Enjoy the outdoors with Gary Finch
Inside the Shooting House
By Steve Layton, Vice President, Finch Enterprises
“The sport of deer hunting matches the phases of life”. This statement sounds sort of “high brow” and philosophical but it’s actually pretty basic. The first phase involves the act of going to school or learning the ABC’s of hunting. The second requires the new hunter to go to work and put those learned skills into the practice of taking a deer. The third is being able to introduce it to someone else by passing on knowledge. The final phase is sort of attached to the previous one. Not only do we share the sport with new members, we remain involved in order to promote the future of hunting. We are in essence turning it over to the next generation.
I place myself somewhere between that third and final phase. My daughters are now college age and continue to enjoy the experiences of hunting and the outdoors. For those of you who are just now entering that third phase, it’s filled with both responsibility and great rewards. The tradition of introducing young people to hunting is the only way the sport will continue. During the month of December, the Christmas Holidays offer some of the best opportunities to make this happen.
I personally do not like to hunt within the enclosure of a shooting house or blind. But, some of the best memories with my daughters have been in the confines of a 4’x 6’ elevated box. I would like to say that it was all my idea. It would be much closer to the truth to mention that my wife, Vivian, has always been a proponent of having children experience “what-Dads-do”. It comes from her background as a pre-school director and her own experiences of hunting with her dad.
Is shooting-house-hunting really hunting the way I like it? “Heck no!”
Would I trade any of those shooting house trips with the girls for another hunt, or even a guaranteed trophy? “Nope, not in a million years.”
Laura and Emily started going with me as early as 4 and 6 years old. I could have made it very hard on
myself and taken the macho approach. My wife interceded and made it something positive for all of us.
Here’s what she taught me.
At this age, it’s all brand new to the kids. They have no expectations whatsoever. My daughters were just happy with the “adventure side” of the whole thing and getting to be with their dad in the woods. For them, it was no different than going out trick- or -treating. They got to dress up in clothes that were, for them, something of a costume. For these outings they got to be something beyond being a kid . . . they were hunters.
A shooting house can be a very confined space for one person. It gets considerably tighter with the bodies of one grown adult and two-half sizers. There are some tricks to making the afternoon hunt work. I say afternoon because mornings and kids don’t usually agree with each other. Proper clothes are at the top of the list. An uncomfortable child is going to be a noisy one. Incidentally, I don’t know many adults who can remain still and quiet if they are freezing. At this age, it doesn’t have to be the latest styles of camouflage patterns and suits. Remember, they are in a shooting house and nothing is going to see them. Take one of dad’s camo t-shirts and cover the big winter jacket, add a hunter orange knit cap and they’re satisfied.
Drink and food items are a must. It occupies time and involves cooperation within the group. It becomes a game within the hunt. It’s impossible for three people, confined to a shooting house, to quietly eat a snack, complete with a juice pouch, without having to coordinate every move. A sleeping bag or blanket allows younger ones to stretch out on the floor at dad’s feet without having to perch with legs dangling on a bench or constantly stand. It also makes the nap following snack time
easier to manage.
An extra set of binoculars on the hunt is one of the most fascinating things that young kids can use. It provides them a way to participate even if they are too young to shoot. They can watch for deer as well as other types of wildlife. We’ve seen turkeys, raccoons, possums, squirrels, armadillos, hawks, rabbits, and ducks without shooting or seeing a single deer. For our family, those days were still considered successful trips. The use of a video camera is an excellent method of recording and bringing the trip home to mom. Don’t think the kids won’t have you playing it back for her immediately.
Then there are the things not to bring. For me, they include: handheld video games, cell phones, radios, and headphones.
The last thing children need in the woods is a distraction, especially ones that simultaneously block two or more of their senses. This is one of the biggest challenges of introducing kids to the outdoors. Unfortunately, in our modern world, they have to train their senses to the subtleties of nature. These are senses that have been dulled by instant gratification and the blare of electronic stimulation. If they have to take something with them, make it a book. 7072301
Hunting, when conducted properly, is still one of the safest and most rewarding activities that families can do together. The combination of cold weather, parents, kids, and holiday hunting, is a time-honored tradition in our southern states. Sometimes, with a little planning, it also becomes a permanent bridge between generations. I couldn’t think of a better Christmas gift.
