15 Year Old Daughter Wants To Hunt

[BuckEye]

My daughter (mix of high fashion girl and redneck occasionally showing on the side) wants to get into hunting with me. It warms the cockles of my heart:-D My son (14) likes fishing, but has shown no real interest in the hunting, although likes to shoot when we get the chance.
Wondering what a good path would be for getting my daughter out with me next fall. We did a quick preliminary look in the regs, and will look more closely after the holidays. Just wondering what you more experienced hunters would advise for first steps.
What does she need for training and licenses to be legal with me.
Any Dad's who's daughters have shown interest or are active hunters.
Thanks all and Merry Christmas

[cwocarsten]

One of the best advantages of getting your daughter hooked on hunting is 1st week of Sept when it is bow season..........but jr hunters like your daughter can use a rifle. You may want to go with her when she takes her core program (bonding time) and it will keep her focused as there will be boys her age there.

[Tuffcity]

Mine's held a junior licence since age 10. Has her own now (She just turned 17). She can spot game with the best of them and has the patience of a rock. College this year put a crimp in her hunting but the drive is still there.

All she'll need at this point is her CORE. She can pack a firearm if she's under your supervision. Cut down a stock if you have to.

Keep her warm and her hands and feet dry, buy her stuff that fits! and don't cheap out on footwear. You'll probably be surprised at how tough these young women are.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a20/Tuffcity/DenicaJames1.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a20/Tuffcity/fce82795.jpg

RC

[buck nash]

She can't get her pal yet but she can hunt as long as she is supervised by someone who does have it. that means you have to be within sight of her and able to communicate without the aid of walky talkies etc. The two of you can sit in a stand together, let her take the shot with you there for back-up.

Once she has her core she can get her own tags. So no time like the present to sign her up.

If it was me I'd bring her down to the local gun store and have her try on a few for size. Find one she likes, one that she feels comfortable shouldering and so on. Then i'd encourage her to select a calibre appropriate for her stature 243 or 270. buy it for her (in your name) and bring her to the range as often as She wants. If its her gun she's gonna like it that much more, especially if she was part of the selection process, but the last thing you want to do is come on too strong and put her off. Teenagers are a fickle bunch so you really want to let her set the pace to keep her interest and not make it seem like work.

Next thing I'd do is start to plan a spring bear hunt (if she's interested in bear). If she's not into bear then start scouting for deer or whatever and enjoy the time outdoors with your kid. Pass on whatever knowledge you can, teach her ethics by example, and be thankful that you've managed to raise a kid that shares your interests and values.

[nano]

She can't get her pal She can still do the test but she would be under a minors possession license until she turns 18. Thats what I did when I was 14 and now my minors license will change over to a pal in August when I turn 18.

[oldschoolguy]

aiy. Who's daughter is that? ;)

[Tanya]

That is fantastic! Your daughter, as stated above will need to take the CORE, and the PAL can wait.

As far as guns go, I don't know you have on hand for her to use, but certainly if she is very interested a gun that fits her, and is comfortable for her to shoot would be a good idea. What calibre would be partially dependant on both what species she will primarily be hunting, no use getting something too light for the game she'll be pursuing. I am small and have no problem with larger calibre guns like my .338 because it fits me. That to me along with learning how to shoot properly is most important. A good quality pad like a LimbSaver can be put on, but unless she is a tall girl you may want to mount it on something with a shorter stock. At 15 she is likely pretty much finished her vertical growth, so shouldn't grow out of a gun. A 30.06 is a calibre that you can get a huge variety of loads for to match whatever game she is after, and certainly shouldn't be too much gun. A Thompson Center Encore is a super gun with a very shock absorbing system built right into the stock, and different calibre barrels can be purchased. It is light to carry, absorbs recoil, and has a shorter stock, I love mine which I have .17 cal, .338 cal and 50 cal muzzleloader barrels for. One of those in 30.06 would be a great gun.

Enjoy the time together!!

[irishbandit1]

I have had my daughter hunting with me since the age of 5 and she is now almost 22 yrs old.She can track with the best of them,has an eagles eyes for spotting game and patience akin to the likes of nothing I have seen.She also has one proud father as you can tell:-DFeel free to PM me and we can possibly arrange a father daughter hunt next year.My daughter would make a great mentor and I think the two would get along well.
Cheers and Merry X-mas,Steve.

