I’m not a father, but the closest I’ve felt to being one is while taking my ex-girlfriend’s 11-year-old son on his first deer hunt during Michigan’s two-day Liberty Hunt. Leading up to the youth deer hunt, I spent many hours with him while practicing with his crossbow in the backyard and discussing with him what a morning and evening deer hunt looks like. We would need to stay quiet, move slowly, and be patient for a clear shot.
About a month before the Liberty Hunt weekend kicked off, Braden, his grandpa, and I took a trip over to my parents’ hunting property. I knew for his first deer hunt, we would be hunting out of a pop-up blind, so I looked for a good spot and picked a location near two old apple trees. Despite numerous broken limbs and hollow spots, both of them were still consistent in producing apples. It felt like a great early-season spot to kill a deer, especially since two well-worn deer trails led right to these trees.
Once we determined this would be the spot to hunt, I began clearing out a small area and set up the blind. Before leaving, I brushed the blind in with some nearby branches and grasses, hoping to blend it in to help avoid detection.
The author’s nephew, Brock with a buck he shot on the first day of the Liberty Hunt.
Fast forward one month later and we found ourselves inside the blind on opening morning of the youth hunt. The weekend came and went with a few encounters with does, but no shot opportunities. However, the lessons learned and memories made during the hunt left Braden excited and yearning for more time in the deer woods.
Offering up your time to be a mentor to a hunter is time well spent, especially at a young age. Taking kids into the deer woods helps to hold their interest in the sport and teaches them how to be a safe and responsible hunter.
With that said, here are some tips to help you mentor a young deer hunter as the Liberty Hunt approaches.
Aim Small, Miss Small
Well in advance of the season, it is critical to have the child spend some time practicing. Whether they decide to use a firearm or archery equipment, they need to feel comfortable, confident and skilled with it.
Noise and recoil can be intimidating for a child, so choosing the right firearm is extremely important to prevent them from flinching while squeezing the trigger. Start shooting with a smaller caliber, like a .22, and then work up to a larger caliber for deer hunting. This approach will help teach them proper gun handling and build their confidence without a great amount of recoil and noise. With some time on the range, they will eventually feel comfortable and hunt with a firearm, which they can shoot accurately and with confidence in the deer woods.
If archery equipment is preferred during the Liberty Hunt and regular archery season, choosing the right compound should involve one that fits the child properly. A trip to an archery shop where a professional can set them up is critical to finding the right one that fits. This involves considering the proper draw weight, draw length, and the weight of the bow. Also, it is important to find one that is adjustable in order to accommodate the child’s growth and allow them to shoot it for a longer period of time.
During range time, consider shooting multiple times a month or more ahead of the season in various types of shooting positions to help simulate an actual hunt. If you plan on hunting with them from a treestand or elevated deer blind, find a location such as a hill, deck, or wooden platform on a 3D range to shoot from. Have them practice at a distance where an ethical shot will be made with the bow or firearm of choice.
Once Braden decided to hunt with a crossbow, we began practicing together. After setting up a target at about 15 yards, I took a few shots with his crossbow to check if the sights were on and it was safe to use. Afterward, I handed it over to him, and we began our practice session. Once I felt that he was shooting consistently at this range, I moved the target out to 20 yards. I also pinned a small life-size deer paper target to the foam block with its vitals highlighted so that he could visualize where to properly shoot the deer. I explained to him the importance of waiting for the deer to turn either broadside or slightly quartering away. We also watched videos and looked at photos of the correct shot placement to take on a deer. Once he gained confidence with the crossbow and felt comfortable shooting, I decided it was time for Braden to shoot out of a portable pop-up blind since we would be hunting from one.
When taking a youngster out deer hunting for the first time, I recommend hunting out of a blind. An enclosed blind will help reduce the chances of a deer spotting movement, which is more likely with a younger inexperienced hunter and allow easier communication back and forth.
Lastly, I placed a chair inside along with a tri-pod to rest the crossbow on. Using a tri-pod will help provide a solid rest and help steady the mentees hunting device and improve accuracy when the moment of truth arrives.
Mentor Tips
When hunting with a young deer hunter for the first time, I find that it is best to create a low-pressure environment where you offer advice to the new hunter, but never force them to hunt longer than they want to or to take a shot they’re not comfortable with. Allowing them to make their own decisions will remove any pressure and hold their interest in the sport.
Patience is a characteristic that is essential in being a good mentor. From the time spent on the practice range to entering the deer woods, the mentor must be patient in order to provide a quality experience for the beginning deer hunter. Many challenges will present themselves, but they can be reduced by preparing before the season begins. Take the time to answer questions and explain such topics as deer sign, tracks, droppings, rubs, scrapes, behavior, calling techniques using antlers and different calls and the best time to use them. This will help educate the beginning deer hunter and help them improve.
One of the most important things to consider while taking youth out deer hunting for the first time is to keep it fun and exciting. This might involve packing up and leaving if a new person becomes cold, bored or has hunted long enough. However, still try to encourage them to hunt as long as possible, especially during prime hunting time. Use your time afield with the mentee as a teaching opportunity in Mother Nature’s classroom. Many of us have been blessed by having someone who has selflessly given up their time to introduce us to hunting and spend time with us out in the deer woods.
Understand that you don’t have to be a hunting expert to be an effective and influential mentor. A mentor who is patient, safe, responsible, passionate and has ethics is far more important than someone who is an excellent hunter.
A young hunter successfully harvesting a deer is just a bonus. Providing a quality outdoor experience in the woods, teaching woodsmanship and basic knowledge, and ensuring an enjoyable time are what matter most.
Liberty Hunt Rules
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, this year the Liberty Hunt in Michigan runs September 13-14. This hunt is open on private and public land to both youth hunters 16 years of age and younger and to those individuals with qualifying disabilities. Hunters 9 years old and younger must be licensed through the Mentored Hunting Program and accompanied by a qualified mentor. For youth 10–16 years old, valid licenses include a single deer, deer combo or antlerless deer license. During this season, a qualified individual may harvest an antlered or antlerless deer with an unused single deer license (including the license issued through the Mentored Hunting Program), a deer combo license regular kill tag or a deer combo license restricted kill tag. Antler point restrictions do not apply. Hunters can harvest only one antlered deer and multiple antlerless deer (one per kill tag). All harvests must be reported within 72 hours through the Michigan DNR website or a mobile app.
