Howdy hunters!
Here is a tricky poll:
You have a Daughter - what age did you start to take them to hunt (given they a not squimish to kill a Bambi or Rudolph or three little piggies)
And what rifle did they use?

8yrs old with a .22 Hornet

My son started at 4, and is now 7. My daughter is now 4 (5 by the time hunting season is here), and she will be going with me to hunt, watch and to target practice with a Henry Mini Bolt. With adult supervision (of course), it works well. I have to pull back the cocking bolt on the rifle for them, but otherwise they shoot very well. Reactive steel targets works best for the fun factor. My son loves shooting my AR-15, and always asks for more ammo. He shoots it very well, and the 6 position stock on the M4 fits him perfect. We tried getting a deer this last season, but nothing came in when he had the rifle ready.

If they show interest start them as young as possible. Girls go from too young one year to boy crazy the next. Most mature several years ahead of boys their age.

My daughter was 12 when she asked to go hunting/kill a deer. She used a 30-30 with leverevolution's, hammered a doe. I didn't have anything smaller than a 30-30, but the doe hit the ground like a ton of bricks, thankfully. I did sight the gun in and all she had to do was put the cross on the body. They don't feel the kick with their blood pumping, that's forsure. Now she's 16 and I'm taking her elk/mule deer hunting this Nov in Montana.

depends on their level of interest at whatever age they are but remember at what ever age you decide to take them.....you need to make sure that they are entertained and understand that they - will not be quiet, get bored, want to leave later or earlier than you, etc. Understanding that and having patience will make it much more enjoyable for them. This goes for small kids of any gender. Good luck!

take:

snacks
drinks
games
small binoculars (kids love them)
appropriate clothing (nothing worse than seeing a cold or hot kid suffer)
pee bottle & toilet paper!
make it enjoyable and don't expect it to be like if you hunting by yourself or a seasoned hunter.

I started "taking" my daughter to hunt when she was 4. She has not "hunted" yet and she is 8. She's not ready for that yet.

5 years old my daughter called in her first turkey. I shot it but she did all of the calling and actually spotted it before I did.

At eight she killed her first whitetail. .223

At seven my son shot his first hog. He used the same rifle as my daughter.

Both of my kids have traveled with me to the blind and on the ranch.

Taking my kids hunting is more than just when its deer season. I should take them out every chance I get to the deer stand or even to just scout in the woods. I have done this ever since they were old enough to watch from a car or truck seat. I either had them in the back seat of the truck or on the four wheeler or ATV because I knew if they saw the animals and the farm and sat in the stand or watched/helped me with my regular chores out on the ranch or lease for as far back as they can remember, it would be part of them forever and love it as much as I do.

Starting her going at 6 months, starting shooting at 7 and she started laying down the critters at 8. She has done great and I wish I had started her a year sooner.

daughter went duck hunting at 2-3 sitting back behind. she target shoots BB gun at 5 now. 22 and 410 next, maybe 223 for hogs & deer by 6-7. we'll see. as my dad did they need to be ready and have fun.

i say start them as early as you feel they are mature enough to do it. My dad started taking my brother and I hunting when we were in kindergarten...so about five i guess is when i started. I remember sitting under a tree with him and deer hunting. He would help us hold his winchester .243 resting on a log. Shot my first deer that way. I have twins on the way in the next month, and I will be taking them as soon as i can possibly get them out. Most likely about the same age i was...if not sooner.

It's not about a specific age. It's maturity, responsibility and realizing with a gun of any type, a bullet has no friends. You can't call that bullet back and "I'm sorry" does not cut it.

4-6 out to the blind with you...

5-7 shooting a 22...

Kacee with her first at age 8

Great advice.. right on the nose.

My son didn't get to move up to a deer rifle until age 12 because he was behind the maturity level and gun shy. My youngest daughter got to there a year or two before him. It's not anything you want to rush. and must be nurtured.

9 with a 6mm mohawk

My Daughter went with me at age 8. Did not want to kill anything. I was so happy that she wanted to spend time with me after always saying no. She even woke me up from an afternoon nap to go back out. All was fine until I shot the gun. Best advice, don't push them. They will let you know when the time is right. Good Luck. You will have a tear in your eye when she asks you to go. I did!

Both my daughters have sat w/ me in fields & blinds since they were around 5-6. I let them both shoot their 1st deer around 12-13 yrs. old. The oldest is 20 now & shoots a 25-06. The youngest is 16 & shoots a 243. They are both avid hunters & still hunt w/ me reguarly.

My kiddos start going with me when they can keep up, then start shooting when they can handle a gun and are safe. My sons first doe was when he was six. My daughter was in the blind last year with her gun at six, but we couldn't get any doe to cooperate, only deer we saw were bucks. Try being quite in a blind with a six yo girl begging and throwing the puppy dog eyes at you, but I held strong and didn't let her shoot a buck. She will get a doe this year.

My daughter started at 7 with a youth 223. She killed her 1st deer with it 3 months later (still 7)

i started my daughter with paint-ball.. it was a big thing here for awhile..

i started going with my dad when i was 6 and shot my first deer at 8. so i think anything in that age range is good. Although, my twenty month old son when he sees a deer, he says......BAM BAM DEER......love it and cant wait to take him

I think you start taking them as early as you can, make it fun for them, not just all about hunting, bring snacks and drinks and such, but not a fan of video games in a blind..

As far as the actual hunting/shooting part, I dont like them to start till they can begin to take responsibility for what they are doing. If you cant load and unload the gun and help get your critter taken back to camp and taken care of you dont need to be shooting them. Some exceptions, my fiance shot her first deer this year,she didnt gut or skin it, but helped load/unload and debone it.

matt

put our daughter out with a camera at our lease, think it was a 35mm not sure how old she was...

I have been taking my daughter to the lease since she was 1. She shot her first pellet gun when she turned 3, which was last season...careful with the ones with scopes, they kick Didn't slow her down. She loves shooting the cricket. She loves sitting in the stand with me and she will hunt when she is ready...who knows when that will be.
She helped me track this bow kill with her binoculars