Running head: CHILDREN AND HUNTING 1 Children and Hunting Student McStudentpants Brigham Young University Idaho
CHILDREN AND HUNTING 2 Abstract In today s world it seems children are spending more and more time indoors and less time connecting with the outdoors. Hunting is a great way to get young children outside more and teach them to appreciate the outdoors. As parents introduce their children to hunting, they will also strengthen the relationships with their children and have opportunities to bond with them and teach them important values that will benefit their children for the rest of their lives.
CHILDREN AND HUNTING 3 Introduction I remember very well the days of my childhood growing up in the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas. Many of those days were spent down by the creek with my three younger brothers trying to catch snakes, lizards, and frogs, and exploring our family s ranch. On many occasions my dad would come home from a long day of work on the ranch, load my excited brothers and myself into the truck, and take us all to find a new field to dove hunt in, or to go catch fish in our favorite fishing hole, or perhaps to walk the tree line behind our house hunting squirrels. From an early age, hunting helped my brothers and I develop a love for the great outdoors. As we grew older we began to hunt more and more, hunting turkeys in the spring and deer and other game birds in the fall. When it wasn t hunting season, we were looking for antlers shed by deer from the previous year or strategically setting up trail cameras to try and catch pictures of deer and other wildlife in the area. Hunting became a year-long activity that my family still does together and a life-long passion we will always share. Throughout the years, I have learned many valuable life lessons from these experiences. Unfortunately, there are many children who never get to have these experiences due to family circumstances, a lack of interest in the outdoors, or other reasons. It is my belief that if parents, who have the available means and knowledge of hunting, would take the time to introduce their children to hunting, children would enjoy stronger relationships with their parents and siblings, develop a greater appreciation for the outdoors, and learn values that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Family relationships and hunting It seems that there are increasing relationship problems going on in many families today. According to an article posted on www.thesuccessfulparent.com, the relationship between parents and children is being assaulted (The Successful Parent, 2002) by pressures of the
CHILDREN AND HUNTING 4 outside world. This article discusses some of the reasons relationships between parents and children are suffering: Parents are under the gun of mounting economic pressures resulting in long work hours, and often more than one job... many parents find themselves working hours outside of the usual nine to five workday (The Successful Parent, 2002). These demands that have been put on parents have made it difficult to have healthy relationships with their children. Hunting is an activity that can truly bring the family together and strengthen that relationship. There are many hunters who have experienced this. One of those hunters is Travis Faulkner, an online editor for Outdoor Life. In his article Take a Kid Hunting, Faulkner (2008) writes of his experiences growing up hunting squirrels in southeastern Kentucky with his father and grandfather: I wouldn t trade those precious memories for anything in the world ( Take a kid hunting, para. 1). Faulkner has since had the opportunity to share similar experiences with teaching his own son how to hunt. As he concludes, he encourages parents to take the time to introduce their children to hunting because hunting trips can help forge strong family bonds that will last a lifetime (Faulkner, 2008, para. 3). Another hunter, Molly Carter, who writes for wideopenspaces.com, claims that the number one reason parents should introduce their children to hunting is that hunting together will create opportunities for parents and children to bond. She writes: One of the best things about teaching your child to hunt is the bonding time it gives the two of you. In today s world where parents and children are often going in two different directions and have little time together, hunting gives you something to do together that can leave lasting memories. Going to hunting camp, early fall mornings, trekking through freshly fallen snow these are the things memories are made of. (Carter, 2014, 1. Bonding time, para. 1)
CHILDREN AND HUNTING 5 Carter s statement is supported by the responses of young hunters when asked about hunting with their families. One young hunter, Paul Obrecht, 14, responded to this question, My dad and I bond on hunts, because hunting is something we both love (Field and Stream, n.d.). Another answered, I took a buck on my first hunt. I loved learning how to rattle him in. Spending time with family outside is awesome (Field and Stream, n.d.). The responses of these young hunters show that when families spend time in the outdoors hunting together, their relationships grow stronger. It is clear that the time taken to introduce children to hunting is time well spent by parents. The benefits of enjoying stronger family relationships are great. I am grateful for my parents who took the time to take me hunting when I was a child. It gave me more opportunities to spend time with them and to learn from them. My mother once said, Some of the best times of my life have been spent with my sons on adventures to catch the biggest fish, call up the biggest turkey, or find the most sheds. These experiences have helped me develop a greater love and respect for my parents. Greater appreciation for the outdoors In the world we live in today, thousands of internet websites and forms of social media are competing for the time and attention of children and teenagers. Children are now spending hours surfing the internet and on social media. Recent studies have shown that 38% of Facebook users in the last year were under the age of 13 (Guard child, n.d.). Another study found that approximately 20% of teens update their sites or profiles at least once a day (Guard child, n.d.). This seems to be a large reason for why children are spending less and less time outside which has resulted in a loss of connection and appreciation for the outdoors. Hunting can help children get that connection back.
