Our Little Adventurer's First Deer Hunt
On October 19, 2026, I took my 18-month-old daughter deer hunting for the very first time. I went into the experience with realistic expectations, a bag full of toddler entertainment, and absolutely no idea how long we'd actually last in the blind.
Would she sit quietly? Probably not. Would we see any deer? Doubtful. Would we make some unforgettable memories? I sure hoped so.
As it turns out, our first hunt involved a missing boot, a snack cup turned musical instrument, several attempted wardrobe changes, and enough renditions of Old MacDonald to entertain the entire woods.
And you know what? I wouldn't have changed a thing.
The Adventure Started Before We Even Reached the Blind
To make the walk a little easier, I brought along a partial baby carrier that allowed my daughter to sit more comfortably on my hip. Everything was going pretty smoothly until I realized we'd lost one of her boots somewhere along the way.
Of course, it was camouflage. And tiny. In the middle of the woods.
If you've ever tried finding a toddler-sized camouflage boot among fallen leaves and sticks, you can probably imagine how that went.
So, naturally, my daughter spent the remainder of her very first deer hunt sporting one boot and one sock.
Not exactly the hunting outfit I'd planned, but we made it work!
I Packed for Everything... Except Her Actual Plans
I thought I was pretty well prepared. Our hunting bag was stocked with three quiet board books, a favorite stuffed animal, plenty of extra clothing layers, and the quietest snack cup I could find, filled with Goldfish crackers.
I figured that between the snacks, toys, and books, we'd have enough entertainment to get through at least a short sit. What I hadn't accounted for was my daughter's newfound passion for climbing, undressing, and singing at full toddler volume.
We were hunting out of a 6x6 Redneck Ghillie Deluxe Ground Blind, equipped with Redneck Folding Portable Tripod Blind Chairs.
And let me tell you, those chairs ended up being the real MVPs of the entire hunt.
My daughter is currently in that wonderful stage where everything is meant to be climbed, conquered, and bounced on. The sturdy chair gave her something to explore, and she was perfectly content climbing all over it, jumping up and down, and singing every version of Old MacDonald her little imagination could come up with.
Meanwhile, she was also determined to remove every piece of clothing I'd so carefully dressed her in.
Her hat? Ripped off every time I put it back on.
Her socks? Apparently unacceptable.
She even made up a little song about it: "Want them off, want them off, want them off!"
And that one remaining boot? She couldn't decide whether she wanted it on or off.
I spent a good portion of the hunt negotiating with a tiny human about the importance of keeping her clothes on.
The deer were safer than they'd ever been.
One Hour, Zero Deer, and My Most Successful Hunt Yet
We lasted about an hour in the blind. We didn't see a single deer. We hardly even saw any squirrels.
But I walked out of those woods feeling more successful than I had after some of my best hunting trips.
Why?
Because my daughter had FUN.
She wasn't frustrated, bored, or miserable. She was exploring, laughing, singing, and enjoying herself.
In fact, she had so much fun that part way through our walk back to the house, she jumped out of my arms and started running back to the blind.
In her socks, of course. (I'd learned my lesson after losing the first boot and had already removed the second one for the walk home.)
Watching her run back toward the place we'd just spent an hour together was one of those little parenting moments I'll never forget.
She didn't care that we hadn't seen any deer. She didn't know whether we'd had a "good" hunt by traditional standards.
All she knew was that she had a great time, and she wanted to do it again.
And that was everything I'd hoped for.
What I Learned From Deer Hunting With an 18-Month-Old
Our first sit taught me quite a bit about what actually works when introducing a toddler to hunting, although I know we have a lot to learn. Some of the things I thought would be essential never even left the bag, while a few unexpected things made all the difference.
What Worked Surprisingly Well
1. A sturdy, stable hunting chair
This was hands down the biggest surprise of the entire hunt.
Because my daughter is in her climbing stage, having a sturdy chair gave her something to occupy herself with. A wobbly chair would have meant constantly adjusting it and worrying about her falling.
The stable chair made it much easier to keep her entertained while supervising her climbing.
Of course, a chair isn't a substitute for keeping a close eye on a climbing toddler, but having a stable setup made a huge difference.
2. Snacks, snacks, and more snacks
I don't think any parent will be surprised by this one.
Snacks are practically a universal toddler survival tool, and hunting was no exception.
However, I did learn one very important lesson: There is no such thing as a "quiet" snack cup once it's in the hands of a toddler.
Within minutes, my daughter had transformed her Goldfish-filled snack cup into a maraca.
So much for my carefully planned silent entertainment.
3. Keeping the experience relaxed
This was easily the most important part of our success.
I went into the hunt knowing we might not see anything, and that was perfectly fine.
There was no pressure to sit for hours, stay perfectly quiet, or bring home a deer.
We were there to enjoy the experience together, and that freedom made the entire outing more enjoyable for both of us.
