An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
The number one reason that parents do not encourage their children to hunt is a perception that hunting is not safe. This persistent impression is often based on a memorable news report of a hunter or bystander being a victim of an incident. Kentucky averages two fatal incidents in hunting each year. On the average, only one in five of the fatalities, two every five years, involves a shooting death. Most fatalities occur when the hunter falls from a stand or cliff while hunting.
Hunter education is required in Kentucky for all hunters born after January 1, 1975. Since it has been mandatory, the number of incidents and fatalities has dramatically decreased. Most families attend the class together, and thereby lessons are learned side by side. When the family hunts together, they are actually reinforcing the safety issues identified in the course for each other.
Books have been written to emphasize the importance of fair chase in hunting. Four simple rules are presented here that will give hunters guidelines for appropriate behavior.
When we asked hunter education instructors for tips on hunting various species, nearly every list included the need to get and stay in good shape for hunting. A regular exercise program, including walks in terrain similar to what you will hunt, is important. If you travel to hunt in an area with steep terrain, you may want to plan to arrive a day or two early to get used to climbing and descending.
Food gained from hunting is very healthy for hunters and their families. Meat from wild animals is low in fat and cholesterol, high in protein. While some animals may store fat for the winter, it can either be removed during cleaning, or in the case of waterfowl, hunters can choose a method of cooking that allows fat to drain.
Hunting also develops healthy family relationships. It allows a parent to share an activity with his or her spouse and children, and it allows children to be valued as a partner in an activity. Time spent hunting together allows open communication about all subjects. Finally, the pride and self-respect each hunter gains from an ethical hunt makes him or her special in the family circle.
One of the most common health issues involves dressing for the weather. While the results are not dramatic news, the effect on a hunter can greatly alter his or her future involvement. There are two conditions. The first is being underdressed for cold weather or getting wet. The hunter will get cold quickly, usually very cold hands, feet, and face. Anyone who is cold and uncomfortable will truly question whether he or she desires to hunt again. Include some extra warm, dry clothes for your winter hunting trips to prevent these conditions.
It is also possible to have too much clothing. Dressing warmly for the morning, then forgetting to remove layers, can lead to sweating, dehydration, and an equally negative experience. Through planning, dressing in layers, removing appropriate clothes, and having water available, the hunter can avoid the "too cold, too hot" situation.
A report from Responsive Management in 2003 asked young people with whom they preferred to hunt. By far, the individual's father was the first choice followed in order by a friend, a grandfather, and an uncle. This reflects the close relationship of hunting and family traditions. If your family has not traditionally been involved, you may want to find a friend from a hunting group in your community to support your family experience. The bottom line is that parents need to stay involved in hunting with their children. When they do, the family develops a life-long recreational opportunity.
Another opportunity for young adults is to reverse generations. While the person in the younger generation may not be an active hunter, he or she can provide transportation and assistance for an aging hunter in the family. Through the family association, hunting may become a part of the young person's life as well.
Every community has some families that need mentors to get started in any activity, including hunting. Surprisingly, the survey in 2003 indicated that single-parent families that desire to hunt do not lack in adult male mentorship; however, if an adult hunter knows such a family where the youngsters desire to hunt and do not have mentors, he or she may want to invite that family on the next hunt.
Families that include adults or children who are less than fully capable offer another opportunity for hunting mentors of all ages. Helping others overcome obstacles and demonstrating that anything is possible with desire and practice will give the mentor and the family of the hunter a high sense of accomplishment.
Hunting, like all activities offered for families, will become an anticipated activity when there are multiple opportunities to hunt or shoot. Hunting begins with practice, and everyone in the family can enjoy target-shooting opportunities. Hunting for multiple species will also provide more enthusiasm for hunting. One female hunter reported a family rule that no member can hunt deer or turkey until they have brought home a rabbit and a squirrel that he or she has harvested. This encourages skill development and the simple joy of being in the outdoors together.
Even after younger family members have advanced to deer or turkey hunting, it is important to return to small game hunting regularly. Here they can sharpen skills, introduce a friend to hunting, and renew the thrill of seeing many game animals in a short period.
While a good dinner is always a reward for hunting, time spent hunting together as a family is the primary goal. By paying attention to potentially negative weather conditions, knowing animal habits, and practicing together to ensure proficiency, the family will enjoy hunting together as a lifetime activity.
Perhaps the single greatest threat to hunting in the future will be loss of habitat. In Kentucky, as across the United States, cities continue to expand into areas of traditional wildlife habitat. Proper community planning includes an opportunity to provide habitat for wildlife within developing areas. This is known as "Sustainable Development."
The result of not planning for sustainable resources is fragmentation of private land. Animals can become isolated within a small area surrounded by development. As wildlife populations grow, they naturally expand into nearby areas causing property damage to flowers and shrubs and potentially create traffic or disease problems. Some predators may even attack pets.
Another threat to habitat is a farming practice known as "monoculture." Here, several hundred acres are planted to one species, such as soybeans or corn. Trees and fence lines are removed to provide easy access with machinery, and water sources such as creeks or wetlands are channelized or drained.
As hunters, we cannot fault the landowner, as he or she is trying to make a living on the land. The crop pays the taxes and feeds the family. However, the Department of Fish and Wildlife stands ready to help provide habitat for wildlife if that option is in the landowner's management plan. In many cases, cost sharing provides an incentive for such plans.
When parents are asked why they do not hunt with their families, the most common response is, "I do not have time." This is interrelated with where we find suitable habitat and required travel. However, each parent must decide what is important for his or her family and set priorities for activities that fit into an already crowded schedule.
Hunting is one activity where a parent and child can share extended periods of time together relating the hunt, personal ethics, and individual views of the natural world. It also creates the background for stories that will last for a lifetime - the first successful hunt, the ones that got away, and great meals that resulted from the hunt.
One barrier for adults and children alike is public perception of hunting. There are several ways a hunter might resolve these negative responses to hunting:
The remainder of this publication is focused on several types of hunting, where to find game, how to clean it, and how to prepare it for the table. If you have questions about the information here or other subjects, please contact the Department at (800) 858-1549 or by email at info.center@fw.gov.
Translate Page