EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

alright guys and gals i have a question?? what is the earliest that yall have heard or would you take your kid on a hunt with you? granted the younger they r the less walking or running so it would have to be an easier hunt!! just wanted yalls opinions

my little girl was about 8 or 9

 My daughter was 8 but I was still a lil uncomfortable, and a dog fight might have ruined her for awhile.

took our daughter when she was about 9 or ten . Happend to strike a whole herd of hogs, I had the catch dog, I went to the bay, the bay broke after I sent the catch dog, turns out they got the stopped a pretty good ways off back the way we had come, My husband heard the catch dog was caught and knew he was the closest along with a rally of hogs chattering. Thomas stuck my daughter up in a tree to be safe, and went to take care of business, my daughter was freaked out listening to all the sounds sitting alone in the dark for her what seemed an eternity! you could here the scared little voice calling "momma?"
needless to say it was a few good years before she was wanted to go again walking. She could go on the ATV and feel safer, but I have friends that have had their ATVs rocked by being  ran into by hogs also.
I would try to limit the dark hunting until the kids can handle being left alone for a bit and handle themselves if things get bad, just in case.
Afterall the gioal is to have them enjoy the woods with us.

Ryan, I took my youngest son on his first hunt when he was 4, my daughter and oldest son were around 9 or 10. It was hard to convince Momma to let Hunter go so young... but we did. ;)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/DEERHUNTER280/9-16-07Hunterfirsthog-1.jpg)

when i go on horses my 4year old goes

I know the first time I went I was in a carseat on the swamp buggy!

My son is seven, and he use to go with me on hunts, but I would leave him on the four wheeler when we would go to the bay; and that's best if there is a couple of kids.

I've been training some pups with staged bays and I let my son get involved, so I can watch him, and its easier for me without all the mayhem of a live hunt.

(http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o308/AJsparlor/Stagedhunt007.jpg)

Younger the better. I dragged my kid through stuff that some men probably would have whined about. Once I put him behind a tree so I could crawl on my knees to get into a hog. When I came out he had climbed the tree and told me he was a monkey.  :laugh: Sure gave me some good memories. Hope he remembers some of them.
(http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/hank1219/jan8wyatthankpig-1.jpg)

(http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/hank1219/P1170104HankandWyatt.jpg)

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I think it depends on whether you have help and the child.  I have taken my grandbaby since she was almost one year old. But it was always with help and the other people hunting with us, had to be alright with it. Nothing like a toddler eating cookies in the middle of the night singing and laughing as you are racing the truck to the bay bouncing everwhere.  She is 5 now and  has been going with us for 4 years, and she loves it, crawls thru the briars, cold weather, even helped sew her dog up and took her to the vet once too. The only thing she had to get use to was the squealing when cut those growths, aka tumors out, so we can eat them later.  Now her brother is 2 and he is another story. Doesn't stay put and comes to ya, so we take him on controlled situations or if I am not needed.

(http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj247/spazhogdog/09%20jade%20hunting/jadehunt.png)
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Hog hunting can always have stuff happen, good and bad, if you have help and the kids like it, I don't think their is a age limit.

Dad used to do that to me. not huntin hogs, but gatherin/catchin cattle. if things got hairy, he'd put me up in a tree and tie my pony up aways off and tell me to stay put. seemed like he'd be gone for hours and hours ;D

this is all good guys just wanted a lil incite on what yall thought keep the post coming i enjoy the pics as well

Jay is 9 in this pic a couple of weeks ago he was so excited.(http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb471/gumswamphogdogs/JAYSFIRSTHOG9-25-10002.jpg)

I am nervous taking my twelve year old, but I have no problem taking my six year old. It depends on the kid. To me it comes down to if they listen to what I say and understand the risk. My twelve year would talk back and disobey just because. He also does not seem to ever understand risk. My six year old while obviously much younger and still very much a kid. If I tell him to stay on the four wheeler he will be there when I get back. He also will keep a tree between him and a pig. So it comes down to knowing your own child and being honest about what they can or can't handle. It is a risky sport and you have to live with your choices. But my six year old loves hog hunting even when we don't see a thing.

Yeah my son was 4 on his first hunt. Earlier this year. We did a fair bit of the quad so thats his thing now! Still a few years before he can come on any decent walks...He does try a few small ones but is usually whining after about 400mtrs..  rolleyes That's ok i remember doing the same thing.....at his age  :'( :'( ;)

My daughter started hunting with me when she was 4. She would ride on my shoulders to the bay and ride on my shoulders on the way back out. Talk about wear a man out but she loved it that is all that mattered.

X2   ;D

I dont have kids but I was about 5 when my dad started taking me.  I spent allot of time sitting at the truck or 4-wheeler, babysitting a horse or a tree.  Now days, Sometimes I walk by some of the same trees I sat in 20 years ago when I was a kid.    It depends on the kid, the location, and if there is help to watch over kids when things get hairy. Also, I would stick to day time.

Waylon

my opldest boys 8 an my daughter is 9  they rarely miss a hunt night or day  but i take my 3 yr old when momma wants to go  sometimes she stays at the truck with him an if its a close bay i carry him out there an let the other guys handle the catch so she can see the dogs work   an i get to see my lil jrs eyues get wide an hear him say those r our dogs  wow   

 i took my five year old daughter yesterday for her first time .we had some other guys with us for help . took all day but we ended up catching a good boar bout 280 #s . she doesnt want me to go without her ever again . i have an eight year old and athree year old (all girls)and they havent gone yet cuz they arnt ready for it yet ! great chance to bond with your childeren , my daughter thinks we caught "THE BIGGEST HOG EVER"great times !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just make sure they are potty trained!!! 
Hog hunters have enough crap to worry about without having to keep up with a diaper bag!  ;D

I was pretty fortunate when I was young in that my property was attached to an 8000 acre track of land that I had permission to hunt on. My son would ride with me on my horse right from my own yard to hunt. When it was time to tie a hog, I would put him in a tree in case my horse spooked. He was 3.5 years old when I started.
It all has to do with the kid and how serious they are about it. He watched the dogs as closely as I did and would tell me when he thought they were in sign and going to find a hog. He was usually right.
Kids can be a pain in the woods but they are usually amazing.

it was a day before he turned three, thats what he wanted for his birthday, we got in to a bunch of sows and little ones and by the time we got there they broke and the dogs caught two little ones, he still talks about it

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I took my boy at 8 but he wasn't quite ready for the action yet...

took my son when he 6 and I could hardly break him off that old sows ear probably gonna catch even harder when he gets his permanent teeth

LMAO!!! When you get him trained up Ill be up for trading out or paying top money on him! lol

you got it BoarNinja but i got to warn you his got some tough breeding in him his daddy is big mouth bay dog  out of SC and is mama is a gritty gip out of FL

that sounds like some crossed up bloodlines !!lol ;)

LOL........Deal!!!

my boy stabbed his first hog at 6   175 lb boar   he walked 6 miles on that hunt , last year at seven he walked 12 miles but not without a little crying , hes been in a tree or behind one a few times , he loves it   , a great way to spend time together

<---------- Hes 5 in this pic.  Loves going...Wants to take the dogs with us to the deer stand!  HE stuck another one this past weekend.  He loves going to school telling his friends and teachers ;D  His teachers tell me on Monday what we did that past weekend.