OK, just got my son a bow, he will be a 11 in a few months we will be shooting and practicing all year getting him ready for next deer season. I have a few 80 acre lots with ladder stands we can hunt out of but I usually mostly hunt public land. What is the best way to hunt with a kid on public land? Ground Blind, two lock-on stands, etc. ???
Groundblind might get stolen. I would say the best for him and you would be to take him out with you and show him how to build a natural groundblind. He would have a blast doing it and so would you.
That's a pretty good idea... You can't leave a ground blind on public land here. I wouldn't leave anything anyways they will steal your used toilet paper around here.
Yea I would consider the natural blind then for sure. You can slip in and build a couple of them a few weeks before season then the deer will be acclimated to them if they even notice.
I hunt public land with my kids (4 &6). I pack in and out a ground blind as they are too young to climb a tree with me. As others mentioned a natural blind would probably be best. For me right now it is just about getting them in the woods and having fun. Seeing/shooting a deer is just icing on the cake.
11 is too young to be climbing up sticks and sitting in a hang on IMO. Either way make sure you get him a harness and use a life line if you do use any type of elevated stand. Good luck.
I have a thread "the Kid" from this season around the same age. I had extra ladder stands so i set him up no father than 10 ft from me in three spots on a 24 acre plot. I made him buy a HSS harness and lifelines (3) or he could not go. I also limited his shooting a deer to 20 yards. worked out great had a lot of fun It was just like hunting with a big bag of microwave popcorn in the stand. He spooked deer every sit lol. I saw the kid Sunday and it looks like he will be back next season.As each kid is different Blake would have not been ready for a hang-on as stated above but after a few times in the ladder stand he was fine.
The ground is where I would start "hunting together" with him. I would build some ground blinds as well as carry one in. Hope you're shooting balloons or other fun things right now. It's awesome to have your new, best hunting buddy in the making!
My kids aren't hunting yet but they come in the three with me. I have a Hunter safety system harness for them (yes they make one designed that small for 50lb and up) and they are comfortable in the tree so I would not think twice about having their first hunt form a tree stand. Factors you need to consider is their comfort and stress level they will have enough going on with their first deer in their sights that the ground may be the best option. If he practices in a tree all summer then next year he won't have an issue, most kids want to be like Dad . My kids rock climb so being suspended by a rope doesn't freak them out, and same goes for heights and they are always practicing with their bows. Here my boys practice with me and here my eldest is in a tree with me on closing day. Once the snow melts I'm going to build an elevated stand on my archery range so we can both practice elevated shots.
Great advice from everyone. Those are some good looking kids you got there. He has been in the ladder stands with me. He does pretty good. Gets a little squirmy, has to pee the normal little boy stuff. I think ground blinds are the way to go on public land when hunting with him. I don't mind packing one and having a few natural ones built will give us plenty of options and good chances of seeing deer. Thanks.
Double tree stand and a ground blind for sure and a hand held game device. Teach him to sit quietly first and watch for deer afterwards. Power aid is great they love drinking it and you can use bottle when done.
My daughter hunted with me in box stands. When she was hunting with her own license at 12 years old, she used her own climber about 20' up and shot her first deer which was a spike buck-with her compound bow. I was in my own tree. I just made sure she went up safely and was set before I climbed my tree which was within 20 yards of her stand. Now she goes up a tree safely like a pro. Recommend to Teach him how to climb safely with a harness and strap and the importance of safety and he would know the proper stand safety at a young age.