By Steve Layton, Vice President, Finch Enterprises
“The sport of deer hunting matches the phases of life”. This statement sounds sort of “high brow” and philosophical but it’s actually pretty basic. The first phase involves the act of going to school or learning the ABC’s of hunting. The second requires the new hunter to go to work and put those learned skills into the practice of taking a deer. The third is being able to introduce it to someone else by passing on knowledge. The final phase is sort of attached to the previous one. Not only do we share the sport with new members, we remain involved in order to promote the future of hunting. We are in essence turning it over to the next generation.
I place myself somewhere between that third and final phase. My daughters are now college age and continue to enjoy the experiences of hunting and the outdoors. For those of you who are just now entering that third phase, it’s filled with both responsibility and great rewards. The tradition of introducing young people to hunting is the only way the sport will continue. During the month of December, the Christmas Holidays offer some of the best opportunities to make this happen.
I personally do not like to hunt within the enclosure of a shooting house or blind. But, some of the best memories with my daughters have been in the confines of a 4’x 6’ elevated box. I would like to say that it was all my idea. It would be much closer to the truth to mention that my wife, Vivian, has always been a proponent of having children experience “what-Dads-do”. It comes from her background as a pre-school director and her own experiences of hunting with her dad.
Is shooting-house-hunting really hunting the way I like it? “Heck no!” Would I trade any of those shooting house trips with the girls for another hunt, or even a guaranteed trophy? “Nope, not in a million years.”
Laura and Emily started going with me as early as 4 and 6 years old. I could have made it very hard on myself and taken the macho approach. My wife interceded and made it something positive for all of us. Here’s what she taught me.
At this age, it’s all brand new to the kids. They have no expectations whatsoever. My daughters were just happy with the “adventure side” of the whole thing and getting to be with their dad in the woods. For them, it was no different than going out trick- or -treating. They got to dress up in clothes that were, for them, something of a costume. For these outings they got to be something beyond being a kid . . . they were hunters.
A shooting house can be a very confined space for one person. It gets considerably tighter with the bodies of one grown adult and two-half sizers. There are some tricks to making the afternoon hunt work. I say afternoon because mornings and kids don’t usually agree with each other. Proper clothes are at the top of the list. An uncomfortable child is going to be a noisy one. Incidentally, I don’t know many adults who can remain still and quiet if they are freezing. At this age, it doesn’t have to be the latest styles of camouflage patterns and suits. Remember, they are in a shooting house and nothing is going to see them. Take one of dad’s camo t-shirts and cover the big winter jacket, add a hunter orange knit cap and they’re satisfied.
Drink and food items are a must. It occupies time and involves cooperation within the group. It becomes a game within the hunt. It’s impossible for three people, confined to a shooting house, to quietly eat a snack, complete with a juice pouch, without having to coordinate every move. A sleeping bag or blanket allows younger ones to stretch out on the floor at dad’s feet without having to perch with legs dangling on a bench or constantly stand. It also makes the nap following snack time easier to manage.
An extra set of binoculars on the hunt is one of the most fascinating things that young kids can use. It provides them a way to participate even if they are too young to shoot. They can watch for deer as well as other types of wildlife. We’ve seen turkeys, raccoons, possums, squirrels, armadillos, hawks, rabbits, and ducks without shooting or seeing a single deer. For our family, those days were still considered successful trips. The use of a video camera is an excellent method of recording and bringing the trip home to mom. Don’t think the kids won’t have you playing it back for her immediately.
Then there are the things not to bring. For me, they include: handheld video games, cell phones, radios, and headphones.
The last thing children need in the woods is a distraction, especially ones that simultaneously block two or more of their senses. This is one of the biggest challenges of introducing kids to the outdoors. Unfortunately, in our modern world, they have to train their senses to the subtleties of nature. These are senses that have been dulled by instant gratification and the blare of electronic stimulation. If they have to take something with them, make it a book. 7072301
Hunting, when conducted properly, is still one of the safest and most rewarding activities that families can do together. The combination of cold weather, parents, kids, and holiday hunting, is a time-honored tradition in our southern states. Sometimes, with a little planning, it also becomes a permanent bridge between generations. I couldn’t think of a better Christmas gift.
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