Whitetails Unlimited

By Whitetails Unlimited
Joe Byers

Introducing youngsters (or adults) to hunting takes special patience and accommodations to build a love of the outdoors and appreciation of our cherished traditions. Take things step-by-step and you will bond a hunting partner for life—and, make sure those cherished bows or firearms get passed down to the next generation.

TIP 1:
Hunt Before You Hunt
Children enjoy doing things with their parents so involve them in as many ways as possible in the preseason. Let them help putting up a tree stand or work in a food plot. Scouting for small and large
game is a puzzle they will love to solve, even if it’s just identifying acorns, rubs, or scrapes.

Michigan white-tailed deer. (Photo: Davin Harsila: Used with Permission)

TIP 2:
Teach Them About Nature.
The sound of a pileated woodpecker’s alarm cry always sparks excitement because it often signals deer on the move. It was one of the earliest birds I learned to recognize because my grandfather talked about eating them during the Great Depression. Teach newcomers to identify birds, squirrels, and other critters, and the sounds they make. They’ll think it’s funny that fox squirrels like to sleep in, and only the greys move at first light.

A pileated woodpecker. (Public Domain. pxhere.com)

TIP 3:
Simulate Practice
Most kids love video games and many of today’s offerings are very realistic. Practice with Nerf, BB, or pellet guns so you can observe that they safely handle a firearm and become proficient. Play with them and talk about important things like shot placement, stopping animals with an “urp,” and careful aiming practices like, “Aim small, miss small.”

TIP 4:
Get a Video Cell Camera
Two of my three grandsons have “their” tree stands with cameras posted nearby. I shared the email address of the camera and frequently get texts about a bear or bobcat caught on camera. This keeps
them in the hunt every day of the year. Often, the first thing they do each day is check their camera. Watching wildlife is always very motivating and engaging. Check local rules, since some states
have restrictive regulations on the use of motion-activated cameras for hunting.

TIP 5:
Make Hunting Fun
Getting up at 4 a.m. and sitting in the cold for hours with nothing to eat or drink is no fun for youngsters, so don’t do it. Analyze your success. How many deer or turkeys have you killed at the
crack of dawn? Probably not as many as you think. If your goal is to develop a hunting buddy for life, make it fun. Use a pop-up blind for warmth and movement. Bring plenty of snacks and hot
chocolate. Bundle up and let them take a nap if they like. Hunting like Jeremiah Johnson is an image many hunters cherish, but it’s not fun for kids. At the end of the hunt, you want to hear, “That was
cool, when can we do it again?”

Wild turkey. (Public Domain. pxhere.com)

TIP 6:
The Hunt is the Trophy
Forget antler size or trophy status. A doe or spike buck is the way most hunters begin, and young or old can be justifiably proud of that success. Being able to obtain a food source from the wild is a monumental achievement that only a minority of Americans achieve. Deer and turkey are locally sourced, free roaming, contain no artificial additives, are low in fat and cholesterol, and high in protein. If you harvested that deer or turkey with a family firearm, so much the better. You have built a relationship
that will last for generations and whether you punch a tag or eat tag soup, the family tradition is bonded, strengthened, and on a path to continue.

Falling from a tree stand is a real possibility, and all hunters who go into the air need to make safety their first thought. (Photo Courtesy, Whitetails Unlimited)

By Whitetails Unlimited
greer@wktv.org

Tip 1:
This is Real!
Yes, YOU can fall from an elevated stand! Everyone who hunts from a tree stand needs to place safety first – there is no animal out there that is worth dying, or being injured, for. If you don’t follow all safety rules every time you go into a tree stand to hunt, then quit using tree stands and stay on the ground. It’s really that simple.

Tip 2:
Educate Yourself.
There are a lot of resources about tree stand safety out there, and the gear and standards for tree stand safety have changed a lot in the last two decades. Don’t assume you know everything. A little time on the internet and reading the instructions for your new full-body harness and life line will get you up-to-date in no time.

Tip 3:
Safety is a System.
While the full-body harness and life line are the core of tree stand safety, remember that every component is important and needs attention. In addition to the gear, the procedures are also part of the system, and you need to perform them correctly, every time. Procedures include always using a lift line for your unloaded firearm or bow; strapping in to the lifeline before hauling gear up; always having three points of contact while ascending or descending; and having a cell phone and/or emergency signaling device in a place you can reach if you fall.

Tip 4:
Check, and Recheck.
You need to become obsessive about checking things, like the nuts, bolts, and fasteners on your stands; the stitching on your harnesses; and watching for frayed or damaged spots on ropes. If you have a home-built stand (not recommended, but people still do it) you need to check and repair anything that is not solid. If it’s attached to a tree, it’s subject to continual movement and will be stressed in between every use. A free-standing elevated stand can weather and rot, and critters can make dramatic changes to a stand in a very short period of time.

Tip 5:
Spend the Money.
If you think it’s too expensive to buy a quality harness, imagine how much it will cost for an emergency room visit, an extended time off from work, or to modify your house to accommodate your sparkling new wheelchair. Or how much it will cost your family to pay for your funeral. Yes, this is dramatic, but it happens every season to people who think, “It won’t happen to me.” Safety gear is as important as your bow or firearm, license, clothing, or ammunition.

Tip 6:
Know Your Limitations.
Are you getting older? Is it getting harder to get into that stand? Are you starting to lose your footing on the ladder when it is wet or frozen? Have you started taking a medication that makes you drowsy or dizzy? Are you not comfortable at that height anymore? If there is any way you are not relaxed and calm in that elevated stand, then rethink your hunting strategy. This is not a contest to see who is the toughest or most fearless – if you are not enjoying the hunting experience, start looking for alternatives.

Tip 7:
There is No One Answer.
There are a lot of ways to hunt deer, and a lot of deer were taken before elevated stands became popular. Hunting is a very safe activity; but it can be safer – do not put yourself at risk!

Whitetails Unlimited works as the voice of our members to promote conservation, preserve the hunting tradition, and celebrate North America’s premier big-game animal, the white-tailed deer. Whitetails Unlimited’s mission is to raise funds in support of educational programs, wildlife habitat enhancement and acquisition, and preservation of the hunting tradition and shooting sports for future generations.

Since our beginning, Whitetails Unlimited has spent over $147 million on projects including research, wildlife agency assistance, habitat enhancement/acquisition, scholarships, educational materials, hunter safety/education, anti-poaching measures, and cooperative projects with other conservation organizations.