Giving Him The First Shot

[Jay Edward (deceased)]

For some this is really difficult... it is like hunting with a lady.  The temptation is to take the shot 'so it won't get away'.

Failure is part of the deal.  Youngsters need to fail to remember... simply telling them, or if they miss, berating them makes a bad impression.  This will carry on for generations as sons learn from their dads.  You've got to break the chain!

As a matter of course I am only into encouragement having learned the opposite from my father.  Strength through striving is necessary for survival and hunting is one avenue where this lesson can be learned.

There are few enjoyments better than watching your daughter or son doing it right in the field... both technically and ethically.  When they do it all right, pet 'em and watch them wiggle like puppies.

When they do it wrong due to lack of preparation (range/trigger time) or with a lack of ethics, don't praise them or punish them... teach them.

And for heavens sake... don't get caught up in the contemporary garbage about how you're 'damaging their self esteem'.  Failure, and the correction thereof, is part of the deal.

[RatherBHuntin]

Good advice Jay.  It's something I have to always keep in mind with my boys, and it doesn't come natural.  I think the human race is predisposed to always take the sure thing when food is involved.  But you're right, just like any other predators, the pups have to get their chance to learn when the parents are around to teach so that they don't starve to death when they are on their own.

[Alboy]

Yepper ya got that right.
 
Many will not believe how much more fun it is like that too. Holding the weapons so someone you taught can do the wahoo dance.
 
Bad shots are bad shots, you have to learn how to manage the problem. No amount of scolding or berating will do the job of re-inforcing due diligence as much as tracking down and dispatching a bad shot or tracking all day and not finding it.
 
 
 
also the power in the weapon does matter much the same lessons  can be learned on an old Daisy