Daughter hunting

[leechlake]

My daughter asked me yesterday if she could go hunting with me today.  We are muzzy hunting in the metro zone about 5 miles from our house.  She's 15 and I haven't been this excited to go deer hunting for years.  I'm planning to treat it like taking a little kid fishing, we're going to head out so we have about 1-1.5 hours of sitting time so she has a positive experience.  I have a feeling she's going to be dressed like Ralphies brother in A Christmas Story but that's okay.  Brought a tear to my eye when she told me that she showered this morning but didn't use any soap because it all is girly girl stuff and she didn't want to smell too much.  She has shown zero interest in hunting I guess she's actually absorbed some info over the years hearing me drone on and on about hunting.   If we see a deer it will be icing on the cake, if we kill one I think I may start crying.  She's all about theatre, pageants, and girl stuff, why not add hunting.  Diversity!!!

[smurfy]

well get out and shoot one!!!! maybe she will give up on the girly stuff!!!!!!!! I have one granddaughter that is goofy about outdoor stuff. she does all kinds of stuff with her male friend. actually kinda jealous, think she gets out hunting more then I did this year!!!

[ANYFISH2]

Good luck.to you and your daughter leechlake.  Hope to hear a good story later.

[RebelSS]

I don't care HOW ya look at that, that's just plain great. Got me choked up. Good luck to both of you. 

[leechlake]

didn't see a deer...didn't even matter.  First thing I noticed is that I've never hunted with someone who crosses their legs while they wait for a deer.  We played Christmas tunes on the long 5 mile ride to our spot.  About 430 I suggested when we leave we go to the Choo Choo bar in Loretto and have soup, to warm up.  It's awesome, so good they serve it every day.  Creamy Cabbage with ham.  You wouldn't know there is cabbage in it.

Second thing I noticed is that unlike guys she wanted to walk next to me, not behind me , when we walked in and out of where we sat .  That way we could talk.  Frankly, I loved it.  We got into the truck and listened to Christmas songs and pretended we were on a hunting trip.  I took dirt roads to Loretto as far as I could even though the blacktop was way closer.

As I write this I think I'm exaggerating how much fun it was, but it was fun.  She brought some new things to a day hunting and I thought I was going to be doing the teaching.

[leech~~]

Have her check out this gals page on FaceBook: Kendall Jones. She will have her own hunting page soon!

 

[ANYFISH2]

Happy for you leechlake!  We only get so many of these moments, and they feel oh so fleeting.

[Boar]

Double LL, those are the best times dude. dosent matter if ya see one or not, the interest, the time, the "dont tell your mother" talks. Im happy for ya! The Motto my 17 yr old has is "Make up to Mudd in 2 seconds" heck ya!! Thats awsome. Outdoors life style=better attitude, better behavior, better person. Good for you guys!!

[RebelSS]

P.S..........that's a great pic, leech. There's hope for the youth of today after all.

[Jeff13]

Awesome day one you'll always remember. I hope some day mine wants to go, she's all about princesses and gymnastics. I got time though she's only 6. She did ask for a bow from Santa though. ( A real one that shoots real arrows she said..no toy bows) that made me excited!

[leechlake]

Jeff-  my son is almost 17 and fished with me since he was about 2 and bow hunted with me at such a young age I sometimes carried him in at the end of the day when his legs got tired.  He still fishes and has shot a few deer but in spite of me making all the hunts short, fun, and all about him he really doesn't like hunting.  It took me a while to grasp it but I still think and hope that some day he'll get turned on to it by some of his buddies.  I think the camaraderie part  and other aspects of hunting are good for a person's soul.

If Alana dabbles or get's into hunting I obviously think that is great.  I bet today she's going to stay home, I'm going to mention I'm going and if she asks to go again that's great.  I don't want to force her or make her feel obligated.  She already knows we're planning on going out some more but I don't want to push her.

[jerkin'm]

Great story! My 12 year old daughter shocked me this last spring when she told me she wanted to "kill" a turkey...(:  We got up at 4:30 several mornings chasing them but couldn't seal the deal..tried to suggest deer hunting but zero interest in that so far..looks like you live pretty close to me if you hit up the choo choo...haven't been there in years but drive by on the way to the cabin every week...

[wannafish2]

I can tell you that the times I spent with my dad hunting and fishing were the best times of my life growing up.  Not only did I get to spend quality time with my dad making our own "traditions", the life lessons a kid learns being in the outdoors are priceless.  Most sportsmen and women have high morals that carry over to their lives and show in their family, friendships, schoolwork, jobs etc.  Not to take away from the high school dances and other "girl" stuff, but I was also much more athletic as well.  Back in those days, it wasn't all that popular to be a tomboy, but thanks to men who actually want to spend time with their wives and don't care that we don't pee standing up and take their girlfriends and wives hunting and fishing, there are many more "Lee and Tiffany's" and "Ralph and Vicki's" today than ever before.  Believe it or not, it all started for me when my dad asked two of his older daughters if we simply wanted to go with him and I said YES!  He's been gone now for a couple years, but I still go every chance I get.....still looking for my Lee/Ralph/Vicki/Tiffany to go with me, but, I'll go alone if I have to.  Being out there is the BEST! and I take a kid every chance I get and have introduced many adult women and their daughters to hunting because of what I learned from my dad.  I will continue to do so until my legs fall off.  Kudos to you and your daughter!  you will have many years making memories together.

