump shoot wood ducks. That can be fun for little dudes.

[yankee]

i have lurked on here forever and never post-but this is one thing I know a little bit about, all my kids starting going at 3 or 4 and are still going and loving it. first thing--take earmuffs. Have to have him in hearing protection. second, snacks, handheld video games, something for him to do. handwarmers, basically pack a bag of backpack just for him. About two hours is all you can expect him to last, so select an easy in/easy out spot accordingly. Take a camera. Be safe and enjoy the day.

[dukhunter]

i have lurked on here forever and never post-but this is one thing I know a little bit about, all my kids starting going at 3 or 4 and are still going and loving it. first thing--take earmuffs. Have to have him in hearing protection. second, snacks, handheld video games, something for him to do. handwarmers, basically pack a bag of backpack just for him. About two hours is all you can expect him to last, so select an easy in/easy out spot accordingly. Take a camera. Be safe and enjoy the day.

I agree....I started taking mine at 5 don't fool yourself its WORK expect to do everything twice, a spot that you can stay on terra firma and still see numbers (numbers for him will be the key) is golden if not a you will need t find some trees and a loc on........

[champcaller]

try this...

this is how i duck hunted all my first season cause i didn't have waders, but it was better than not going.

go to a tire shop and get a big 18 wheeler tire tube and get it filled up. you now have a big inner tube with a hole in the middle... get a big trash can lid, turn it upside down, put it in the hole and put that little booger in there!

you'll get some funny looks like we did i'm sure... my dad tied a rope to his waders and the other end to the tube. i wore a little life jacket and into the flooded timber we went.

hope this helps.

[champcaller]

also, i tend to disagree with bringing video games or anything with batteries to keep him occupied.... its hunting.

give him a duck call to blow when there arent birds, let him shoot at something, send the dog on retrieves... keep him busy by making him a part of the hunt. that's how he'll fall in love with it!

[SWAG]

All of the above is good stuff. I did it for my son and had really slacked off duck hunting until I started carrying him when he was 3. He loved it from the start. Floated or carried him a lot of times. Hung stand on tree for him to sit when out in the sloughs. Would put a safety belt on him as well. Some of the time I was lucky enough to hunt from the bank. Food helps to pass the time when birds are not flying. We also carried a BB gun and it really was a lot of fun. We would take turns at seeing who could bounce a BB off the farthest decoy. Funny how everybody wants to try that when things were slow. Think we probably had the World BB Decoy Shooting Contest a lot of times. My son is 13 now and probably gripes more about being cold than when he was 4 or 5. Back then he was always wanting to stay longer.

[Double R 2]

leave the video game at home and pack the red rider. He'll have a blast.

[cwink]

leave the video game at home and pack the red rider. He'll have a blast.

Yep.. +1 on the earmuffs.. Get the electronic earmuffs that amplify sound and then cut off when the gun fires. My son loves those, he can hear better and the gun won't hurt his ears.. He calls them his "magic earmuffs"

Don't stay too long.

[astorey]

You guys bring the "BB gun" and come get in the boat with me and my pup. We'll make it short and hook him for life!!

Aubrey

[SFDdelta1]

You guys bring the "BB gun" and come get in the boat with me and my pup. We'll make it short and hook him for life!!

Aubrey

Same here man we will take yall to beaver dam or our place in crowder


E

[simmy]

My son is 6 and this will be his third season. Primos shaker is the ticket.