What is most important is that the child begins to understand the connection between hunting and the rest of life.. We do tend to make some things too easy with our money (high fence $$$) deluxe everything and comfort at every level. I know many of you remember days when it was very tough all the way around.. There is nothing wrong with letting someone figure out life for themselves and deal with the disappointment and failure along the way.

But chances are they won't enjoy them for a lifetime. An 8 year old will mostly remember it from the pictures (or the mount) and the stories dad tells. 12 will have a little clearer memory and 16 will probably remember it for life. That's just facts.

And it's not about being "worried" he will get a bigger deer than I did. I'm just the one who worked 50+ hours a week 50 weeks that year to afford the deer lease, feed & equipment. I'm also the one who gave weekends coaching his ball team, taking him to scouts, taking him to the Home Depot for their little building projects and somehow still getting to the lease to do the needed work. He was grateful for the first few does, the first spike and then a cull 8 point. He does remember the road trip to Missouri for youth weekend one season as well.

I guess though in some parents opinions I have to be the kids friend or buy his love by letting him fill my trophy tag. Like stated above, if all the other time and love I've shown hasn't shown him and given him good memories I doubt that a deer is going to be the one thing that brings him to my funeral.

And I'm building me a custom coffin now that 160" rack will fit in with me so I CAN take it with me.

When my oldest was 13, he shot a 157 deer. My grand dad, dad or myself had never shot a deer that big. I sat right there beside him and watched him do it. He had paid his dues in my book, learning gun safety and how to shoot, sitting in a blind with me for hours freezing our tails off. He understood the work that went in it. I could not have been prouder. Fact of the matter, I was happier that he had shot the deer over myself. He still enjoys hunting, and takes it much more seriously now. He learned the importance and results gained by game management. It still jazzes me to think about it. He is now 25, and the memories about that buck seem like yesterday.
And yes, he now drives a nicer, newer truck than I do. And he works for me! (he is paying for it himself)

We are dealing with fragile gifts from God with our children. All we can do is the best we know how.

Spending time in the outdoors with your son / daughter is the important thing in my opinion. Gets them off their electronics for a little while!

That is the truth right there

We get 1 trophy buck per year per paid hunter plus a cull/spike and does. I have alternated years with my son for the trophy since he was 5 years old. I haven't ever regretted it. He is an adult now and he will always be a hunter. Hopefully he will do the same, when he becomes a father.

I never shot a decent deer till I was 14, when I killed an 8 pointer that would have scored around 130. after that it was does and culls as we had lease hunters and our trophies and management deer were spoken for. when I was 20 I killed a decent axis.

I was 25 before I shot another nice whitetail. After that I've started to rack up some wall decorations.

I learned a few things by this....not saying its right or wrong, this is just the way it was. First off, I learned how to hunt. I didn't start off shooting deer over a feeder at 8 years old. I started off hunting rabbits, squirrels, dove and quail. when I was about 10 I was deemed old enough and started hunting, but I could not pull the trigger on just any old thing. I did get to kill plenty of does and culls which gave me lots of target practice and I was able to rack up a lot of deer under my belt.

I think they should have to work their way up. Start with a pig or doe, then a spike, then a cull, then a nice buck. Teaches them discipline and patience.

It's really all about the time spent with them and passing on the love of the outdoors.