[DonBo]

That's just awesome.  Hope you get to enjoy many, many years with her in the outdoors.  A tradition is born!

[Fishingfox]

One of my fondest memories is my daughters first deer hunt two years ago.  She was able to get a nice 10 pointer.  She has not connected the last two seasons but we have a great time sitting in the stand together.  I am always sad when it is over.

[O.T.C.]

wow leech, I think your daughter just told you how much she loves you without having to say it and maybe that she's getting a bit older she wants to make sure you know that and you'll always be # 1 to her b4 she's out in the world. Last night I was thinking about what our deer camp once looked like and sure miss it badly. The monster bucks we'd see all October, the 2 day season to get him, we really have no deer stories anymore unfortunately or it's rare, just wish the kids of today could see what it was like in the 80's just to drive around and count bucks in those weeks justb4 season. Deer count was always over 100, bucks 20-40 of them, awesome story LeechLake and has me reminiscing so thanks for sharing.  

[propster]

LL that's awesome, and nearly the same path my daughter and I took a few years ago.  I had her shooting a bow and gun at an early age, I think 4 on the bow.  But by the time she got to 6th grade she was more into girly stuff with mom, and then she became a bit of a sports star playing all seasons and summer ball.  And then she became a bit of an animal lover, though she never had a problem with me and her brother hunting, just never gave a thought to doing it herself, though I offered many times to take her out without a weapon.  Well out of the blue in early fall a few years ago when she was in college, she says "Dad, I want to go deer hunting with you".  I about fell over. I didn't have time to get her a bow and help her become proficient with it that season, so I took her on our annual trip to Indiana and she would use a shotgun. She passed a couple decent bucks but and at the end of that trip she said I had a great time but this gun hunting is too easy, I want to bow hunt next year.  So I got her a bow and she practiced all spring and summer, and when it came time to make our trip over Thanksgiving, her boss wouldn't ler her go, they were short staffed. So I took her hunting in the late season in Wisconsin, where she killed a doe with a perfect shot.  She had a baby last fall and didn't hunt, but was just down last weekend for a couple days and got out a couple times, passing shots at a couple fawns. It is great to have a daughter as a hunting partner.

[nofishfisherman]

I'm working on laying the ground work with my daughter.  She's only 2 but is a huge daddy's girl.  She was crushed when I told her she couldn't come hunting with me this year.  Of course she had no idea where I was going or what hunting really is but she still wanted to to go with.  Its pretty cute listening to a 2 year old say "I wanna go hunting with daddy".

I'm looking forward to having some safe ice to fish on because that's something she can do with me.  I set up some tip ups and we spend the afternoon playing in the snow waiting for the pike to bite.  I might need to find a permanent house or wheel house I can use for a day with her this year as well.  I only have a one man flip over so we are limited to warm days where we don't need a shelter. 

[leechlake]

I've got a small two person clam you can use any time.  It's at the cabin but I can bring it home easily if you want to use .  I haven't used it for a few years and hardly ever ice fish  so if you keep it for a month it probably wouldn't effect me one bit.  I live near Plymouth.  

[nofishfisherman]

Thanks for the offer Leech.  I'll keep you in mind if we ever get some fishable ice around the metro.  All the lakes I drive by around home look depressing.

[wannafish2]

See, just reading all of these replies reaffirm all the reasons I love the outdoors and the sportsmen and women that roam in these forums.  I'd rather read stories and comments like this all day long than watch the news.

[woody1975]

Love to see kids, especially young ladies getting in on the action!

Congratulations for the memories and instilling a love of the outdoors into your children!

 

DL

[Barbelboy]

I love to see all the photo's and read all the stories! I've been taking the nephew's out to Montana for some time now. This year it was the nieces trip. Both of them got their first deer. I think it's more exciting to watch/help them through the process than actually shooting one myself. The 14 yr old with the buck earned her tag last summer babysitting my kids over the summer. My kids are only 1 & 2, but I am already laying the foundation for them. If they want to that is!

[icehole10]

Jeff-  my son is almost 17 and fished with me since he was about 2 and bow hunted with me at such a young age I sometimes carried him in at the end of the day when his legs got tired.  He still fishes and has shot a few deer but in spite of me making all the hunts short, fun, and all about him he really doesn't like hunting.  It took me a while to grasp it

I have two boys, soon to be 19 and 16. My 18 year old didn't hunt this year. He forgot to ask for time off from work, even though I reminded him multiple times. It took me while, but I came to the conclusion, that he had other plans, and hunting would have gotten in the way. That was a hard one for me to handle, but he is an adult and has to make his own decisions. I only hope, he comes back around, even if he doesn't want to hunt, at least come up to the cabin and hang out with us. My youngest, I don't think I could get away with out him. He loves hunting and fishing, that all he talks about. He has his own boat, bow and guns. the kid is a hunting and fishing nut.    I would never, or have never forced my kids to do anything as far as hunting or sports, I have always let them make their own decisions when it comes to that. It's funny how they can be so different, but that's the way it goes!