I took my daughter (7) for our first camping/hunting trip this last weekend. She's been on me like crazy after a few small trips with my son so I committed a trip to a friends tiny property out near Sheridan to turkey hunt.
When we got there Saturday afternoon after setting up camp she wanted to explore so I grabbed the AR and we went for a hike. I spotted an armadillo and pointed it out to her while it was cutting through some brush/trees and she excitedly grinned "shoot it!" - this girl was ready for action. I told her we should follow it instead, which we did for a while when we cut across really fresh hog sign heading the direction the armadillo was. We continued following the armadillo across a creek bed and it ducked into some heavy brush. When it did a lot of commotion broke out and a group of hogs took off in all directions. I got the momma under the left armpit twice right as it made it across the small creek embankment and she started thrashing. I found a small window where she was laying up and put one in her head which ended that. Daughter was so excited she started tearing up. Couldn't have asked for a more exciting moment for her after a couple of painstakingly slow mornings dove hunting with her the last couple of years.
Hunting with kids is always a balance between keeping them in the game and excited, but dealing with the reality of slow hunts. I was so happy for her to experience the rush.

AWESOME!!!
Can't wait to get to take my grandson out hunting
Good on you for taking her out!!!

Great Job! Having raised two boys and a girl into hunting I know what you are talking about. Sometimes keeping them focused during the slow times is tough, and I don't push it. If things are bad we go go do something else. But times like this hunt you just had are what keeps them coming back. The first coyote stand my daughter ever went on with me I killed a triple. She was barely 5 years old and has been hooked ever since.

My daughter is not a real big fan of sitting and waiting. She is very active and gets bored easy. Sitting and waiting on deer/pigs is not her game. She will do it but much prefers to actively hunt, spot and stalk. That is one reason she likes calling coyotes, it is fairly fast paced. She has gotten old enough and big enough now to carry her own rifle and tripod at night stalking, and she LOVES stalking pigs at night with thermal.

Just find the right niche to keep them entertained and interested, and they will stick with it.

You are doing good with her.

Fantastic, all kids should get a chance to hunt, both boys and girls, the big majority of them love it, they learn so much about nature and wildlife. They learn life lessons, and enjoy something at the same time. You should really be proud as a
father, and that little lady did great.Big congratulations to both of you !!!

Did you remind her why you didn’t shoot the armadillo afterwards? She looks as happy and proud as a girl can get. You are lucky, my boy likes hunting, my daughter, not so much

Which direction from Sheridan/Splashway? I'm just a little south. Grew up there. Lots of hogs and I've seen more turkeys this year than in a loooooong time.

Not even two miles west of it actually. We heard a lot of turkey in the morning, but nothing came out. That would have been too much though, she'd get the wrong impression about hunting if we tagged a turkey and a hog within 12 hours haha

Gary I sure did. Patience can pay off, plus not sure what we'd have done with an armadillo. She was as thrilled as can be & she wasn't shy at all about watching me take the backstraps.

Great story and I can’t wait for mine to get a few years older

Neat

As a dad to a 5, soon to be 6 year old daughter, I love reading stories like this!!

Keep up the good work dad!!

That’s a good time

Congrats