Have you ever thought about what it takes to make a deer hunter — a really good deer hunter? I don’t pretend to have all the answers on this subject, but I know what has worked for me and my son.

1. Start ’em Early

It is never too early to teach a child about nature.

2. Fan the Fire

Starting a child young is critical, but just as important is keeping him interested. Consequently, making a child a part of your hunting experience is crucial to his development as a hunter.

3. Teach the Basics Early

Teaching a child the basics of bow/firearms safety and the nuances of hunting are critical pieces to the hunting puzzle.

4. Repetition

One of the keys to becoming a good deer hunter is repeating a task. This is especially the case when it comes to accurately shooting a bow or firearm.

5. Don’t Make it a Stress Test

One of the quickest ways to kill a young hunter’s desire to hunt is to turn hunting into a stress test. Because deer seasons often involve hunting in all kinds of bad weather, it is important to slowly ease a young hunter into the sport.

6. Make if Fun

This point goes hand-in-glove with No. 5. Make all aspects of the hunt — from scouting to target practice, to the actual hunt — as enjoyable as possible.

7. Encourage Them

It is very easy for a young hunter to get discouraged.

8. Equip Them Right

When I was first getting into hunting I didn’t have the option of owning equipment that fit me.

9. Opportunities

If you want to keep a young hunter in the game, it is important they see deer. Nothing will cause a beginning hunter to exit the sport faster than sitting on stand for hours at a time without seeing anything.

10. Stewardship

One of the real beauties of deer hunting is that, when done right, it makes you want to give back more than you receive from nature.

Conclusion

A hunter’s journey is made up of many components. When done right, the process leaves an impression that lasts a lifetime.