My daughter needs Help.

[jkjkoda]

She does not have any friends who like to fish and hunt she is 11 and really loves both. But friends she does have think she is wierd for her love of the sports. was wondering if anybody had some words of advice for Her Dad and her.

[katophil]

your raising her right, any the right way is not always the easy way.

[DonBo]

Nothing wrong with Dad being her fishing buddy. Just a couple more years and there'll be plenty of boys who think it's cool she likes to hunt and fish, then her girl friends will be jealous of all the attention she gets.

Just tell her to do what makes her happy and don't worry so much about what her friends think.

[zamboni]

Every year since I can remember when more and more young ladies are getting involved in the outdoors, nothing wrong with it. This summer take her and a friend with you fishing once. Once that friend of hers hooks into a fish, they will be hooked themselves.

[jkjkoda]

Just don't wont her to give up because of what other girls say. would like to find other parents with girls who like to fish and hunt

[Esox_Magnum]

Both my girls love to be in the woods or in the boat or on the ice. Tell here while her friends may not love it, theres many other girls out there that do. My youngest is 14 and other than trout has caught every gamefish but a muskie so far in Iowa. I hope to get her first skie in the net for her this upcoming season. Don't give up what you enjoy to be cool with your friends. I wish my daughter was with me so we could share more days on the water and in the woods instead of only a hand full of times a year.

[Redlantern]

Not to dis her friends but maybe she's in with the wrong group for her. If there is a 4H club where you live, she might find some similar thinking kids that appreciates what she likes to do.

My daughter, who doesn't live with me, is eleven and I've never heard her complain that her friends tease her about her love of the outdoors. It does help that her mom also likes the outdoors. My kid puts her own leeches on, takes the fish off of her hook, even started to learn how to fillet them. I once called her a Tomboy and she didn't like that. One time I called her a girlie girl when she was all dolled up. She didn't like that, either. Then I refered to her as a farm girl. That she liked.

Don't let her friends get her down. If they are good friends, they'll understand that we all have different interests and that's part of what makes us interesting.

[rcatcherman]

My daughter will be 13 this Feb. She has always enjoyed fishing and is my partner in tounaments. She is on the poster with Al Lindner this year for the Teen Challenge tournament that will be June 5th on Gull Lake. She is a very detailed open water troller for Big Eye's and Can catch some of the biggest Smallies I have ever seen. She is the coolest thing for the boy's to wish they were her catching all those huge fish. And yes she does only want pictures of them. Her main concern is putting the fish back unharmed to catch another day. She is a straight a student loves football, volleyball and teaches all her girlfriends how to fish at the cabin on lake roosevelt and millacs. She is the best daughter a father could ever want.

[delmuts]

Finding friends for a girl that hunt or fish is rare. As long as dad keeps being her buddy things will work out fine. My daughter delt with the same problems ( and still does. She's 23 and a college grad.) There have been many times that Ashley( my daughter ) has introduce friends (guys and gals) to fishing and shooting that would have never had that opportunity! Some have loved it, others were just ok with it. Either way it they got to have that experience.

She will have to deal with a few that will look down their noses for it, but she will find others that are curious and want to learn more( this creates opportunaty to introduce them!). And a few that are just love the outdoors as much as she does!

As Ashley has found out! Everybody beats to a differnet drummer! Be proud of it and enjoy!

[rcatcherman]

DITTO delmount!!!!!

[chasineyes]

I think the real title of your post should be "other daughters need help"...you should be very PROUD, and BLESSED that you have the time, means, and desire to be with your kids. I look around our neighborhood and very RARELY see parents out interacting with their kids. Granted you have the balls to the wall sports parents but it seems like it's almost and "embarrassment" to "play" with your kids. I got my 8 year old involved in snowboarding so "we" could go out together. We both really enjoyed the time on the chairlift chatting and talking the whole time. REMEMBER THEIR OUT WHEN THEIR 18 OR 19...SO CHERISH THESE DAYS!!! Congrats to you and YOUR Family!!!

[tomfromblaine]

My 9 going on 10 y.o. daughter has been going fishing with me since before her feet would touch the bottom of the boat,ice fishing and has showed me up a couple of times. this year was her 2nd year going duck hunting and has her own layout blind and and also hunts from the duck boat with her BB gun, next year she gets her own shotgun and duck call:) and helped set deer stands for the last 3 years. What ever your doing keep doing it, like one of the other posts stated , those other girls are just jealous. Peer preasure is just not right, it's OK to be an individual. Your daughter is lucky to have experienced the joy of the outdoors and have that all her life if she chooses to.

Tom

[jkjkoda]

Jamie and myself thank all of you! For your responses she wonts tocheck the site 4 or 5 times a day. Today was a great boost she took 15th place in kids division. On White bear lake she won a ipod nano so cool people were chearing her on when she went to weight it in. At the end the guy called her name and said son would you come on up. Some guy next to us corrected him she thought that was pertty cool that a stranger would speak up for her like all of you have done. My partner I was so proud of her. Fishing and hunting is in our future. Any body with same problem let us now maybe we can hook up for a day of fishing. Thanks to all.

