Teaching a young hunter

Teaching a new or young hunter the basics and ethics

Hunting is an excellent activity that imparts valuable skills to anyone especially children. New and young hunters can can learn an invaluable amount of respect for animals, and the wilderness, from hunting with a responsible mentor. However, young hunters certainly need to master the basics as well as learn all about ethical hunting before they set off on their very first hunt.

While hunting can be exciting, it should also remain safe for the young or novice hunter as well as those around the eager hunter. It is very crucial to teach the young hunter about the importance of safety in handling various weapons on the hunt, be it a rifle, bow, crossbow, or any other weapon of choice.

There are several ways to teach novice hunters before they actually participate in a hunt. One way is to enroll them in beginner or basic hunting courses that cover all the basics of survival, animals, and handling different weapons. Students are taught all about handling rifles, bows, knives, as well as storage, transportation, and maintenance of weapons and accessories such as bullets, arrows, quivers, etc.

Most countries and states require novice hunters to pass specific courses and possess relevant certificates before they can take part in an actual hunt. In addition to learning basic hunting skills, students are also provided skills on other aspects of hunting such as preventing hypothermia during a hunt and various other survival skills as well as cleaning and handling any game that is hunted.

On your part, you too can help a young hunter hone these newly acquired skills by ensuring regular practice. This can be achieved by taking them to archery or rifle ranges where they can practice shooting at targets in a controlled environment. These practice sessions will increase their hunting skills as well as provide them with much-needed confidence to help them perform better during actual hunts.

Young and new hunters also need to understand the importance of being properly outfitted during a hunt. They need to wear clothes that are appropriate for the specific hunt as well as bear in mind weather conditions and terrain of that hunt. They need the right protective gear and equipment that can keep them safe while allowing plenty of body movement to track and take down the game without difficulty. In addition to imparting all technical skills related to hunting, young hunters must also learn the important of responsible and ethical hunting. They must be taught about respecting the actual hunt that includes respecting other hunters, hunting down game in a swift and ethical manner, and even handling the chosen firearm in a responsible manner. A new hunter must be taught to respect hunting property by cleaning all traces of the hunt including collecting spent casings, shells, and garbage generated during the hunt.

One of the most important lessons to teach a new hunter is that it is better to let the animal walk away than to take an unethical shot. There is a saying that goes: “Better to wish you had taken the shot, than to shoot and wish you hadn’t.”

Hunting is an excellent sport and hobby to enjoy the outdoors. Teaching a new or young hunter the basics and ethics of hunting is an important step that must be taken before the hunter progresses to an actual hunt. You must ensure that a young hunter completes all mandatory courses as well as gets sufficient practice while also learning about the ethics of hunting before he or she participates in an exhilarating hunt.

I am starting to introduce my children to archery, fishing, pellet gun shooting, and bush craft. Here are a some videos of us building shelters: