Youth Hunting - Part 1 - The Smiles & the Memories

[Country Bumpkin]

I've gotta tell you, this is one of the best overall family hunting photos that I've ever seen!

Thanks Badthirtyone, we try to enjoy ourselves!

 

[wv270wsm]

Pic 1 here was from a multi family camping trip we done a few years back . It's my best friends step son . Him and my youngest bio son carp fished every day that week . We'd eat dinner around 5 in the evenings then they'd head down to the lake and fish all evening and night . Between the 2 of them they lost 5 fishing poles that week . Lol they'd cast out and end up falling asleep

Pic 2 is our oldest adopted son . He's special needs and has therapy twice a week . While he's at therapy for 4 hrs I'll go fishing or hiking . Just so happened that day I found a hole down river that just happened to be loaded with trout . After he was done with his therapy session I took him back to where I'd found these trout . He ended up catching 2 . He's so funny he enjoyed going and fishing but then he was mad at daddy for him missing the rest of school that afternoon.

 

[Ol' Red]

Great thread! Thank you badthirtyone.

 

[Muddyboots]

Rob, this is one of the best threads I have ever read ANYWHERE! Great idea and I hope it keeps going!

 

[badthirtyone]

Thanks, Muddy!

I'm hoping for a ton of great photos of youth hunts. So far, all of these have genuinely made me smile.

Keep'em coming!

 

[Muddyboots]

I took my 2 granddaughters tonight on a walk to back if property to sit at picnic table to "watch for deer". At 3 and 5, they like to shush me to listen for deer. Hilarious! Doubt if deer within 5 miles! Between shushing and screaming at a chipmunk to be "quiet" it was quite the "deer watch".

 

[badthirtyone]

I took my 2 granddaughters tonight on a walk to back if property to sit at picnic table to "watch for deer". At 3 and 5, they like to shush me to listen for deer. Hilarious! Doubt if deer within 5 miles! Between shushing and screaming at a chipmunk to be "quiet" it was quite the "deer watch".

In response to your above comments, I will share a photo from a recent youth group adventure that I had a chance to get up into the mountains. While there were a couple of genuine outdoorsmen in the group, there were an equal number of "city slickers" that went along with us as well. I mention that because while taking this diverse group up to hopefully watch wildlife, the non-initiated made more noise than a whole shopping cart full of running chainsaws.

It was a wonderful hike, but the nearest animal was in a neighboring state, I'm sure.

 

[Wichasa]

View attachment 297847Introduction -

I am blessed beyond measure.

I cannot even begin to count the wonders that have been added to my life by having these three outstanding young men as a part of our family. I am blessed beyond measure that they call me dad.

I began kicking this thread around quite some time ago, as I am the proud papa to these young outdoorsmen, and I occasionally run across posts here on this forum where we get to celebrate our children and their accomplishments. From time to time, usually in response to some other posted event, our membership here will post a quick photo or two of a recent adventure or hunt.

I am fortunate enough to contribute the first post within this thread of what I am hoping becomes thousands of posts wherein we get to celebrate, laugh, and cheer each other on in the growing and nurturing of our children. I also realized that a topic that continues to re-surface in many threads is the overwhelming need that we have as hunters and outdoorsmen - to pass all of our skills and passions on to the next generation.

This thread is, therefore, meant to be a celebration of developing outdoorsmen in general. While I am aware that we are on a relatively dedicated hunting site, this initial post will touch on many other elements of enjoying the world around us, from fishing, hiking, camping, and yes, certainly hunting. I would imagine as it rolls along, we will get to see an even broader variety of what our youths get to be involved in regarding outdoor activities.

Along those lines, I wanted to provide what I hope will become an "anchor thread" that allows for exactly that. I fully encourage you to post your latest adventures that involve youth in any way. I, along with many, many others here would love to see your exploits in the field with your children, grandchildren, neighbors kids, youth-group outings etc.

Continued purpose & motivation -

As I stated above, I am the proud father of three wonderful young men. I figured that I would break my posts/threads into multiple topics that include many of the facets of involving youth in outdoor activities such as: hunting, training, motivation, and possibly others. I simply cannot think of a better place to start than with what I am hoping you will agree is the most important of all of those - the smiles and the memories!

After having a chance here to post a significant portion of my own personal "smiles and memories," I plan on delving into the training and development of these young men that allowed them to get to where they currently are on their road toward being functional and accomplished outdoorsmen.