[Quetico]

Does she shoot archery? I used to volunteer with a youth archery league that had tons of younger ladies in her age group. The league is held near by your place on the north side.

The ladies could hold their own in head to head shooting competitions with the boys of their age. It was always kind of funny watching cocky little boys get beat by younger girls. Gives their ego's a much needed check.

I wont advertise for the youth league on here. Email me if your interested. [email protected]

[tomfromblaine]

Congradulations Jamie

Tom

[fishinchicks]

You go, girl!

My 15 year old daughter loves to bass fish. She's also the one who will go do field work for her dad when he needs an extra tractor driver. She isn't afraid to get dirty, yet she likes to put her hair up and look nice for school and church. She also is in danceline, and likes to wear dresses on the days of their performances.

Don't get discouraged by what other girls may say. They'll soon learn that your hobbies are a lot more fun than theirs!

[Islandlaker]

DonBo is right in a few years when she starts 'dating' or atleast when boys get over the koodie phase, they will be beggin her to go fishing with them. I'm 22 and whenever I meet a girl my age that likes to fish, I fall in love :)well atleast untill she outfishes me...

[motley man]

These are the women of tomorrow. Remember that the women of years past were out there with their husbands collecting food. Sounds like you have a great daughter.

[Boar]

Boy sounds like I reading a page right out of my daughters life. She Has ADHD an is young for her class a to old for the class behind her an just has a hard time fitting in. I also have a son with aspergers an over the years the single best thing I do is ecourage them to be the best that they are an be proud of themselves for who they are. Yes my daughters is described to be weird by her peers, she has an a emotional breakdown at times in front of her peers at school at times an that can be so hard as a parent to swallow, to have your child be shuned, be caused she like to hunt for nightcrawlers an dig for slugs an do icky things that an average 11 year old girl wont even consider. But as she matures an with love an encouragement from my wife a I she is very confident in who she an want to be. The world need all kinds. She'll be fine. If her dad wants to take he ice fishing on LOW shoot me holler. Later boar

[caseynicole]

I've been out fishing since I was in a carseat and never had a lot of girlfriends and none that liked to hunt or fish at all. That's why still to this day I've mainly had guy friends and my whole life I've been my dad's fishing and hunting buddy. And there is nothing wrong with that at all it makes for a much closer relationship. Lots of memories spent on water and in the woods!

[Crappyman]

Here's a great idea especially if she is 11. Sign her up for Forkhorn Camp. It's sponsored by the MN Deer Hunters Assoc. It's a week long camp and the first year, there are three year's of camp, is focused on getting her gun safety certificate. It's all about deer hunting and just enjoying the outdoors. My daughter has gone to the first two camps and is going to the third one this summer. She went with a friend, who ended up not even hunting in the fall but still loved the camp,but both times, there were girls there by themselves. All the girls bunk together and my daughter still stays in touch with a couple that she met. It's a great program. I would suggest Deep Portage but I am sure the other sites are good too. Just do a search for forkhorn camp on google and I am sure you'll find the information.

[Ed Carlson]

She does not have any friends who like to fish and hunt she is 11 and really loves both. But friends she does have think she is wierd for her love of the sports. was wondering if anybody had some words of advice for Her Dad and her.

There are a couple groups and web sites dedicated to and wholly supported by Outdoor Woman. So odds are good they also have many daughters in the mix of her age as well.

She may wish to check these sites and clubs out and see if any are a good fit for her and network within to find girls in her age group.

[Borch]

Have her invite some of her friends along. We've introducted several of our daughters friends to fishing and a few to hunting. Many have just never had the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Once they get to go and are on a decent bite they want to go again.

[Powerstroke]

I agree with the idea to let her invite a friend or two next time. There is less pressure in the small group and I'm sure they will see what she likes about it.

My two daughters are 7 and 9 yrs old. They both love to hunt and fish and can't imagine life without it. My 9yr old wanted to help me butcher my deer this fall, so much that she told her friends she didn't want to play. They wanted to know why so she invited them in. They thought it was weird and gross, but the more they watched and the more they saw Emily (my daughter) doing the work and being interested the more they thought it was cool.

Another thing that can help is to let your daughter show some pictures of her doing what she loves, especially if she's holding fish. That always sparks people interest.

That's a tough age for any girl let alone one that has different interests than here peers, but those are the things that will make her a stronger person. Good luck to you and her!!

[jkjkoda]

Well once a gain thanks to all. My Daughter says you all Rock.

Just an up date we once again went to a fishing contest not the same results this time she got 94th place. Forest lake you will never guess she won a polaris 500 atv you think she hooked. We cought 18 perch and lost one norther. What a Day Dad couldn't be more proud. I only got 5 perch she caught the rest.

PS: Boar we would be interested in LOW. [email protected]