Advice

[Rivers387]

I'm looking for input. I'm taking my son with me tomorrow to a WMA that I've scouted but not hunted yet. I found a prime punch point with multiple trails converging into this area. My son will be hunting with me and I'm a little unsure if I should try and hunt this location or scout and hunt another location. The reason I have reservations about hunting this spot is the greater possibility of getting busted and possibly blowing the spot. Any thoughts?

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[sojourner]

Let his goals be your goals. Share with him and ask his input. And gently share your thoughts. And even if he wants something you may think not the best to close on a buck, experience that with him. Talk about the decision and how things turned out for you both. Let father / son bonding be first, learning hunting tactics second, and everything else after that.

And I am saying that as a father who made the mistake of having the goal of him shooting a buck overtake what he wanted to do. I learned, but not until after a few not so good hunts. And I wish that someone would have given me that advice years ago.

Good luck, stay safe and build,great memories. If a kill/harvest happens, celebrate it. If not, celebrate the hunt and how it is bringing you closer together.

 

[Rivers387]

Let his goals be your goals. Share with him and ask his input. And gently share your thoughts. And even if he wants something you may think not the best to close on a buck, experience that with him. Talk about the decision and how things turned out for you both. Let father / son bonding be first, learning hunting tactics second, and everything else after that.

And I am saying that as a father who made the mistake of having the goal of him shooting a buck overtake what he wanted to do. I learned, but not until after a few not so good hunts. And I wish that someone would have given me that advice years ago.

Good luck, stay safe and build,great memories. If a kill/harvest happens, celebrate it. If not, celebrate the hunt and how it is bringing you closer together.

Well said! Thanks brother!

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[Exhumis]

@sojourner nailed it. Only thing I’d add is the old saying. You find sign, hunt it.

 

[gameflogger]

I'm looking for input. I'm taking my son with me tomorrow to a WMA that I've scouted but not hunted yet. I found a prime punch point with multiple trails converging into this area. My son will be hunting with me and I'm a little unsure if I should try and hunt this location or scout and hunt another location. The reason I have reservations about hunting this spot is the greater possibility of getting busted and possibly blowing the spot. Any thoughts?

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Even if you get busted by a big monster buck, the experience you share with your son is far more important than that trophy. Your son will have that memory to reminisce on long after that trophy deer on the wall has gathered dust and is out of your memory. Take a picture of you guys together and don’t save it on your phone, take it straight to the pharmacy to get developed as a large picture, frame it and hang it on the wall, that picture will be a greater trophy than any deer you could hang on the wall. Don’t avoid going to your spot just because you have your son, just think.....someone else might have scouted your area as well and they might hunt it and blow the spot and you missed the opportunity to possibly get a donk.

 

[sojourner]

... the experience you share with your son is far more important than that trophy. Your son will have that memory to reminisce on long after that trophy deer on the wall has gathered dust and is out of your memory. Take a picture of you guys together and don’t save it on your phone, take it straight to the pharmacy to get developed as a large picture, frame it and hang it on the wall, that picture will be a greater trophy than any deer you could hang on the wall.

1,000 likes for this!!!

My son is now 13, filled with raging teenager hormones, wants nothing to do with hunting. Only interested in girls, video games and skateboards. But I still have a picture of him smiling at me sitting in a 2 man ladder stand in the deer woods as my background on my iPad. I see that every day and smile. It gives me way more joy than any euro mounts I have in my home office.

 

[Bowmanmike]

It is probaby similar to getting a kid started in fishing. Dont try to get him a trophy fish where he has to spend hours not catching anything.
Take him to a place where you guys will see deer,doesnt matter if it is bucks or does.
As far as blowing a spot out i would give it a try,there are many other spots to be tried,right?

 

[Rivers387]

It is probaby similar to getting a kid started in fishing. Dont try to get him a trophy fish where he has to spend hours not catching anything.
Take him to a place where you guys will see deer,doesnt matter if it is bucks or does.
As far as blowing a spot out i would give it a try,there are many other spots to be tried,right?

That's very true. The are plenty of spots.

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[Rivers387]

Just to give you guys an idea, I have 4 boys that range in age from 9 to 16. Thankfully both my older boys want to go! They all have compound bows and love to shoot. I have taken them with me before. Thankfully last year on my first sit with my oldest we had a nice younger buck come through. Only bad thing is I wasn't thinking and went into hunter mode and grabbed the rifle to age the deer and determine whether or not to shoot. I should have went into father mode and let him grab the rifle and take his first buck. I have ran that through so many times and plan on making up for that this season lol. My 10 year was able to experience the adrenaline rush of having deer come through on us right after the light had gotten too low to get a shot off. No matter what, it got him fired up! My goal is to get all of these boys a chance to take one this year. The funny thing is, now that Ian, my 10 year old, had that experience he thinks he is supposed to go every time lol. I'm not complaining about that at all! Thanks for all the advice guys! Looking forward to a great day in the woods!

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[Exhumis]

Just to give you guys an idea, I have 4 boys that range in age from 9 to 16. Thankfully both my older boys want to go! They all have compound bows and love to shoot. I have taken them with me before. Thankfully last year on my first sit with my oldest we had a nice younger buck come through. Only bad thing is I wasn't thinking and went into hunter mode and grabbed the rifle to age the deer and determine whether or not to shoot. I should have went into father mode and let him grab the rifle and take his first buck. I have ran that through so many times and plan on making up for that this season lol. My 10 year was able to experience the adrenaline rush of having deer come through on us right after the light had gotten too low to get a shot off. No matter what, it got him fired up! My goal is to get all of these boys a chance to take one this year. The funny thing is, now that Ian, my 10 year old, had that experience he thinks he is supposed to go every time lol. I'm not complaining about that at all! Thanks for all the advice guys! Looking forward to a great day in the woods!

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That’s awesome. My kids are still wiggle worms, hopefully when they settle down I can get them in the trees as well

 

[Rivers387]

That’s awesome. My kids are still wiggle worms, hopefully when they settle down I can get them in the trees as well

My younger ones are struggling to sit still when we're out. If I'm honest, dad is too! Lol

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[Rivers387]

My 10 year old and I found this guy while rabbit hunting last season. He wanted it mounted so I tried my hand at an antler mount. We were both thrilled with how it turned! This is definitely one of those times that @gameflogger was talking about.

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[Rivers387]

Here we go. My first sit in the saddle and my son is with me. It doesn't get any better than this! He's already said he would rather be in a saddle than the loc on.

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