Last night success

[BGH831]

So went out Depradating again last night got Three. Ron took another 200 boar after a nice little 250yrd stalk then a well placed shot with my .30-30. Then I took a randon all white domestic looking pig that came out of nowhere gonna be the labor day roaster it was about 55 lbs clean and headless. Then the Pinicale shot just at sunset picture as follows. But I need a little help with this Kid Joe he is freezeing up everytime I put a gun in his hand and a pig in front of him I have tried everythin from talking him thru it to threating to beat him with a flashlight and he just cannot shoot, straight freezes up. Says he can't do it but shoots a .22 at squierrls and a shotgun at clays all day long . When it comes time to shoot the rifle he freezes up. When we shoot around him he is clutching his earmuffs like his life depends on it. I've heard of being afraid of the blast pressure and noise before but he shoots a 12 gauge no problem. He wants to get a pig he gets all excited about it but when the pressure is on.....frozen. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated cause I want to help this kid get into the sport. Thanks guys

P.S. That's my wifes first hog in that picture and up untill last night she was a bunny hugger from hell Guess that's the influance I have on people

and did i mention it's her B-Day

 

[Bwana Turtle]

Congrats and Happy Birthday to your wife !

As for Joe, maybe let him shoot at some milk jugs and 2 litre soda bottles filled with water. There would be no pressure and he could get used to the gun.

 

[baboltin]

congrats. hopfully shes hooked, oh and happy bday

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

congrats on the hogs BGH and wifes b-day, as far as the kid goes i would let shoot the heck out off the 12 gauge

until he really wants to kill something then turn lose on some wild hogs................tra

 

[Batch61]

Happy bday to your wife and congrats on a nice meat hog. Has the kid shot the rifle at all? Have him shoot that 30-30 at some bowling pins and clay targets till he gets used to it. If he prefers the shotgun then load it with slugs and try for another pig. Good luck.

 

[BGH831]

Need a slug barrel for the 870 and yeah going to take him out this afternoon and force him to shoot the 30. Figure I'll threaten to take him off the permit and stop giving him sausage first then see what other privligas I have to take away to get him to shoot.

 

[MikenSoCo]

Forcing a kid to shoot a gun he is afraid of is not going to help matters, only make it worse. Let him make his own decisions about hog hunting, you'll both be better off.

 

[BGH831]

He's the one forceing though. He is dieing to kill a pig, but everytime I put the rifle in his hands and a pig in front of him he straight freezes. He is getting more frustrated than me after this last time out. It is really odd behavior, but he swears up and down he wants to do it but just can't. I hate to give up on him or "force" him but I don't know what ealse to do.

 

[bigtusker]

Try taking him HUNTING during the day instead of killing hogs at night on a depredation permit. Maybe the sun will shed some light on his problem.

 

[Rancho Loco]

Mebbe shooting pigs just isn't for him..

I can shoot just about anything except ducks...I just like the little quackers too much.

Speckmisser sez he likes them alot, too...Roasted, with a plum sauce and wild rice on the side.

 

[keeptrying]

Stop taking him all together until he is begging to go. Nobody wants to be left at home. He will come around.

 

[ducslayer]

I was "Forced" to eat vegges.

I do not eat them at all now! If you are Forced to do things how do you react?

 

[ooja]

Hi, I am a high school teacher that hunts.

Forgive me if I write too much or make incorrect assumptions, I really would like to help.

The freezing reaction is generally from fear, it works in nature when animals hear a sound and they all freeze to identify the danger before flight. I see it when kids give speeches, or refuse to give them, lol. I have a few resources that explain how to get over these things.

I don't think he is afraid of taking a gun, and shooting at a hog.

I do think he wants to shoot one in the very worst way! In fact, that makes his stress levels even higher. Hunters call this "buck fever" and it can apply to anything, you want it so bad that your stress levels make attaining whatever it is more difficult. That alone is hard to overcome.

