A Day Afield With My Son
Richard Milligan is a member of the USA and IAFF Local 27
It had been a long deer season in the overgrown underbrush and woods we call home in Washington State. My 5-year-old son, Keenan, and I had scared off numerous deer this season. This was his first full year in the woods, and to say we were not as quiet as we needed to be was an understatement. I was hoping a deaf, half blind old buck would stumble across our path, so Keenan could see his first animal harvest.
It was the last day of the season, and like so many other days, the rain was coming down so hard we were drenched the minute we exited the truck. We were on our way to one of my favorite spots, where I had seen a nice 2-point blacktail and a 3x2 in past seasons. When we got close, I began thinking I would pass the spot and road hunt, which is not our style. When we got to the dead-end road, I was about to pass when Keenan piped up, "Dad, I thought we were going to hunt "the spot." When I asked if he really wanted to get out in the downpour, his answer was a matter-of-fact yes.
So we parked the truck, and put on our orange vests and fanny packs. Keenan insists on carrying something, so I always prepare a light day pack for him with all the essentials: a first-aid kit, water bottle, PowerBar, emergency blanket and a pocket knife. He loves it and feels he is contributing. When we stop for a rest, and he shares his water with me, he gets a great big grin.
On this hunt, I thought if we could get into the area where I had seen bucks during the pre-season, we could set up and watch a couple trails coming from a nearby stream. We just might catch a deer at daylight.
We reached the spot just as the first light was breaking. We set up and waited. Keenan was able to wait an entire 25 minutes before getting antsy. In those 25 minutes, no deer revealed themselves; though I’m sure they saw or heard us and stayed just out of sight.
As was the case many times this year, we ended the hunt and hiked around for a few hours in the pouring rain, seeing no deer but sharing father and son bonding time in the woods. We talked about the trees, mushrooms, animals and birds that we saw. I taught him the lay of the land and what to do if he was ever stranded in the woods. It was a great day in the field.
We didn’t shoot a deer that season, but we laid a foundation for future hunts that we will share together for years to come. I encourage you to take your sons and daughters or someone else’s son or daughter afield with you. The rewards will last a lifetime.
Tips for Hunting wiht Kids
- 1. Relax and go at their pace. If you don’t, you will lose a hunting partner.
- 2. Realize the first few hunts are not hunts but a time of getting to know the woods, filled with lots of questions.
- 3. Make them comfortable by keeping them warm and dry and packing lots of snacks, which will help keep your young hunter quiet.
- 4. Let them help in the preparation for the hunt, such as packing backpacks, and explain why you pack all this stuff for a day hunt.
- 5. Have fun and enjoy the company. It’s much more important than the actual kill.
