What would it take for you to get your kids out hunting?
For me, it was simply the fact that I wanted to pass along what I have learnt, share the experiences that I have had and ensure that if they choose, they have the skills, the exposure to the outdoors the way I did when I was a kid. For me, I spent countless hours outdoors just messing around as I called it. To fish for the tiny catfish in the pond, chase those pesky squirrels in the woods with my red rider BB gun or simply lay on the ground listening to the rustle of the leaves as the autumn wind blows. I love those memories, and even today, I yearn to make more!
This past October, I had the opportunity to share my son's first whitetail harvest. Still, as I write this my eyes well up as I recall the emotions of that hunt. Let me set the stage first. Over the years, I have never pressured my kids to hunt or fish, I simply provided the opportunities. We camped, we fished and we hunted and they always keeping in mind that these activities needed to be fun! I limited exposure to cold, rain and paid attention to how they were enjoying themselves or not. We are very open with our kids I told Connor from an early age that he needs to be ready. I know that you are thinking, if he is out there then he is ready, not the case for many people. I myself struggled with taking the life of an animal despite all those years in the outdoors. Today, although I don't struggle as I once did, I still need to "be ready" each time. As I grow older, and more experienced, this translates into "am I ready to take that fawn or cow or young buck".
I ask myself that question each time I am presented with a shot, ethics are so important to me! For Connor, "are you ready" meant are you sure you are ready to take the life of the animal? The answer was not always yes. We sat in the double wide tree stand, enjoying the woods around us, especially the squirrels with the deer booties as I call them, they sound just like a deer, I swear! We watched as a couple does scampered by us, just out of range. On this day, Connor had decided that as long as it was an ethical shot, he would take either sex and we had a tags for both. As luck would dictate or in this case a lack of following our own advice, we had not been to the stand to ensure it was ready for the season, other than to put out our fall mineral. After we sat down, we noticed that our shooting area was littered with branches and the leaves were still partially on the trees. Not wanting to concede and knowing that was one of our better spots, we stayed. Passing the time, we discussed shooting distances, checked all the lanes with the range finder and pointed out the shooting holes if need be. Thankfully, this planning was done ahead of time because the buck did not give us much time at all. He appeared without us knowing and made only one faint sound as he brushed up against a corn stalk. This one sound gave us the seconds that we needed to get ready for the shot. He was walking fifteen yards from our stand, broadside. I had planned on filming the entire evening but again, luck did not allow!
There was time enough for Connor to raise the crossbow, utter a yell and release the arrow! Now, as I held my breath and time seemed to have qualities from a Matrix movie as it virtually stopped, the buck stood frozen with a tree covering his vitals, I thought we had failed! Thankfully, he took one more step forward and the rest is fate. Connor harvested his first ever Whitetail and a beauty at that! The first thing we did was relish the moment with a flurry of hugs as the emotion left our bodies! What a moment, what a hunt! For me, the question was answered, Connor was ready! For Connor, this moment confirmed that all the practise, the reading and preparation was worth it. The legacy is alive and has been past down!
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This past October, I had the opportunity to share my son's first whitetail harvest. Still, as I write this my eyes well up as I recall the emotions of that hunt. Let me set the stage first. Over the years, I have never pressured my kids to hunt or fish, I simply provided the opportunities. We camped, we fished and we hunted and they always keeping in mind that these activities needed to be fun! I limited exposure to cold, rain and paid attention to how they were enjoying themselves or not. We are very open with our kids I told Connor from an early age that he needs to be ready. I know that you are thinking, if he is out there then he is ready, not the case for many people. I myself struggled with taking the life of an animal despite all those years in the outdoors. Today, although I don't struggle as I once did, I still need to "be ready" each time. As I grow older, and more experienced, this translates into "am I ready to take that fawn or cow or young buck". 
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