I'll also state upfront that I, and my family (like the vast majority of the membership here) do not base the success of our time together in the field on the taking of any particular animal! That is to say that our success is solely dependent on having spent time within any given endeavor - whether we harvest an animal or not!

So, I'll begin with some of our most significant adventures.

In sitting down to prepare this post, I became overwhelmed by the fact that I had to choose such a small portion of our outdoor time together from, what is now, some 20 years of wonderous experiences together in the field. Please enjoy the "Parks Boys Adventures!"

View attachment 297852

Bird hunting with family friends. Our family Dove hunts opening day of each year along the Platte river.
2021, was a good year for Dove​

View attachment 297856

Various adventures along the way...
(Left photo) My oldest son, who has become quite good with a bow
(Center photo) Two wild-caught trout, both caught and landed by these wonderful, little (at the time) anglers - my oldest, left, and my middle guy, right
(Right photo) My younger two fishing from a flooded dock near our home


​

View attachment 297861

My littlest guy, on various aquatic adventures in different states.
In the right-most photo, he wanted to let me know that he had "made friends" with the ducks



View attachment 297870
My oldest guy, on various fishing and boating outings. This kid will fish for hours and hours
In the right-most photo, he is holding a large-mouth that was the result of his prodding me - "C'mon dad, just one more cast!"
He was not prepared to go in for the evening until he had completed that ten-thousandth "one more cast"



View attachment 297871
Boys, being boys.
Goofin' around somewhere in the wilderness. Making each other laugh




View attachment 297872
My middle guy, always wanting to be the pilot in command. He also enjoys pretty much everything out-of-doors




View attachment 297873
My oldest, with his first and second deer


View attachment 297874
My middle guy, with his first and second deer


View attachment 297875
My little guy, with his first and second deer
* A special note here, my camera completely conked out during the taking of his 1st deer. We had to wait until we got home to get any photos of his animal.​

A second post will follow this one immediately, as I am limited in the number of photos that one can attach in any given post. This secondary post will also contain additional summary information.

Great pics

 

[wv270wsm]

Pic 1 here is the neighbor kid . He wanted to go with us to deer camp with for a few years but his mom wouldn't ever let him due to thanksgiving and no promises of being home before then. Just happened that year we went up to hunt the Friday after and he killed this ol boy

Pic 2 is my oldest son he killed this young buck . He get so excited when he kills a deer that he's not able to stand up for roughly 5 mins . And if he is standing he immediately sets down . Lol

Pic 3 is the younger brother he head shot this doe at about 75 yards with his 300 win mag . Absolutely devastating.

These young men can fill the freezer

 

[badthirtyone]

Great pics, wv270wsm!

This is exactly the type of uplifting stuff I was hoping was going to flood these pages!

 

[Muddyboots]

As you get older with your family the transition of being the teacher and mentor slowly flips to them. I will tell you it is one of the most gratifying feeling you will ever experience! I had a heart attack in 10/2005 and my son has dropped everything to make sure I don't pull a deer 1 foot! I am in good shape for most part at 71 but he is always there for me. Couple years ago, he killed a 152" buck early with bow and he told me to sit his stand since I could not get into trouble along side a field. My shoulder was in complete break down. All 4 rotator tendons displaced, bicep tendon displace, bone cyst that caused some of it, bone spurs and torn labrum. Surgery planned early Dec but I was determined to try to kill deer with my Hoyt set at 60. So about 10 a nice buck runs 3 does right under stand, could not get shot due to circumstances. But hunting can be funny at times, he turned back to me and gave me 15 yd shot, somehow thru pain got bow back smoked him. So like my son said cannot get into trouble on edge of farm field. Except buck did pay back big time. Ran 40 yards and did perfect 10 rated somersault into a 10' deep irrigation ditch. So son happened to call seconds after shot and told me he would be there at 11:30 to get it out for me. He is a plant manager of a manufacturing operation of over 250 so he came over in business clothes to pull this buck out for me. He couldn't stop laughing when he saw buck in water antlers only showing. I went down put rope on them and then couldnt get back up since it was clay. He was laughing so hard pulling me up first. He got deer up and had to go home to change pants since got blood them.

Why I am rambling? These are moments that will be etched into your soul for both of you. The bond that you build with your children, family and friends through common shared activities is forever. We still laugh when he brings it up!

 

[Muddyboots]

Found the ditch pic!

 

[badthirtyone]

Found the ditch pic!
View attachment 298838

Of course, they never fall into the back of your truck, but Dang! Now you have a great story - and a great kid for doing the recovery.

 

[Zen Archery]

WE NEED MORE POSTS LIKE THIS!!!!