Hunting as a family can be an amazing experience that bonds you closer. If you want to share your passion for hunting with your loved ones, then you need to make sure that you approach it in the right way. Take even one misstep, and you could persuade them forever that hunting isn’t for them. Taking your time introducing your children to hunting will only improve the chances of them enjoying themselves and wanting to repeat the experience for the next hunting season. If you think it's time to introduce your children to the thrill of hunting, remember these seven important tips.

Allow Tech

The temptation might be to tell your kids to leave the phones and handheld gaming devices at home, but this can get things off on the wrong foot immediately. Bring the distractions with you (especially the phone which can be very useful), and let them play with their tech when there’s an opportunity to do so. However, let them know when they need to put their distractions away.

Be Weather Aware

If you take your kids hunting in the colder months and they don’t have warm Merino wool clothing from SKRE, then they (and you) will have an unpleasant time. Always be aware of the weather and pack the right clothing.

They Might Not Enjoy It

It might frustrate you, but not all children will enjoy hunting. If they spend the weekend with you and can’t get into the experience, don’t take it to heart. Find alternative ways to spend time with them. Hunting is not for everyone, and trying to force your children to enjoy will only have the opposite effect.

Teach before the Hunt

Exposure to the natural world is crucial, and educating your children about the world around them is a useful first step to introducing them to hunting. Before the hunting season begins, take them into the woods and point out animals. Talk about what the animals are doing and why, and you might instill a love of the great outdoors that lasts a lifetime.

Go Short

Don’t commit to a week-long hunting trip for your kid’s first experience. Stick to short trips of a few hours; otherwise, you run the risk of losing their attention levels. If you’re going for a weekend trip, break down your prone times to around 45 minutes to an hour. Much more than that, and you will often find their minds wandering.

Treats

Always make sure that you pack treats for them to enjoy. One of the best things to pack is copious amounts of hot chocolate (and marshmallows if you have the room!). Not only does this help to warm everyone up after a day in the great outdoors, but it can also be a good way to establish those happy memories that will never fade.

Have Fun

Remember that you might not have any hunting success the first time that you take your children into the wilds with you. Obviously, in an ideal world, you’d be scoring bucks and does like it's going out of fashion, but the most important thing to prioritize is fun. No matter how old your children might be, being outdoors with the people that they love the most should always be fun. If you don't hit anything this time, don’t let that ruin your trip.

Building memories is a fundamental part of growing up. The more positive you can make those memories, the better. Remember to avoid pressuring your children and that they aren't going to be experienced hunters in the first five minutes. Take your time, and you vastly improve your chances of nurturing a passion for hunting that matches your own.