Interesting topic.
Nobody in my family or close group of friends hunted or had parents who hunted. My dad had given up hunting when I was too young to remember (long story) but he did keep both his shotguns and made sure my brother and I always knew those guns would be gifted to us when we got our hunting licenses. Both my older brother and I wanted badly to hunt since we were very young and we got our licenses at 16 & 18 respectively.
In 1990, there were not a lot of ducks around our area and we spent a few years where between 3 or 4 of us with licenses we shot 4 ducks the entire season. Nobody had even a glimmer of hope to go deer hunting. No public land here and permission not easy to come by for a bunch of dumb teens. Only made us want it more.

Around 2000 - 2010 I started getting a bit more serious and attended some youth waterfowl events... kids had brand new camo, layout blinds, semi autos and I saw a couple with Foiles and Grounds acylic calls -- that they knew how to use. Some were humble, great kids but a few were already arrogant (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) at 15 years old and thought that the sun shone out of their butts... but if their parents didn't own farms or hadn't locked them up permission in high number areas for years before they were even born I doubt they would have been able to score a single bird here.

Trapping - I started late and the internet was already available to flatten the learning curve really quickly. I think I probably would have struggled a lot if I had started as a teen.... now teenagers have youtube channels where they sell them selves as professionals LOL... but who isn't a bit cocky when they're that age.

I think ease of access is the only thing keeping our pursuits alive now because if it were too hard, nobody would pick up the torch.

I started at the age of 8. My dad had two stoploss traps he had kept and I found them.

Got some sardines from the kitchen cabinet and set them in our woods. I caught two possum. My dealer would trade a possum for a 1.5 long spring. Wasn’t long before I had a bunch of traps. I than switched to muskrats and coons and then fox.

When I was about 17 I was taking a very pretty girl out to dinner. I spotted something in the road and told her to hang on a second, I had to turn around and go back. It was a red fox in perfect condition. The only damage was to it’s face.
I flipped it into the back of the truck. Dinner was paid for. I got 65 for that one.

I’m a self taught trapper. Trial and error take awhile to turn into a working plan. It’s way easier to have someone show you the ropes but when I was growing up, no one around me trapped and books where too expensive.

Personally, I think kids should ideally start out on squirrels and rabbits not deer and Turkey. Growing up when all there was to hunt was small game I did a lot of that on my own and learned so much little things, on my own. Yes, deer was a big deal. My papaw got me a 94 Winchester when I was 11 and my first season with it I sat on my own. Nowadays, kids want to go straight to deer. I’ve sat with a half dozen or so taking their first deer. They were excited but none of them hunt now. It’s sort of like they started at the pinnacle. I was all for getting them out doing anything, still am, but over the years I wonder if deer are a good starting point. Kind of like going after coyotes and cats instead of rats and possums…..like I did too.

I think its too easy in the aspect that I don't think a person learns the "why's" of either why a hunting spot is good or why traps are placed the way they are.

I don't think instant success hurts much and delays wether or not that particular person will stick with it thru the skinny times.

yes, we make it way to e-z for the most part.

I agree kids should start with squirrel and rabbit and maybe even pheasant

my son had squirrel and pheasant before he got a deer

you need to explain the why just like you would explain the why to placing jack stands while working on a car.

when I would put him in a place I would explain the most common deer movement for that place and why he was there and where to be watching , as well as keep your ears and eyes open for any direction

understanding deer behavior and historic deer movement is important when you have been hunting one place a long time you have that history.

I have no problem letting my boys 9 and 11 hunt small game on their own especially on my farm. My 11 year old has been huning deer on his own some this year as well. He Shot a doe his first time alone.

My 9 year old picked out his stand location himself after we did the scouting all day on our KY youth hunt on public ground. He shot his deer at 16 yards blowing its heart into two pieces. The deer were closser but he waited letting them walk away untill he got the shot he wanted. The only imput from dad was the ride and getting the deer out. Not bad for a 9 year old.

Im only worried about them running across other hunters or getting turned around in the woods if on a new area. I have zero worries about their gun handeling or shot placement. I guess that goes back to them having lots of outdoor experience starting before they could walk. In fact i bet they have more hunting experiance than a lot of adults. I this season they have each shot a deer and and at least combined over 30 squirls with their.22 rifles. They can clean their own squirle and help with the deer

Got to not only teach them but also give them responsibility. The guy with the to young comment could use some prespective.

Providence farm I agree completely about giving responsibility

we have 2 primary jobs as parents

1 set expectations

2 provide the support to make those expectations reachable.

my son started shooting action pistol at 12 , there are few people I trust with a gun more than him I trained him the way I wanted him trained.

have gotten many compliments over the years on his handling skills.

I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion and the level of trust in your child with a gun.

for kytrapper