youth and shooting

[scottbird]

Just a question I thought I would put out there. I grew up hunting and fishing, every spare moment my dad had we were in the wood or on the river bank. I think it made me a better man. I learned respect, patience, and just had fun with dad.

my question is, do young people that grow up hunting and fishing seem to have a better attitude on life?

I know many people who have never hunted or fished in their lives, and they are great people, many of my friends were brought up that way. now that I have introduced many of them into the challenge of long distance shooting, most of them say it helps with their every day lives.

for instance my good friend jim, he said that learning to shoot has taught him to take an extra moment, think about what he is doing, then react. he says life is just like shooting, find your target, take aim, keep on target, stay calm, then fire.

I am just thinking that being brought up this way, maybe I had an edge that some people may not of had. any input is good input. thanks

I am thinking of writing a paper on this subject for a project.

 

[Njal Thorgeirsson]

I grew up with relatively limited exposure to the outdoors. I went camping a few times a year, and went on a good hike once a month maybe. I fished once when I was a kid and I've never been hunting. My dad and I started shooting recreationally when I was in my early teens (and I spend at least one day a month shooting). Luckily, that limited exposure was enough to persuade me to get outside whenever possible once I was independent and got a car.

I feel strongly that the experiences I have had with shooting, camping, hiking, and the outdoors in general has profoundly affected who I am today. All of these experiences have contributed to 1) my understanding of personal responsibility (especially for one's own security and safety), 2) my respect for nature and animals (I'd argue that hunting instills the same respect in many people), and 3) my overall grounded and positive outlook on life.

I can't say that people who hunt and fish will certainly have a "better outlook on life," but I think any rugged outdoor experiences (and shooting as well) will contribute positively to a better outlook on life.

 

[gspn]

my question is, do young people that grow up hunting and fishing seem to have a better attitude on life?

I'd say no, not necessarily.

A kid who has good parents, and spends quality time with them, engaged in activities that build and maintain a good relationship with them, will have a good head start in life.

Your parents took you hunting and fishing, plenty of other kids went bowling with their parents, or working on cars, or playing guitar. You can teach kids everything they need to know to be good people without ever going hunting or shooting.

Heck...not even all parents who hunt, teach their kids good lessons. Some kids are the children of poachers...they won't be learning everything the best way from them.

I know other kids who grew up hunting who have a terrible attitude all types of things.

People are different. There are good and bad people who pursue all types of activities. There is not one type of activity that just magically creates better people.

Good parents and families create good kids.

 

[scottbird]

I'd say no, not necessarily.

A kid who has good parents, and spends quality time with them, engaged in activities that build and maintain a good relationship with them, will have a good head start in life.

Your parents took you hunting and fishing, plenty of other kids went bowling with their parents, or working on cars, or playing guitar. You can teach kids everything they need to know to be good people without ever going hunting or shooting.

Heck...not even all parents who hunt, teach their kids good lessons. Some kids are the children of poachers...they won't be learning everything the best way from them.

I know other kids who grew up hunting who have a terrible attitude all types of things.

People are different. There are good and bad people who pursue all types of activities. There is not one type of activity that just magically creates better people.

Good parents and families create good kids.



I think you are right, my parents did spend a lot of time with me, and they did teach me right from wrong. so may be the question should be, if parents spend quality time with their kids, and teach them good values, does that give them a better chance to succeed?

hunting and fishing were my parents way of teaching me good values, like if you do not plan on eating it, don't shoot it. if it is not in season don' hunt it. I would like tro say that it was the out doors that made me a better person, but as mentioned above, I believe it was the caring love of my parents.

 

[gspn]

so may be the question should be, if parents spend quality time with their kids, and teach them good values, does that give them a better chance to succeed?

I'd generally agree with that statement. Those qualities go a long way toward having a good life.

 

[scottbird]

o.k. I have thought about this a little. let me ask this question.

if you grew up hunting and fishing with your family, do you think that had a big part in your life today? and why?