[Steeleco]

Get her into a course before May. Then she can apply for next years LEH. I agree the PAL can wait as your going to supply all she needs for some time yet. My 11 year old took up hunting this year, she's not as dedicated as her older Bro but she's hooked. And I'm stoked about it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/steeleco/My%20pictures/IMG_2123.jpg

[guest]

Thats Great, my youngest is chomping at the bit now that she can't use my tags. She has loved chasing Grouse and deer and been in on some harvesting too, her words "It's pretty Cool Dad ".

She will likely take her CORE this winter. They need CORE to get their Hunter # 14yrs. and older, then on to LEH's and the GOS.

The thing I like is the drive is coming from her.

I Can't think of any thing more rewarding to do with recreation then passing on down Tradition in the Back Woods, Lakes, River, and Oceans to my Kids or some day grand kids.

CT

[BuckEye]

Great information, experiences and advice. I showed my daughter the pictures of the girls and she thought they were "awesome". It looks like CORE is our first step. I took mine in 1978-79 so could use a refresher. I'm going to take the PAL with her soon as well. I have a POL, but need to add to the rifle collection.
All I wan't for christmas is a 30-06, a 7mm, a crossbow.:mrgreen:
Not too many guns in a pink camo stock, so her choices will be limited. She did find a pink scope online as well, but I think I will look into the suggestions made here, with her along and approving of course.
Thanks again and Merry Ho Ho...

[Steeleco]

Get her, her core and take it from there. If time permits in the new year, I'll invite you to bring her and shoot some of the guns my kids use. It will give you some idea as to what to look for when shopping for her.

[BuckEye]

Great offer Steeleco. It's one thing to hold a rifle in a store and completely another to feel the recoil and trigger action when shooting.
She spoke to a girlfriend she has in the cariboo this morning. They started talking hunting. Turns out her girlfriend took core as a high school course and her family also have a freezer full of deer. The girls were excited when they realized they both shared this not so common (for girls) interest.
Her friend advised that her family was going to be moving further north as her Dad was transferred to FSJ. Both bummed out about the long drive until it was pointed out that it's a short flight and there is plenty of great hunting in the area.
Merry Christmas fellow hunters.

[358win]

I am proud to have a 16 yr. old daughter that loves fishing and hunting (Tambo on this site). I let her try different things and she eventualy settled on her weapons of choice. Maybe they can get to know each other through e-mail and share some info. Better yet, get her to sign up here.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/tambobow.JPG

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/hunting4.jpg

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/P1010073_new1.JPG

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/P1010897web1.JPG

[Ferenc]

This is my 13 year old daughter and she loves to hunt...best partner ever!!!!!!!

[BC30cal]

BuckEye;
You have received a lot of very good information in my experience and have should have a good foundation to build on.

As a by the way, my experience is based upon having taught CORE for 22 years and having been blessed with a wife who hunted up until our daughters were born and then having the girls accompany me hunting for most of their lives, first as observers and now as participants.

The comments about her having a rifle that is hers, that fits her and that she can shoot well are spot on. While some seasoned shooters can "make do" with a variety of ill fitting rifles, whenever possible new hunters should be given all the tools for a positive start.

All of us who hunt tend to do so for very different reasons. If possible, when you are hunting with your daughter, try to figure out what she wants to get out of that day afield and plan accordingly to make the hunt more for her than for you.

For example, one of our daughters doesn't mind a good stomp in the mountains at all, while the other isn't really keen on getting too far off the beaten path. At the same time, she's the one willing to get up at stupid hours of the night and spend the time on the hill - she just likes to do it closer to the truck than further.

One likes to shoot grouse with a .22 and that has helped her to become a very steady shot on deer as well. The other is indifferent towards eating birds and so doesn't get too excited about shooting them. She will shoot at the range though for practice.

One couldn't be bothered with black bears and the other wants to kill "the bear" very much, so of course hunts with one or the other are tailored towards those goals whenever possible.

It is important to pay attention to making the outings comfortable for them. Does she like a certain snack food, sports drink or what have you? Try to make it memorable in a positive way.

As well, if she hasn't spent a bunch of time in the woods, the concept of finding a "friendly log" for calls of nature can be traumatic for some ladies not used to the vagaries of bush life. Summer outings to out of the way areas usually help ease them into the realities of bush "facilities".

If this sounds like a lot of hassle, please believe me that it really isn't. For me, hunting with our daughters has been the most rewarding time afield I've ever had. I get far more excitement when they take an animal of any age class then when I shoot a big buck.