CHILDREN AND HUNTING 6 There are many benefits for children gaining a greater appreciation for the outdoors. In her article mentioned previously, Carter goes on to discuss these benefits and how hunting provides a way for children to access them: It s no secret that being outdoors is good for you. It s good for your spirit and mind, and has been shown to help people relax and lower blood pressure. In a world where everything moves so fast and needs to be done so quickly, teaching your child to hunt can help them connect to the outdoors and teach them to slow down and enjoy simple moments in nature. (Carter, 2014, 5. Connecting to the outdoors, para. 1) Growing up hunting, I could see these benefits Carter discusses in my own life. Getting connected to the outdoors through hunting helped me recover from long, stressful school days, re-focus for the following day, and see the beauty of the world around me. But I m not the only hunter who has seen these benefits and enjoyed a stronger connection to the outdoors. Jesse Winand, age 16, said when asked what she enjoys about hunting, For me, the prize of a hunt is much greater than the deer you get to bring home... It s all of the time you get to spend in nature (Field and Stream, n.d.). Another young hunter, Brady Ehresman, 12, when asked the same question said, Hunting gets me away from all of the chaos in town (Field and Stream, n.d.). Both of these young hunters seem to be enjoying the benefits Carter wrote about. There are many other hunters just like young Jesse and Brady who agree that hunting is a great way to gain a greater appreciation for the outdoors. Teaching values As parents teach their children to hunt, they will also have opportunities to teach them values that will be important to them throughout life. One of those important values is responsibility. As Carter concludes her article, she discusses how hunting teaches this value:
CHILDREN AND HUNTING 7 Hunting is a big responsibility. You handle a weapon. You take the life of an animal. You leave the woods as you found them. You respect other sportsmen. By teaching your children hunting ethics, you can help instill the sense of responsibility. By teaching them proper hunting skills and sportsmen etiquette, you ll be teaching them responsibility that can spread into other aspects of their lives. (Carter, 2014, 8. Teaching responsibilty, para. 1) It takes a lot of responsibility to handle a firearm safely and to be an ethical hunter by following the laws for hunting set by the government. No other outdoor activity can teach this level of responsibility. Carter also writes that hunting teaches children many other values from discipline, to patience, to endurance, to learning to deal with disappointment (Carter, 2014, 7. Developing life skills, para. 1). These values will help children become well-rounded adults (Carter, 2014, 7. Developing life skills, para. 1). One young hunter comments on the valuable lessons she has learned hunting, I love hunting with my dad because he gives me valuable life lessons, which give me an idea of the kind of person I want to be (Field and Stream, n.d.). It is clear that hunting has had a positive impact on the values of children. However, there are those who disagree, claiming that hunting only teaches children to be violent and cruel to animals. Jeremy HiltzAugusta, a man who grew up hunting, disagrees with this claim. In a letter to the editor of the Central Maine he writes about his experiences learning to hunt with his father and grandparents in Maine and what it taught him about the value of life: Hunting also can teach critically important lessons about the value of all life. Today, many kids spend time with media that glamorize violence and cheapen the value of life.
CHILDREN AND HUNTING 8 Hunting can teach us that all life is important and sacred. There is no greater way to learn about the dynamic systems of Creation than through sitting in the forest and examining things first hand. (HiltzAugusta, 2013, Hunting can teach valuable lessons about value of life, para. 3) While many parts of media promote violence, as HiltzAugusta notes, hunting promotes good ethics and responsibility. Although there some hunters that break the law and are cruel to animals, the majority of hunter practice good ethics and obey the laws of hunting. Teaching children to hunt can be a good way to counteract the effects of media on children today and help them establish a set of values they will keep throughout life. Lines of argument There are still those who oppose hunting. Some claim hunting is wrong, and that animals should be protected against vicious trophy hunters. However, each state in the country has its own department dedicated to protecting wildlife by setting laws and regulations on hunting. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks mission is to conserve and enhance Kansas natural heritage, its wildlife and its habitats, provide the public with opportunities for the use and appreciation of the natural resources of Kansas, and Inform the public of the status of the natural resources of Kansas to promote understanding and gain assistance in achieving this mission (Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism, n.d.). As long as each state has a department like this, wildlife will continue to thrive and hunting will be available to each state s citizens. For those who do not have the opportunities or interest to go hunting, there are other alternatives to connect with their children in the outdoors. Activities like camping, hiking, and
CHILDREN AND HUNTING 9 other outdoor activities can offer similar experiences for children. But for those who are interested in hunting, it can offer many benefits to children as we have discussed. Conclusion In conclusion, hunting offers many opportunities and experiences for parents and children that will bring them closer to one another. It is an activity that can be used to teach children an appreciation for the outdoors and important values. I will never forget all the experiences I have shared with my family as my parents took the time to take my brothers and I hunting as children. I am forever grateful for the lessons I have learned from them and the outdoors. They have helped shape the values I have today. Hunting truly has brought my family together. I look forward to the day that I can have some of the same experiences teaching my future children to hunt and help them gain a love for the outdoors. As parents take the time to take their children hunting, they will enjoy some of the same benefits and will make memories together that will last a lifetime.
CHILDREN AND HUNTING 10 References Carter, M. (2014, November 3). 10 reasons to teach children to hunt. Retrieved from http://www.wideopenspaces.com/10-reasons-teach-children-hunt/ Faulkner, T. (2008, August 6). Take a kid hunting. Outdoor Life. Retrieved from www.outdoorlife.com Field and Stream. (n.d.). Generation wild: 29 kids explain why they love the outdoors. Retrieved from http://www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/2015/06/generation-wild-29-kids explain-why-they-love-the-outdoors/?image=23 Guard Child. (n.d.). Social media statistics. Retrieved from http://www.guardchild.com/social media-statistics-2/ HiltzAugusta, J. (2013, November 15). Hunting can teach valuable lessons about value of life. Central Maine. Retrieved from centralmaine.com Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism. (n.d.). Mission statement. Retrieved from http://www.gpnc.org/kdwpt.htm The Successful Parent. (2002, August 3). Repairing the Parent-Child Relationship. Retrieved from http://www.thesuccessfulparent.com/categories/parent-child relationship/item/repairing-the-parent-child-relationship#.vvxudoirliu