Harshbarger: inspiring next generation of outdoorsmen
Commentary
My fondest childhood memories occurred in the outdoors, starting long-before the age that I could actually hunt. My Dad had my brother and I stomping around in the woods, more-less, from the time that we could take an unassisted step or two.
Of course, from the age of 12 and through my youth, the desire to chase whitetails and turkeys grew into passion and kept me out of the game room and off the streets. Not to say that I never got myself into some trouble, but I had the kind of upbringing that kept me in a positive, hardworking, appreciative, and goal oriented mind-set. I learned skills to last a lifetime. Skills that I'm eternally grateful for. Skills that my father passed along to my brother and I- that I take tremendous pride in passing along to my kids.
In this day and age, it's hard to take a kid's attention away from the video games, cell phones, tablets, or whatever technology they're into and focused on anything that might take them off the grid for an afternoon. I am a firm believer in finding ways to get kids into the outdoors prior to the age they're legal to hunt. Although the Pennsylvania game laws allow for mentor hunting, I feel strongly that introducing a child to the outdoors in other ways will benefit tremendously in terms of excitement, interest, and safety. When it comes time for that first 4 a.m. wake-up, the first pre-dawn climb into the stand, and that first opportunity to harvest a big game animal themselves, they'll have a greater appreciation for and familiarity of their surroundings and the game they're hunting. I've seen first-hand the potential for unnecessary pressure and unrealistic expectations when taking a younger child into the woods for a mentor hunt, having not experienced the outdoors in other ways before. The goal is to grab their attention and to keep it. This takes steps and time.
There are many simple ways to get a child involved in the outdoors that does not involve an actual day of hunting. Between sport seasons and other activities, it's important to keep these kids outside and busy. Teach them survival skills. Keep them active. I have compiled a short list of various things that my kids and myself enjoy on a routine basis. Certain outdoor activities, for kids, seem to be becoming a thing of the past. For those who keep these traditions alive, most of these ideas will seem obvious, so allow this article to serve as a validating reminder of the awesome parenting work you are putting in. Kids never forget this stuff:
Hike- But start small. Get them out there for a couple hours on a Saturday morning for a short hike. Mountain hikes with my Dad were my first memorable experiences in the outdoors. My son and I have been doing this since he was three years old. Starting small with maybe a short hike on a flat trail will keep them from losing interest or becoming uncomfortable. Over time, they will more than likely show continued interest and increased ability to hike further, higher, and longer.
Fish- Fishing is an ageless and timeless pastime. Get the younger kids along the shoreline with a bobber and some minnows or mealworms on the first day of trout season. With freshly stocked brookies and rainbows, they are likely to catch their fair share. Assist them but make sure they are having fun and doing some of the work themselves. They will never forget these times. I sure haven't. Actually, I just recently found a trophy in an old dusty box from a local fishing derby in 1988- "First Fish Caught." I was three. I vaguely remember Dad helping me hook the fish, but reeling them in was plenty of excitement to keep me interested and an avid angler my entire life.
Scout- Take the kiddos out with you to scout for game. Teach them how to read sign. Show them what a buck rub is, explain why a deer makes a scrape, teach them to distinguish between a buck's scrape and turkey scratching. This is your prime opportunity to strike their curiosity. They will ask questions. Probably a lot. Answer them. Sure, they are probably not going to be real stealthy out there and their volume may chase your buck off the mountain for a few days, but don't lose sight of allowing kids to enjoy being kids. I would probably do this preseason, and not the day before you hope to harvest your biggest buck.
A spin off of the prior- Take them out to check trail cameras. It still gets my adrenaline going to scroll through pictures of mature bucks within a stone throw of one of my stands. Nothing keeps me pumped for the start of archery season and "the rut" then having trail cam photos of nice bucks. Kids have a fantastic imagination. Trail camera photos will get the imagination going full-speed. Seeing the photos will probably spark their interest enough to want to return to the area in hopes of getting a real-life look at the animal -- or at least enough interest to root dad on during the season. If we are talking about heading into a season that the kiddo will be hunting -- few things will have them psyched and ready to hunt more than photo evidence that the animals are there.
Blinds/Stands- I always take my boys along in the late summer months to assist and observe hanging or moving stands. Kids love to build and love that "helping Dad" scenario. Have them help build natural ground blinds. My most productive ground-set for rifle season was destroyed by weather. The boys had an absolute blast helping me rebuild it.
Spot/mountain ride- Take them spotting at night. Allow them to see deer in the wild. Allow them to see a mature buck in person, in his element. Again- be prepared to answer a lot of questions. Take mountain rides during the day as well. I can't tell you how many memories I have from simply packing a lunch and going for a ride with Dad. A few Texas Dogs from a local hot dog stand and a drive through the mountains looking for deer and turkeys on an otherwise boring Saturday--doesn't get much better!
Shed hunt- Take the little guys and gals out after January and look for antlers that bucks have shed. Sometimes they are difficult to find, but if you are persistent or if you hunt private ground and know your property well and the patterns of the deer, you'll gather some up. Again- a kid's imagination comes into play here. Another technique to get them pumped for their own future hunt. Evidence is everything.
Metal Detecting- Last but certainly not least- I'm adding this here as a new hobby that my son and I have adopted and truly enjoy.
"It doesn't matter if we find anything, Dad, it just matters that we're making memories together."
His words, not mine. I would not dare quote him inaccurately because he's going to read this and call me on it if I do. He asked for a metal detector for Christmas. Sounded like a cool idea and a new way for he and I to enjoy time in the outdoors together. Let me tell you -- it may sound unconventional given the simplicity and obvious nature of the activities discussed prior, but it's a blast! We've covered some serious ground so far. We're hiking and scanning the forest floor at the same time. We have found some pretty cool stuff. We haven't made any riches yet, but we've made some memories. Highly recommend.
Most of these activities sound pretty obvious to some of us, but unfortunately, I'm noticing that they are happening far less than they used to. Give this a read and get the kids out there. Start 'em young. Introduce the outdoors to them and spike their interest, keep their attention in different ways, and I'm nearly certain that they'll be hooked when the time comes to squeeze the trigger themselves. Let's keep these timeless traditions alive.