My son doesn't want to go Elk Hunting!!!

[cactusjack]

Another thing I did was get each one of my kids a pair of binos on a tripod. they are now a part of the hunt, and not just bored waiting for me to glass something up. This is why I have 6 or 7 tripods. It helped my situation.

[Non-Typical Solutions]

Oh the woes of those dang kids...just gotta love them and hang in there with them.

Look around and see the problems other kids are having and count your blessings!

 

I have four boys and a wife that all like getting out in the woods and playing around, I don't remember ever giving them an option which is probably a parenting failure of its own but I just figured I was lucky.

We have never had the big toys, best hunting gear or any of the fancy stuff but we always managed to figure out some way to make the time together memorable.

 

You will do just fine if you continue to be involved with your kids.........

[Non-Typical Solutions]

It's good thing a bond is formed when kids are cute and cuddly, keeps you from strangling them as they get older.

Really a life worth of truth in that statement right there!!!!

[wildwoody]

You got plenty of time, he called you a liar , "Ouch" somebody would be picking up dog poop for awhile

[Guest akaspecials]

My boys won't hunt. They love fishing though, so we do that all summer. I hope they come around when they get older, but for the time being I just try to really appreciate ANYTIME in the woods with the family, whether we are hunting or not.

 

Worst comes to worst, the tag doesn't get filled. If he doesn't come around by the hunt, spend the money on something else you can do together.

[CatfishKev]

That sucks man, sorry to hear that. In our house because we have a big family we tell our kids that they're gonna do it regardless as their contribution to the family. So far it's working but like I had told you my boy likes it as long as its easy. Hopefully we will get it done quickly this time around.

 

The way I see it you have three options...

1. You tell him tough sh** he's going to do it whether he likes it or not.

 

2. You get down on one knee look him in the eye and tell him you love him and explain to him that you understand where he's coming from but explain how much that it would mean to YOU to be able to spend that time with him doing something that you love. Ask him to look at it as a favor for his old man just like you have done things for him that you personally might not have enjoyed but you did it anyway.

 

3. You negotiate terms in the form of a bribe. New x box game, a Nintendo ds or whatever he's into. Maybe even promise him an hour of you and him playing video games against each other every week until the hunt. I love my kids, but what shows them more than you doing something with them that you hate and they love?

 

Good luck man. We will be camping pretty close if you guys wanna camp nearby. My kids will be there and they are pretty friendly kids.

[Tac]

I had my kids son 9 and daughter 13 do hunter education last year when my daughter said she wasnt going to hunt I told no problem if you fail hunter ed we can do it again next year she got 99%

[lancetkenyon]

If I shave my goatee off, can I pass for your son??? I will go.

[trphyhntr]

put him in for bull next time maybe

[lancetkenyon]

Donate the tag.

[twigsnapper]

Donate the tag.

If he really doesn't want to hunt, donate the tag, then force him to go and help out around camp, cook, gather fire wood etc. Let him see the appreciation of another person who might not be as blessed as he is and I'll bet he will have a different opinion next time. If not, at least you get to spend time outdoors together. Is it a youth tag?

[firstcoueswas80]

 

Donate the tag.

If he really doesn't want to hunt, donate the tag, then force him to go and help out around camp, cook, gather fire wood etc. Let him see the appreciation of another person who might not be as blessed as he is and I'll bet he will have a different opinion next time. If not, at least you get to spend time outdoors together. Is it a youth tag?

Yes. This. Kinda like making ungrateful kids donate their gifts around Christmas.

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Let me tell a little story, my son was on the couch lazy fat playing video games and zero motivation in life, no desire and no direction, he was not living with me. That all changed and he was under my roof at age 11. It was very very tough to say no but we rode his butt hard until finally when he was 18 he got his drivers license, we helped with a car then and he got a job, fast forward to now and he is 24 years old owns his home, drives a new truck and races dirt bikes all over az, when I got him onto racing years ago he lived it but would forget all about it unless I initiated it, so I sold all his bike stuff. Took 2 months before he noticed and he was devistated. Look at him now, it was tough but he is better for it and maybe someday he will thank me. Mean while I will make him go hunting with me and grandad. Same story for my daughter, she went 3 weeks not noticing I sold her horse, now she is in college in Tucson driver her own car and working, she never even called home ounce homesick, it was tough being hard on her the most, but she is on her own now and rocking it. Some times you just have to leave them them out or ride their butt for them to grow. Now if they would just say hello ounce in a while or say thank you!!!! Both my son and daughter hauled butt at 18, maybe because we didn't make it easy on them. They worked or they didn't get it, they ate what we cooked or they didn't eat, etc etc.

[chico]

Have been in that position , when time came around to start going to scout and what not my son's came around also. Wanted to go hunt and went with me and other kids that were drawn . Good times for all .

Then came the high school sports--no time to hunt , including the friends that had been going also .

Now that the sports are done they all want to hunt again . Interests change with time .

Give your son a little time and hopefully he will come around when hunt time comes .

[WHT_MTNMAN]

Sounds like the precedent has been set quite a while ago.

 

I would never force my kid in a truck to go hunting. That,discipline should,have,been done long ago under different circumstances...I would do everything in my power to make hunting fun, even if it means hunting 1 day and sightseeing, playing games eating food and whatever the next 6 days.