Taking a kid duck hunting, first time

[pumper317]

Hey all,

 

I live in the North metro and want to take my 6 year old out in the boat with me duck hunting next weekend.  I want to head north, maybe up Hwy. 47.  Without giving away your honey holes, any ideas on where we can get out on a lake and see some birds, and not have a hunter 50 yards away?  I normally try to avoid weekends in the metro for this reason, but I want to get my boy out, as he really wants to go.  I have a duck boat, and canoe so we can be mobile a little bit.

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.  PM me if need be.

Thanks.

[TylerS]

Not to rain on your parade, but if you don't get answers from anyone, I'd just focus on taking him with you to a location you already know. Even if it isn't a banner morning, you gotta think about what you're doing: taking a six-year-old kid out hunting. His attention span is what, a couple hours max? If it's not fast and furious action, he's going to need entertainment. It's a lot easier to go to a spot you know in the event you need to cut the hunt short, versus traveling for hours on a tip from the internet. 

That's just my 2 cents. I'm planning on taking my kid out in a few years, and I'm already thinking about where we'll go and what we'll do. All I know is that the day will be focused on HIM. If I don't pull the trigger, so be it. Hopefully he gets to watch a sunrise and see a few birds work, and maybe even hold a duck in his hands. Then after a couple hours, we'll call it a day and get some breakfast at the local cafe before heading home for a midday nap. 

Man...I can't wait for that day!

[pumper317]

I hear you Tyler.  I am not worried about shooting.  My focus is on my kid for sure, I just don't want him to have a metro hunt as his first.  I have done enough around the metro that I hope to never do it again.  We will see what happens.  We will be going somewhere, and doing most of what you said and hopefully all.

I definitely worry about burning him out, so it will be a cautious adventure.

[TylerS]

Well sounds like you have the right mindset! If it's worth anything, my first few duck hunts were in the metro. I still had a blast just hanging out with adults. I think we, as parents, take things way more seriously and put way more pressure on ourselves than we need to. Heck, I just liked getting invited!!

I'm sure whatever you or wherever you go, your son is going to have memories that will spur a lifetime in the outdoors. Good luck! And report back after the hunt...with pix!!!

[Kettle]

Hmm second weekend, everything up that way will still be pretty busy.  I lived and hunted that area hard a few years back.  Areas that I hunted on the weekend with low pressure require tremendous work nothing I would take a 6 year old with.  If you could do a week day, there are a lot of WMA's up that way that I have picked up a few birds at.  Probably in school but if you could have him start late on a weekday it would be less crowded.  Several weekends into the season and you should be fine.  

 

Kettle

[Neighbor_guy]

Check your pms... I gave a hint or two. Nothing spacific, but may be worth a look.

You might also consider waiting until the season goes to evening hours. 3:00am is a tough wake up call for a 6yo. The areas up here see a lot of metro area hunters. We are only an hour or so north so they see it as up north. Thus we get a lot of traffic on sat/sun. Once the shift is made to evening hunting hours you can get into the wma's and not be playing bumper boats. 

[BoxMN]

Can't give you any advice on spots, I don't hunt near there... but I can give advice on kids  

Bring his bb gun and let him shot at a decoy, coots, blackbirds. Have hot chocolate, snacks, yeah just the usual stuff. I would even say that not going toooooo early might be good thing, but if you boat is decent and setup, rather than a tin can, it might be easier to head out early. We have found that being out when it is light for kids is better and easier for everybody.

And be sure to stop at a joint for lunch on the way home and get some ice cream or cake or pie. And have a great time and take pics! Good luck!

[pumper317]

Thanks to all you for the advice.  I talked to him about it this morning and he was pretty pumped about doing it.  All he could talk about is bringing candy and his gun.  

I have another option that I am considering, that may be better for this experience.  I have a cabin up by Duluth that we don't have to get up at 3 am to get to, and crowds would not be so extensive.  We could leave Friday and come back Saturday afternoon and he gets a "hunting trip" out of the deal.  It may be the way to go as it is only going to be the second weekend with the zones, and probably pretty busy.

