Keep the tradition alive, take the kids hunting.

[Sixgun_Symphony]

I see too many old men at the rendezvous, that means no future if we don't bring in youth. Everyone just needs to take the kids hunting, boys and girls.

Also bring the whole family to the rendezvous. Have the camp dutch oven cook-offs, everyone loves good food.

 

[sheriff john]

"Take your boy hunting - instead of hunting your boy."

 

[bluemule66]

Sometimes you can take the wife along with the kids!

 

[Sixgun_Symphony]

The entry level ML rifles made by Traditions is an affordable way to get youth started into our fraternity. They make great birthday presents.

 

[Golden Child]

The entry level ML rifles made by Traditions is an affordable way to get youth started into our fraternity. They make great birthday presents.

Heck yeah! Bought the boy a traditions deerhunter kit last Christmas. He got a doe this year. I wish I could get 1/100th as excited as he was.

 

[Sixgun_Symphony]

Heck yeah! Bought the boy a traditions deerhunter kit last Christmas. He got a doe this year. I wish I could get 1/100th as excited as he was.

I gifted a Traditions Deerhunter carbine to my 11yo nephew a few months ago.

 

[Nuthatch]

I can't speak for muzzleloader events. But I can speak to my own local archery events and our local black powder club. Frankly, they're not always family-friendly. Nothing crude, vulgar or inappropriate. Just not done with kids in-mind and at their levels. It's an adult activity and the kids can come but they better stay out of the way -- more like golf. So, not surprisingly, my kids stopped coming.

Of course, the ammo shortage isn't helping either. It's hard to keep kids' interest when they have so little access. I'd love it if my kids would take an interest in black powder stuff. But the idea of making shooting harder doesn't appeal to them at all.

I'll give my boys some credit, though -- their love of YouTube tutorials, chemistry and pyrotechnics convinced me to make some black powder. I think I'm getting more fun out of that than they are. It's pretty fun to sling some lead using homemade components. Never would have tried it if it weren't for them.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

I wish I could get my girls, now 18 and 21, out in the woods with me, but neither has even the slightest desire to shoot, and definitely not hunt. I guess their mother's influence was stronger than mine. Now I'm hoping that they them meets guys who could enjoy it. The older one is dating a vegetarian/vegan, and while he won't hunt with me, I've taken him to the range a few times and he gets a kick (pun intended) out of that. He's actually an exceptionally good shot for a kid who never pulled a trigger before meeting me. He's an engineering major and so he's hooked on the mechanical aspects too. He really seemed to like the flintlock pistol quite a bit--think he didn't believe it would work!

 

[Sixgun_Symphony]

I can't speak for muzzleloader events. But I can speak to my own local archery events and our local black powder club. Frankly, they're not always family-friendly. Nothing crude, vulgar or inappropriate. Just not done with kids in-mind and at their levels. It's an adult activity and the kids can come but they better stay out of the way -- more like golf. So, not surprisingly, my kids stopped coming.

Bring that up at the next board meeting. Let them know that there must be a kids match or there is no future for the black powder club.

 

[Versanaut]

My son started attending matches with me when he was 8. By 9 he was reloading for me. By 10 he had his own (and first) rifle, a little 32 caplock and was competing with the 'guys'. They quickly adopted him. My wife dropped him off one time and her little 12 y/o runs up to a group of grisly looking shooters. Protective mama called me and nervously asked who are those guys? "No worries dear, Those are his people."

Fun story: When he was 13 he got a .22 bolt action. First time he shot it he just sat there after the shot went off holding it steady and didn't cycle the bolt. I was wondering what the heck he was doing? When I asked he looked back at me,

13: "It didn't fire! I am waiting to be safe"
Me: "Yah, little buddy, it fired! That's all it does!"
13: "Are you joking Dad??"
Me: "No sir, no smoke, no boom"

He had thought the 22 going off was a cap misfire. I love that he's gown up on a muzzleloader. Now he's 16 and on to his second flinter.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

My dad never took me hunting or anything else. Yet I found all of it on my own. Must have been a miracle. You can haul kids to this stuff and make them do it, but it doesn't mean they will give a crapola about it as adults. Leave them be, they'll find their way if they want to.

 

[Sgt. Hulka]

My dad never took me hunting or anything else. Yet I found all of it on my own. Must have been a miracle. You can haul kids to this stuff and make them do it, but it doesn't mean they will give a crapola about it as adults. Leave them be, they'll find their way if they want to.

That explains it all. Sorry for you.