j3k2c1

I was allowed to go for waterfowl and upland game only until I had my blue card. The laws in my state make it so you must be atleast 12 before you hunt small game and birds. 14 for biggame. I think that at age 12 you can hunt biggame and birds. JMO

Mr. Longbeard

I know most guys want to get there sons out there as soon as possible. But when you only have public land to hunt and the birds dont run in waving a flag saying "shoot me shoot me" it's kinda hard to have a decent hunt with a 8 year old kid...

TheBassMan

I am 17 and wish i started when i was 10. I went hunting for the first time This year for yote and spring gobbler. My dad doesnt hunt doesnt even show any intrest to learn with me, so i am teaching myself, and from this forum. What i think is tha tif oyu hunt public land..wait till he is 10 to hunt, but if you hunt on private take your kid out for a season or two when he is 7 and 8, and let him watch you, and teach him while he is out there with you. Then when he is around 10 let him try for his first bird

coyote caller

I was like 12 when I started hunting, because I didn't have a father around enough, to care about his kids. But I started my son and daughter when they were both 5 or 6 shooting. They started out with only a BB gun, until they learned all the safety aspects of shooting, before I let then shoot a real gun. Then I started my boy shooting a .22 when he was 8. My girl just never really wanted to go hunting. But She still shoots today, and I might add, that she out shoots the crap out of her husband now. And that's with a bow, rifle, and shotgun. My boy was following me on coon hunts and bear hunts at the age of 9. I think the earlier you teach them, the better they'll be in the long run. I never had any of my kids ever mess with any of my guns, or ammo, trying to show them off to their friends. They learned from a early age that even a pellet gun can kill you. We would shoot a pumpkins, cantalope, and milk jugs full of water. And I would explain to them that this is just like shooting at someones head. The results really enter their heads to the point where they both respect all guns.