By John Kuechly
I recently saw a question on Field Ethos’ Sunday Q&A forum about how to introduce a child to hunting. In my mind, it’s pretty simple:
Take your kid hunting.
My dad took me. I haven’t looked back since.
Taking your kid hunting introduces him or her to a sport that spans generations. Some of my earliest memories are shooting an air rifle in the basement with a homemade backstop and going pheasant hunting with my dad, brothers, and mom while our labrador retriever worked the field. The former was my basis for learning how to shoot effectively while the latter was the start of my own hunting exploits.
As a kid, going hunting was the adventure. It didn’t matter how far away we went from the house. It didn’t matter if we went to Kentucky, stayed in Ohio, or trekked the mountains of Mongolia. Rather, it was more about being outside, spending time with family, and appreciating what God has given us. Walking through the fields while hunting pheasant, I might as well have been stalking game on the plains of Africa. To a child, it doesn’t matter where or how you hunt; all that matters is that you go hunting.
In time, my opportunities for hunting increased. I grew to love turkey hunting and deer hunting as my primary quarry. I’ve called in my share of toms over the years and put plenty of venison in the freezer. It is a life pursuit at this point that’s not going anywhere any time soon. It all stemmed from my dad taking me hunting.
So, take your kid hunting.