What I Packed but Never Needed
1. Board books
I brought three quiet board books, thinking they'd be the perfect way to entertain her while we waited.
She didn't touch a single one.
2. Her favorite stuffed animal
Another item I was certain would come in handy.
Nope. Not interested.
Between the chair and everything happening around her, she had plenty to keep herself busy.
Honestly, even without the chair, I have a feeling she would have been far more interested in the bugs, leaves, sticks, and other little treasures around the blind than anything I'd packed from home.
Sometimes the best entertainment is simply letting kids explore the world around them.
What I'm Changing for Our Next Hunt
After seeing what worked and what didn't, I've already started planning a few adjustments for our next trip.
1. Reusable sticker books
Our wonderful nanny recently surprised my daughter with some rubbery, reusable stickers and sticker books for Halloween, and she is absolutely obsessed with them.
They're easily some of the quietest toys we have in the house.
I'm definitely packing one for our next hunt as a backup activity. Whether she'll actually use it is another question entirely!
2. A hat with a chin strap
If it's cold enough that she needs a hat, I'll be bringing one with a chin strap so she can't pull it off.
After spending half our first hunt putting her hat back on, I'm hoping this will make things a little easier.
3. Quieter snacks and containers
The Goldfish maraca was entertaining, but not ideal for deer hunting.
Next time, I'm thinking something softer, like Sammy Jammy snacks or a soft granola bar.
I'll unwrap everything ahead of time and pack it in a quiet, easy-to-open container to eliminate as much unnecessary noise as possible.
4. A better boot strategy
I think this one speaks for itself. Next time, I'll either wait until we get to the blind to put her boots on or have her wear much more secure boots to start.
Out of paranoia, I'm sure I'll also check that they're still on several times throughout the walk.
Because apparently camouflage works a little too well when you're trying to find a missing toddler boot.
5. Nursing from the blind
My kiddo still breastfeeds and doesn't always know when it's definitely NOT the time for it. She was asking for "milkies" on the entire walk back from the blind, but of course my arms were full between carrying her, my bow, and my pack.
Next time, I'll offer to nurse her before we leave the blind. Hopefully then it will be out of her system for the walk back!
The Most Important Lesson: Let Them Love It Their Way
I think one of the biggest mistakes we can make when introducing young children to hunting is expecting them to experience it the same way we do.
As adults, we tend to measure a successful hunt by the deer we see, the opportunities we get, or whether we fill a tag.
But toddlers don't care about any of that.
They care about exploring something new, spending time with the people they love, and having fun.
If I'd spent our entire hunt stressed about keeping her quiet or frustrated that we weren't seeing deer, she probably wouldn't have enjoyed herself nearly as much.
And if her first experience in the woods had been full of pressure and frustration, why would she want to go back?
At this age, our job isn't to teach them how to be successful hunters. It's to help them fall in love with the outdoors.
The patience, the skills, the understanding of wildlife, and the appreciation for hunting traditions can all come with time.
Right now, I want my daughter to associate the woods with happiness, adventure, and time spent together.
If that means we spend an hour in the blind singing Old MacDonald instead of watching deer, I'm perfectly happy with that.
There will be plenty of opportunities for quiet sits and serious hunts down the road.
But she'll only be this little once.
And someday, when she's old enough to sit beside me and watch the woods in silence, I have a feeling I'll miss the days when she was bouncing on a chair, singing about farm animals, and insisting on taking her socks off.
A Little Reminder for Parents Taking Their Kids Hunting
If you're thinking about taking your baby or toddler hunting for the first time, my biggest piece of advice is simple:
Lower your expectations for the hunt, but never underestimate the value of the experience.
Prepare for the weather, prioritize their comfort and safety, keep the outing short and flexible, and be willing to head home whenever they've had enough.
Choose a safe, stable setup, keep hunting equipment and weapons secured and out of reach, and remember that supervising your little adventurer comes before everything else.
You might not see a deer.
You might spend the entire time handing out snacks, singing songs, or searching for missing clothing.
You might only last 20 minutes.
But if your little one leaves those woods smiling and excited to go back, you've accomplished something pretty incredible.
Because when you're raising the next generation of outdoor lovers, success isn't always measured in filled tags. Sometimes it's measured in muddy socks, big smiles, and little feet running back toward the blind.
And in my book, that's a hunt worth remembering.
Let's Talk!
Have you taken your baby or toddler hunting? I'd love to hear how it went!
What kept your little one entertained? What did you pack that you never ended up needing? And what's the funniest or most unexpected thing that's happened while hunting with your kids?
Share your experiences, tips, and funny stories with our Flawlessly Feral community. Whether you're a seasoned hunting parent or planning your little one's first trip into the woods, there's so much we can learn from one another.
Here's to raising wild little hearts, making memories in the outdoors, and remembering that sometimes the best hunts are the ones where we don't see a thing. ❤️