How can you compete with all the noise out there today to capture the attention of children around hunting and keep them interested in the sport? In this episode I interview Jack Armstrong, a lifelong hunter, pastor, author, and speaker who has dedicated himself to the cause of inspiring children to embrace the outdoors, hunt, and grow closer to family. 

Here are the links mentioned in the show: Mystery In The Marsh Book | Barracuda Bombshell | Jacks YouTube | Jacks email: [email protected]

So what do you need to do in order to Get & Keep Kids Interested In Hunting

1. Inspire Them – To want to hunt, to go outside, to have adventure. Reading to your kids is one of the best possible ways you can do this year-round. And not reading just anything but books designed to cultivate imagination and a desire for hunting. Books about strong values, character building, and hunting deer, turkey, waterfowl, elk, fishing and more. 
2. Modeling – You need to model or demonstrate the pursuit for them to see and value. But just leaving for a week every fall to go to deer camp doesn’t do it. You need to bring them in deep enough so they can really see some things. Maybe they aren’t ready to come to deer camp, but maybe they can go with you for a work day at deer camp.
3. Involve them in all aspects of the hunt – Scouting, shed hunting, working the land, building blinds or hanging stands, cutting trail, checking cameras, studying the weather, planning and packing the gear, etc. There are year round opportunities to cultivate relationships with the child and engage them around the bigger pursuit.
4. Equip Them For Success – They don’t need SITKA gear but if you are cozy in your down jacket and they are shivering, they won’t be able to enjoy the hunt. You can get great used gear on places like Facebook marketplace from kids that outgrew it. You buy it, use it for 2 seasons, and then sell it and get them the next size up. Consider other things too like getting them a trail camera for their birthday that they can setup anywhere they want, make it fun, engage them in all kinds of ways.
5. Pick The Right Hunts – Not all 10-year-olds are ready for a 12-hour deer hunt, maybe they aren’t suited for deer at all yet. Maybe squirrel hunting is a better place to start, turkeys, ducks, pheasants, doves, etc, are a better place for them to start hunting, or are more active pursuits that will help hold their interest.
6. Recalibrate Your Expectations – Redefine success. Taking a deer or a 12-hour sit can’t be the goal. The goal has to change. Maybe it is seeing a deer, or hearing a turkey, maybe its lasting an hour. Maybe it’s the kid wanting to come back. This is a long-term investment, the goal is helping the child, not just pulling a trigger.
7. Periodically Give Them The steering Wheel – Let them make decisions, what to shoot, where to hunt, what to hunt, how to do it. Maybe you hunt by sitting but they want to hunt on foot. Maybe you prefer rifle but they want to use a bow. Maybe you have strong proven strategies but they want to try something weird. Go with it. Give them space to stretch their wings, to experiment, to fail, and to have fun.

Some people will feel like they won’t be able to hunt anymore if they do all this. Maybe don’t take your kid to your best tree strand that is a 10 out of 10, you save that for you and your solo hunts. Instead, maybe you work with the kid to build a blind in a spot that is a 5 out of 10 for hunting a but it’s better for them because it gives them cover to fidget, it’s easier to get into, has a comfier chair, and they can see a lot of does passing in the distance. Its ok to keep things for yourself, but when it’s for them, let go of yourself and freely invest in them at those times.

Some additional authors in this space putting out great books are Lane Walker and Kevin Lovegreen. Their stuff is also outstanding.