In the strongest possible way, I want to encourage both you and your daughter in your hunting pursuits.

As a final encouragement, here are a couple photos of the possibilities that await parents and young hunters.

Our 15 year old with this past fall's mule deer, her biggest so far.
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x83/BC30cal/Amd.jpg



Our 13 year old with 2009's whitetail, her biggest so far.
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x83/BC30cal/HPIM0565.jpg

Hopefully that was some use to you BuckEye. If I can be of any assistance, by all means drop me a PM. Good luck to you both in your upcoming hunts.


Regards,
Dwayne

[BuckEye]

Wow, check out those bucks. I'm envious.
The smiles on your girls faces speak for themselves. You brought up some great points (no pun intended) about the girls comfort level off the beaten path when it comes to time out, distance out, food and potty breaks. We have spent some time in the past few years doing off road motor sport and more recently some quad exploration. I think things will be a bit easier because of these outings and getting into the high country on some long rides. As advised though, I will be watching for signs of preference or comfort levels in these areas.
I am sure others will gain from the advise in this forum topic. I will keep everyone posted on our progress. Yesterday afternoon was spend plinking (scoped/moded 22 cal pellet rifle) at a pellet trap in the backyard. Lost light and guests arriving were all that could pull her away.
Thanks again and I will get a pic or two up once were out as well.
Doug

[Gateholio]

Wow, you guys have got some pretty cool daughters...:-D

[Stéphane]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/tambobow.JPG


And of course the skate shoes complete the teenage outfit perfectly.

I went hiking with my class this year (gr.7) up Lindeman lake and the fastest kid was wearing skate shoes.

Back on topic, my question is: Is hunting something they always wanted to do, or is it because they want to spend some time with dad (or mom?)?

There's a parent of one of my students who is a hunter, and although his daughter enjoyed shooting a .22, there's no way she could kill an animal. Does he have a chance to ever bring her hunting?

[BC30cal]

Stephane:
I'll attempt to give you my take on what motivates different individuals to hunt.

My wife definitely began hunting to spend more time with me. Very quickly we learned that she is one of the more competent game shots, under pressure, that I've been around and this became a wonderful source of self confidence for her.

For the last 21 odd years she's worked her way up to where she is the financial controller for a large local construction company where many of the sight foremen, etc. hunted. It absolutely gave her a degree of respect from some of them that she was a successful hunter, I know this because they told me just that on several occasions. Whether that was a motivating factor or not, I can only speculate, but I can't imagine that was a negative influence on her.

Lastly, she really enjoyed eating deer meat and as we both enjoy cooking, it was a source of the foundation for countless memorable meals.

Our girls were very literally brought up in the local mountains. We live on a small acreage with wildlife in the yard year round. They accompanied us up the hill for camping, firewood cutting and hunting in all seasons. They participated and helped us cut and wrap our game since they were very young as well - certainly both were still preschool age.

Here is one fine fall afternoon when they accompanied me for a drive up behind the house, way back when.
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x83/BC30cal/scan00012.jpg
When I've asked them what motivated them to hunt, they both responded with words to the effect of they'd never considered not hunting. For them then, hunting is "normal" and as natural as grocery shopping - which in reality it really is I suppose?

I've also witnessed kids who've grown up with hunting parents show no interest in it until they became adults themselves. This is pretty common actually and makes sense in that when they are teens they want to show independence and become their own person.

As I mentioned earlier, I believe all people hunt for their own very personal reasons and there could well be a multitude of factors influencing whether or not they ever choose to take up hunting.

Anyway, there are a few thoughts on the matter which hopefully made some sense? All the best to you and yours in 2011.

Regards,
Dwayne

[spreerider]

how do i meet one of these daughters that love to hunt,
i cant seem to find any young women who hunt

[358win]

how do i meet one of these daughters that love to hunt,
i cant seem to find any young women who hunt
I've been out of that problem for a LONG time but may I suggest a archery 3-D shoot?

[Tambo*]

Just because your a girl doesnt mean you can't hunt, alot of girls hunt :)

[Phoneguy]

Can I suggest doing the PAL before the CORE? The CORE has two parts to the test, the written, and the firearms handling portion. If you have your PAL, or proof of having passed the PAL then the handling portion of the CORE test is waved. Why do two almost identical tests twice? I am instructor with Saperton Fish and Game and we give both courses a few times a year.

James