I think he is under a lot of pressure. I think there are a lot of things happening here contributing to his reaction. I think he really does want to kill that pig, to make his Mom and Dad proud. I think he is scared he can mess up and let you guys down. What if he misses? What if that pig gets away wounded? I be he has heard the speeches of how dangerous these things are and how wrong it is to leave behind wounded game. All this adds to the stress levels.

I don't know your situation, if spot and stalk, the pig can pop up and there is no time to think about it, but if you are running dogs after them, there is a build up, that leads to a climactic tense situation after a strenuous chase with adrenaline already pumping. Also, are all eyes on the young hunter?

This has happened before and he has disappointed himself and perhaps he perceives he has disappointed you. Now he is afraid he will duplicate the same thing further increasing his anxiety.

Think about the cues to the situation: when he goes hunting he is holding the same gun as last time, he is pointing it at the same animal, the situation is tense, and he is nervous. The situations are all similar aren't they? Like a bad dream playing itself over and again.

The books all say to break this cycle, you need to change up all the cues you can, and get rid of the bad consequences that could happen if he failed. He probably won't fail, but it is the fear of failing that is the problem.

You can change up cues can by using a different gun, one that dad says will completely blow a pig to pieces and that there is no chance of failure if he uses it (you can tell him the truth after this is over). You can create a situation, one where a family hunting friend is along, and you know where the pigs are, send him with the family friend into them while you look into the "other place" you want to check. Since you are his dad, your presence is a cue and an amplifier to his stress. No kid wants to mess up in front of Dad. If you don't have a family hunting friend, Mom is more likely to have success than Dad because of the role Mom plays in his life. If you are always doing this at night, get him into pigs during the day.

Make it as different as possible, and...

The good news is if you were to put him in front of pigs time after time, and each time you reacted neutrally he would eventually be able to do it because the fear of it would never be rewarded. Eventually his sub conscious would see there is no reason to freeze.

However that only works when he does not get a hint of disappointment from anyone around him. When he freezes, your reaction is very important. You can't show even a slight disappointment, not at all, and you in your heart must not be disappointed or he will know it. You have got to believe that if you put him in front of enough pigs he will eventually pull the trigger. Over 12 years I have seen lots of kids get past this, Please don't "force" him to do anything, it will amplify this, and the reaction may happen in other situations later.

Another option is to take him along and designate him to a task the whole time. Tell him he is not going to shoot any hogs, make an agreement and leave his gun at home. Make him come along on 2 or 3 hunts with no pressure because he is not going to hunt. Make him take pictures instead. Now he is getting praise for his pictures. He is being rewarded for going to the same situation that yeilded only stress and dissappointment before. After the 3rd hunt, keep bringing him along but don't mention him doing any hunting at all anymore. He will ask you when he is ready. Then do some of what I said above with different cues, maybe Mom taking him while you watch un beknownst to him from a distance.

A third option is to only let him shoot the little ones. Tell him he can't shoot the big ones. Only the easy ones for him. Immediately do you see how the stress will be gone? He will actually get annoyed that he is not allowed to tackle the bigger boars. Eventually you move him to anything under 100#, and move up by increments. (I like this one the best)

Theoretically, if he was alone (probably not a possibility) the only thing he would have would be the stress of "buck fever" and if he was put into the same situation repetedly, he would be virtually guaranteed of overcoming it.

BTW, considering he is that worried about what you think, I think you have raised a boy who truly cares about his parents and family, and will really turn out to be a great person as he grows.

Hope some of this helps.

 

[BGH831]

I'm very aware that we aren't really hunting and last night he had another chance at sunset and decided he just didn't want to do it. I'm going to keep giving him oppertunity and if he changes his mind I'll help him in anyway I can. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[BGH831]

And once agian we go thed other way I just talked to him and he wants to go out and shoot again. Last night we had him help gut one and he complained and said he didn't want to shoot afterwards. I am trying real hard to have patiance with this guy( local "kid" not my son by the way ). I guess I'm going to continue to be nice and help him get into it cause he is so persistant and knows in his head he really does want to do it but has to get over his hang-ups. *sigh* I guess it will pay back later in life somehow.