Good luck to all this year, and I will post pictures after the deal.  Hopefully a smiling kid, and maybe a bird or two.

[nofishfisherman]

That sounds like a good option.  Bird or no bird I'm guessing he'll come home telling everyone about his "hunting trip".  I'd focus more on making it a safe and hassle free trip versus making sure there are a lot of birds.

You have to remember that kids have different expectations than we do.  When we go out we usually want results.  Kids are so caught up in the adventure, or their candy that they are going to have a good time no matter what.  For example I took my 2 year old daughter out fishing the other day.  We just went to a little local lake and fished from shore.  We were only there for maybe 20-30 minutes and didn't catch a thing, not even a bit to get excited about.  When we got home she was still excited to go tell mom all about it, she even talked about all the fish we "caught".  Turns out she is born to fish, or at least lie like a fisherman .

I think making it into a special overnight trip will add more to the adventure and he'll enjoy it.  If you aren't seeing birds you can still give him the chance to shoot his gun and use it as time to teach and practice other elements of hunting or outdoors skill.  He'll feel like such a big shot.

And a special lunch on the way home is also a good idea.

 

Edited October 1, 2015 by nofishfisherman

[TylerS]

Thanks to all you for the advice.  I talked to him about it this morning and he was pretty pumped about doing it.  All he could talk about is bringing candy and his gun.  

I have another option that I am considering, that may be better for this experience.  I have a cabin up by Duluth that we don't have to get up at 3 am to get to, and crowds would not be so extensive.  We could leave Friday and come back Saturday afternoon and he gets a "hunting trip" out of the deal.  It may be the way to go as it is only going to be the second weekend with the zones, and probably pretty busy.

Good luck to all this year, and I will post pictures after the deal.  Hopefully a smiling kid, and maybe a bird or two.

Dude....do THIS. Seriously, fast forward 10 years.

"Hey, do you remember that time you took me up to the cabin when I was six to go duck hunting? We didn't even see a duck, but boy did we have a blast making a camp fire, roasting hot dogs, shooting my BB gun and staying up way too late. Man, we've made a lot of great memories here, haven't we dad?"

Above all else -- time of year, hunting season, people involved, success of a hunt -- it's the PLACE that ties everything together. A hunting cabin is an incubator for great memories. Just go...you won't regret it. 

[Kettle]

I look back on my first duck hunt which was my first hunt in general which was youth opener 1998. My father didn't take me till I could hunt. We went down to our family farm near Mankato which has a 9 acre slough on it. We camped there, that night I never slept was so excited. Shot over 2 boxes of shells that day and got a hen mallard and hen wood duck. Looking back it was probably the best hunt of my life and I only bagged two birds.

 

Kettle 

[Kettle]

Pumper317 did you take your kid out this weekend hunting?  I want to hear a follow up! Like I said my best hunting memories were going as a child!

 

Kettle

[pumper317]

Kettle,  it is this coming weekend.  I just wanted to get a jump on ideas.  I am taking him up to our cabin.  My uncles hunted this last weekend and saw 3 ducks, so not too promising, but I will blame the weather.

 

i will be sure to update when we get back.  i am looking forward to it!

[leechlake]

I killed many ducks with my dad as I grew up, duck hunting was awesome those days where our cabin is.  Frankly, more than that I remember the fires at night, the Spam sandwiches, and the fancy banana cream pie made with a store bought graham cracker crust, pudding and some bananas sliced on the bottom.

Also, I remember ground swatting my first duck with him.  Blue winged teal, I still remember him handing me his gun, it weighed a ton and me looking down the barrel of the gun with the weight of it swaying back and forth over that "trophy".  I literal can see that right now and it was 38 years ago.

For your particular situation I'd take him out of school at that age, won't hurt a thing in his educational career.  In the Falls my dad and I went hunting most weekends and I got out of school at noon most every Friday.  At least until High School it won't matter and frankly hanging out with dad those times most likely makes a better person than going to social studies or gym class.

