Introducing a child to the outdoors

[Jedi Woodsman]

Ok here we go!
I am 29 and want to introduce my 5 yr old son (shared parenting) to the outdoors. He loves to go fishing with me.
I would like to get him started by going hunting and get into the shooting sports too. Go out about this,  How do I?

[BBF]

Since this is a shared parenting, how does the other shareholder feel about this gun stuff?

[Rex in OTZ]

Im a single dad on the Arctic Coast, I take my kids out every chance wx permits, even bring there friends along with there folk's permission, fishing & swimmin, plinking
When his 8yro he can join 4-H they have shooting in a structured environment and they make life long friends.
I'd say transparency and communication is crutial and pay particular attention to personal safety, one slip of a pocket knife and stiches would be all she wrote to end your outdoors fun, a 5yro is old enuf to do tons of stuff, not involving firearms at first, wood craft, tracking, nature hikes, photography, name the grasses,trees (pressing flowers & leaves), ID'ing animals (have sence enuff not to pick up critter babies, rabbits, squirrels, skunks& raccon), what plants are edible and when & what parts are edible, handling turtles, lizards, toads, bugs, shooting a bow & arrow, rock hounding is another (had GF turn the kids onto looking for heart shaped rocks and rock tumbling), the diffrent birds, riding a poney (trail ride weekends?), learning to swim, raft, canoe, safely climbing trees,building bird houses (nail up in Woods) building a camp, building a camp fire (like 8yro and up), stressing safety all the way, its a trust issue, kids do get hurt learning to do stuff its gonna happen she's gotta be aware that may happen.
I was 8yro when I got a daisy Red Rider BB gun, I was 9 I got a Crossman Pump, 11 a .22 single shot of my own, 16 a 12ga shotgun, of course I grew up rural and my folks were and still are married, the emotinal distance is a tough one to deal with as your not going to get much sympathy for her.

[SHOOTALL]

I started my sons about 5 . The most important thing you can do is leave your gun alone. Let them hunt under your undivided attention. Second is if they see something like a flower , track or rock that gets their attention let them enjoy it. If the hunt is so intense and restrictive they can't move they may not enjoy it. Remember its easy to teach when they want to learn. Think of them like a rope, easier to pull along that push !

[Jedi Woodsman]

He has my old red ryder bb gun. He loves shooting it. My ex-wife? I won't metion anything to her. It's really a matter of him telling me "Daddy I want to go fishing" We go fishing. If I am pulling out my rods to spool reels, he grabs his and puts them in the truck "Daddy ready to go fishing" Very precious my boy is. I love him dearly! Hunting? I would like to get him on small game where he is the hunter and I'm the hunting guide. I too would carry a gun to be his backup if he missed on a squirrel. I'll eventually start scouting with him in our back yard.
 
I was thinking this along ages:
7-8 yrs old till he got a .22 riffle.
10 yrs when he gets a .410 or 20. He also gets a huntng knife.
Graduation w/ mostly "A"'s = 12 Ga autoloader.
 
SHOOTALL: What do you mean by let them hunt under my undivded attention?
Scatterbrain: I don't think she really cares.
 

[Jedi Woodsman]

Here is my boy with the red ryder bb Gun. He really likes to shoot! My uncle in pic is instructing him and He's aiming at a small clat target we sat vertically on the ground.