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

[Titanium700]

Prior to putting my son in for Elk I asked if he wanted to go Elk Hunting this year. He said "yes". I was VERY excited to see he had a pending cc hit for a junior cow hunt. Tonight he informed me he doesn't want to go Elk Hunting. The only reason he gave me was "it's too far". The hunt is only 1 1/2 hours away! I didn't expect him to be super excited, but I didn't expect him to not want to go. I love my son, but he is very spoiled and has no idea how good he has it.

 

I'm officially devistated!!!!!!

"DAD"!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

When we going?

[KaibabHunter]

There's no way an elk tag is going to waste in our house, maybe a javelina but not elk/deer. I impress on my boys that $ has already been invested and they have a special opportunity to help the family by providing meat. They take pride in helping put food on our table. My youngest listed that on his letter to Santa this year as one of the good things he did. They are expected to put forth the effort (10%) and I put forth the effort (90%) to make it fun and hopefully successful.

 

Some things I've done that help...my oldest said he wanted a "sniper rifle" - camo pattern, scope, bipod - he thinks he's a sniper. Both boys love to deck out in full camo which is easy to accommodate. If we sit a blind I bring a portable charger and let em have the phone. I tell them that if they give me the first and last 3 hours of the day we can do what they want in the middle. I keep em warm - cold (and bugs) seems to kill their stamina/motivation.

 

We camp in the summer in the unit we pull tags so we can scout, hang t cams, and let them drive the ranger a little. Bows, BB guns, candy, portable DVD player, rifle practice, land navigation/survival training, and campfires to keep em having fun.

 

He'll come around once u get him out there.

[muledeerarea33?]

We didn't have a choice growing up. If it was cooked, we ate it. If it needed done (hate it or not), we did it. If dad said "let's go", we went. And I don't hate him for it.

[Adicted]

take him to the game and fish expo this weekend. its a great show now days.

[bgshooter]

I'm with the "nudge him to go" crowd...ok, let's not beat around the bush...it's the force him to go crowd. My reasoning is he made a commitment by saying YES before you put in the money for the tag. I wouldn't let my kids back out of a commitment they made whether it's small or big. That's not what I want them learning as they grow up. The other option is I would make my kids work off the $ for the tag by doing chores they normally wouldn't do as payment back for the $ lost. Not as punishment...but as a way to make it right by not sticking to the commitment. Just my 2 cents.

[elkhunter]

The moment he sees elk up and close over the summer time he'll be sold.

[bonecollector]

My daughter, I thought when she was growing up that she would want to hunt with me. Then she lost interest about 8-9 yrs old and I didnt really talk about it anymore with her, she would still shoot her bow so I was content with that. Then last yr at school one of her friends was talking about going to hunters ed class and that got her going again and we went to hunters ed class. She went on her first deer hunt this past fall, so I ASSumed she would want to go javelina and turkey hunting also. I put her in, she drew both youth hunts. She went and killed a pig but now she doesnt want to go turkey hunting. She gave me the same reason as its too far away. I was disappointed but I didnt get mad because she never said she wanted to go and I just took it upon myself to put her in. She tells me she still wants to go deer hunting and if she gets drawn for elk she would go.

Maybe a friend can get your boy going and interested again. Good luck

[Big Browns]

I agree with everything said, the problem is I've tried it all. It doesn't seem to matter what I do or try. Once they make up their mind they won't do it.

 

My kids have caught some HUGE fish. You would think they would want to go fishing all the time, NOPE! My kids have always been successful when I've taken them Dove, Duck or Squirrel hunting. You would think they would want to go any chance they get, NOPE! They see my wife and I get animals every year. You would think that would spark some interest, NOPE.

 

After having a great Duck hunt in January he asked if I would take him Elk hunting. last night he called me a LIAR, because he doesn't remember telling me that. The worst part is my wife believes everything he says.

 

It really sucks, because over the years I've helped a lot of kids get animals. I've been dreaming of helping my own kids get their first big game animals. Yes, it may still happen, but it shouldn't be this frustrating and hard to get someone interested in hunting or fishing!

 

I need to calm down, because thinking about this gets me so pissed off and disappointed!

[Shedhunteraz]

I agree with everything said, the problem is I've tried it all. It doesn't seem to matter what I do or try. Once they make up their mind they won't do it.

 

My kids have caught some HUGE fish. You would think they would want to go fishing all the time, NOPE! My kids have always been successful when I've taken them Dove, Duck or Squirrel hunting. You would think they would want to go any chance they get, NOPE! They see my wife and I get animals every year. You would think that would spark some interest, NOPE.

 

After having a great Duck hunt in January he asked if I would take him Elk hunting. last night he called me a LIAR, because he doesn't remember telling me that. The worst part is my wife believes everything he says.

 

It really sucks, because over the years I've helped a lot of kids get animals. I've been dreaming of helping my own kids get their first big game animals. Yes, it may still happen, but it shouldn't be this frustrating and hard to get someone interested in hunting or fishing!

 

I need to calm down, because thinking about this gets me so pissed off and disappointed!

Totally understand you brother. Didnt that conversation about the elk hunting happen when we went out to sight in the 6.5? Anyways. You know my kids, and you know its not past me to buy gavin a barbie hotel with all the fixens if he pulls this with me.

[cjl2010]

We didn't have a choice growing up. If it was cooked, we ate it. If it needed done (hate it or not), we did it. If dad said "let's go", we went. And I don't hate him for it.

Ha my dad still treats me that way. He says get in the truck and next thing I know I'm in the truck!!

[trphyhntr]

 

Maybe a friend can get your boy going and interested again. Good luck

 

maybe more kids hunt now then when i was a kid but i remember feeling kinda like i was different because i liked hunting. in school you hear a lot about how hunting isnt that cool and propaganda about how hunting is bad. i became family friends with some great people that hunted when i was in 5th grade and it made a huge impact, made it seem cool to hunt.

[AzPlumber]

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

[1denogean]

man I went through the same thing about that age for about a year don't know what happened or why but after that it was on and from then on that's where all my time and funds go even as a high school kid I was always working to buy a new rifle or gear, he will come around

[HyNoon]

One good option for the time being , is just drop the conversations about it all together for a while and let it sink in for him on his choice for now. He might come around on his own.

 

I bet Disney land isn't too far ?

 

But that being said I would probably make my kids go , but I would leave it off the table for a while. Then just take him on a few of the scouting trip as mentioned before. Shoot the gun some too. Do everything you need to do and just don't mention the hunt part of it and he probably will just come around. If not just have a talk with him a couple weeks before the about it and tell him you are devastated and how much looking forward to go in with him on this hunt and spending time with him and teaching him and then my Click by then.

 

Hope this helps.

[Basser15]

Put him in the truck and go hunting when it's time. Parents have done worse things to their kids than that.