Edited October 5, 2015 by leechlake

[Kettle]

Pumper are you still heading to the duluth area? I hunt that way some shoot me a pm maybe point you in the direction of more birds....

Kettle 

[pumper317]

Thanks again guys for all the info, ideas, and everything.  I think 5 is a little early to be handed a gun to swat anything, at least for my guy.  I will be bringing his BB gun though for a little shooting action.

Kettle, I am going up North still, to Cromwell area, West of Duluth.  I appreciate your offer and will PM you tonight.

 

Leech, I hope to be able to make one that lasts like you in your story.  Thanks for sharing.  I will let you know in 38 years if he remembers:-)

[BoxMN]

One other thing that I did with my grandson, and my Dad did with me.... Let him carry a big old hunting knife (in strapped sheathe) around. That was so cool for me when I was young, but also watching my 5 yo grandson carry that big old thing, he was so proud, even though he couldn't take it out unless I let him. He said "Grandpa, can I go cut the forest?"   I laughed and said yeah and he took it out and tried to cut down a big old pine tree. He got tired pretty quick but he had fun. 

It will be a fun trip for you both! Have fun!

[Neighbor_guy]

I still vividly remember the first hunts I took the goose out on. All bundled up and wearing one of my old shirts over her jacket. Wearing daddy's lucky hat. I let her choose the hunting spot and toss decoys wherever she wanted them. I didn't have a blind at that time so I covered her up with grass mats. Just her head was poking out. It was so funny. Even set a goose decoy right next to her and told her to keep an eye on it and let me know if it moved. 

We saw a lot of ducks but never fired a shot. She would be yelling out DUCKS!!! Every time a flock came over the treetops. 

Make it fun, keep it about how them, and don't get worked up if you get frustrated. It's a lot of work hunting with a kid. You will be late. I promise. 

[HalloweenBuck]

if you're looking to get the best opportunity for kids to shoot ducks, I highly recommend looking at the MN Young Waterfowlers Program thru the MWA.  This is a FREE opportunity to learn duck ID, gun safety, hunting safety and to hunt down in the refuge where it is normally no hunting.  You need to take the online firearm safety and then attend the meetings.  They will provide a mentor for you and your child on the hunt day also.  They also will provide gear if you need it.  It is held at the Carver Rapids education center.  My son got to shoot his first ducks this year and he's hooked.  They also went thru pheasant hunt safety, deer hunting safety, etc.  Very well run and hands-on as well as classroom trainings.

http://www.mnwaterfowl.com/page/show/364085-young-waterfowlers-program

 

[pumper317]

Well guys, life threw a curveball at this trip plan.  The short of it is we went up Friday and arrived at 6.  Went out and I got a grouse on a little stroll so that was fun.  I had to leave at 8 as my wife called from the ER saying she was going to icu due to a new development of type 1 diabetes.  My kid got to stay and do the deer camp thing all weekend, including seeing a Woodcock, and some ducks on a little duck hunt my dad did.  So, he got the whole duck hunt thing, I just wasn't present.  Next time!  My wife just came home today, so we will get back to life and try another time for the father son hunt.

 

I will post a picture of him with the grouse as soon as I can.

[nofishfisherman]

Sorry to hear things didn't go as planned.  Hopefully your wife is well and on the mend.

At least he was still able to get out an enjoy himself.  He's probably a little too young to fully understand the life lesson of family always comes first and that sometimes a man's got to step up and take care of other responsibilities but I'm sure it wasn't totally lost on him.  I bet years from now he'll look back on the trip and be able to reflect on what he learned about hunting as well as what he learned about being a good husband and father.

[BoxMN]

Your boy did get some quality Grandpa hunting time, that will mean a lot in the years ahead. And wife is okay so that makes it even better! There are always next times

[pumper317]

Here is my boy with the quick trip harvest.  he was pretty excited about the whole deal.  Made me feel proud!