3 REASONS TO TAKE YOUR KID PHEASANT HUNTING

1. Bonding time with your son or daughter. In this fast pace world that we live in, it is sometimes difficult to slow it down and take a moment to talk about life with your child.  Earlier this fall my five year-old and I went pheasant hunting near our home in North Dakota.  It was a much needed opportunity to learn about the daily activities that I miss out on when he is at school.  Not to mention, the things that come out of a child’s mouth are always entertaining and enough to make anyone smile.

2. Introducing him or her to the different types of wildlife. On our excursion I was amazed at how many different types of game birds we saw.  I had hunted this area a few times already and had pretty good luck in search of the great ring-necked pheasant.  To my surprise though, the first birds that Reese and I encountered were sharp-tailed grouse.  I was so surprised that I didn’t even bother raising my gun.  When you are only expecting pheasants and trying to avoid any mishaps with hens, those little hen-like birds were going to get a free pass.  As Reese and I made our way through the long line of willows, a groups of roosters lifted off too far out in front of us.  We watched them land in a group of trees so we decided to veer off in hot pursuit.  Our dog Matty was the first one to enter the trees as Reese and I skirted the edge to give us the best opportunity for a shot.  With Matty’s head buried in the grass and her tail wagging wildly, I told Reese to get ready.  Not a second later a bird burst from the brush, realizing instantly it was not a rooster pheasant but another game bird that has never been properly introduced to my frying pan.  Not wanting to get skunked on my first outing with Reese this year, I placed a perfectly timed shot on the bird, dropping him instantly out of flight.  Matty made the retrieve, and we had ourselves a woodcock!  I have never tried woodcock before, but it was later going to be our pre-football appetizer.  Reese and I definitely got our steps in as we hiked through the vast area of public ground.  Although we did see plenty of ring-necked pheasants, none of them made it into the pouch of my vest.  It was still a very fun morning, and I was happy that Reese was able to learn about a variety of game birds.

3. An introduction to firearms. Firearms can be a scary and overwhelming thing, which is why it is important to introduce them to your kids at a young age.  Even though it will be a while before Reese can legally hunt, I feel it is never too early to start instilling safety and good habits.  On our hunt, Reese was startled the first time I shot.  He even mentioned to me that he didn’t like the noise.  I ensured him that he would get used to it and by the second and third shot he no longer looked at me in surprise.  On our way back to the truck we had one last chance at a rooster, but as sometimes hunting goes, the bird got up a little too far away and my shot hit nothing but air.  Although we were heading back with my vest lighter than anticipated, it was time perfectly spent with my son.  When he assured me that he was no longer scared of the shotgun blast, I was proud in knowing that my little hunter was on his way.

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