Get Them Outside

In my last blog I wrote that worrying about success and instant gratification is a waste of time. In reality, the things we have to work for will mean the most to us. And there is another reality: not everyone will love hunting and fishing. I know parents who worry that if their kids don't get lots of action on every hunt or catch lots of fish on every trip, they won't turn out to be hunters and anglers. We'll, some won't no matter how much action you show them. Over the last 11 years I've been working with youth programs, I've developed a theory about this. I believe that if we had a group of 30 youngsters and took them on a field day -- shooting, hunting, fishing -- that regardless of how much action there was, 10 would think it was the best thing they've done and would want to go again and again. Ten would have fun and would want to go again if their friends or family went. The other 10 would enjoy aspects of the day, but they will still prefer to play sports or video games. Not everyone is born to be a hunter and angler. However, time is not lost on those who decide not to take up hunting and fishing. Spending time teaching youngsters about the outdoors will still be beneficial to them and to you. And down the road, they'll be more likely to support conservation programs because they'll understand how and why they're important. The point is, we need to give all youngsters the chance to hunt and fish and learn about the outdoors.  We need that 20 percent or 30 percent who think it's the best thing they've ever done, and we need the other 70 percent who will like it and appreciate it, even though they may only be casual anglers or hunters, at best. Getting kids outdoors and having fun is only thing you need to worry about.