Mentoring the Next Generation: A Manitoba Whitetail Story
As nights get cooler and days get shorter, hunters are once again heading into the woods for whitetail deer season. Living in Manitoba, we are lucky with the deer hunting we get to experience. Deer cover most of the southern part of our province, giving us a wide range of areas and habitats to hunt in.
Preparing Kids to Hunt Deer at a Glance
- Introduce your kids to hunting by bringing them along on your own hunts
- Pace the information as you slowly introduce them to hunting basics
- Plan scouting sessions and hunts to be a short drive from home to avoid exhaustion
- Help your youth hunters prepare and pass their hunter safety course
- Start out with ground blind hunting as it is more forgiving of kids moving around
Making Hunting a Family Tradition
As a taxidermist here in Manitoba, I work with deer almost daily and get to hear hundreds of stories a year from successful hunters. My favourite is when a family comes in, and young kids are excited to tell a hunting story.
Even though my passion for deer has turned into a career, somewhere in there there’s still that excited kid waiting to hear how my dad or brothers’ hunt went. I remember looking through all my dad’s old hunting pictures, thinking they were the coolest pictures I had ever seen. That’s where I got hooked on whitetail deer.
I was the youngest of three kids, so I was the last one to be old enough to hunt. But even before that, my dad would take me on hunts to walk beside him, and that was very special to me. Now, a father myself, with a son old enough to hunt, I’m not just setting up for just myself anymore—I slow down and explain what we're doing and why we’re doing it.
When my dad started taking me deer hunting, it was never so serious that we weren’t having fun. We did things right and safely, but he made sure it was always fun. It was almost like getting a deer was the last priority, and it was more about being out of the house and in the outdoors together.
To this day, these are some of the memories I hold closest to my heart. So, with my son, it’s all about keeping it fun.
With the large spaces of Crown lands and Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) in Manitoba, deer hunting is very accessible, and most people won’t have to travel far to find deer. Take the time to talk to a kid about it, tell them some cool hunting stories or take them hunting—that’s how the tradition of deer hunting will stay alive.
Deer hunting is special, and Manitoba is a special place to do it—from the Canadian Shield to the rolling hills in western Manitoba, we have some pretty cool places to pursue deer and take the kids out.
Planning a Kid-Friendly Hunting Setup
Deer hunting takes a lot of patience and a lot of sitting very still, two things most young kids have a hard time with. It’s easy to overwhelm them, so keep the information light when your kids are younger and slowly start explaining things more as they get closer to hunting age—why we are setting up in a certain spot, how to use wind when hunting, etc.
Throughout the summer months, my son and I go scouting to see what we can find, but it isn’t until mid-August that we start to get more consistent with finding deer, putting trail cameras out and planning setups. Deer move around a lot during the heat of summer, so finding a deer in July doesn’t mean it will be there in August.
One great way to start kids out on hunting is ground blind hunting. To me, this is the perfect setup for young kids, as ground blinds hide them enough to allow some moving around when they get restless.
We do a lot of tree-stand hunting, which is trickier with young kids because animals can easily see them. Tree stand hunting is all about picking the right tree with kids—I always look for a tree with a good backdrop behind, and never one where your backdrop is just the sky. A backdrop of other trees and branches behind you will give a little more freedom for small movements.
Another point with tree stands, and probably the most important one, is always picking a tree you can get in and out of safely and easily. Safety always comes first, even more so when kids are involved. Teaching youth about the importance of safety harnesses and the dangers of an improperly hung tree stand is something that cannot be overlooked.
Passing It On to the Next Generation
I see people who have been going to “deer camp” with the same group of friends and family for over 30 years. It’s a tradition that needs to be kept alive, and it all starts with the next generation of hunters. Doing what you can to make the kids want to be out in the woods each fall is so important to preserving our hunting heritage.
My dad did it with me by taking me along, and I am sure there were days when he got home from work and wanted to sit and relax, but I was eager to go hunting, and he took the time to take me out. Now I try to do the same with my son, so hopefully one day he will look back on these days the same way I look back on the memories with my dad. Lots of my closest friendships have been built through shared passions for hunting. It is something even complete strangers can strongly connect through.
So, with deer season underway, whether you spent all summer scouting and were eager for bow season to open, or you take a vacation in November to hopefully find a buck running crazy because of the rut, make sure to take in every little moment and enjoy it. Even the bad hunts usually turn into the best stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old do you have to be to hunt deer in Manitoba?
In Manitoba, youth of any age may accompany a parent or mentor who wish to introduce them to hunting. However, to actively hunt big game animals like whitetail deer, a youth must be at least 12 years of age. This age requirement applies to Manitoba residents, Canadian residents and non-Canadian residents.
Do youth hunters need a hunting licence in Manitoba?
This depends on the youth’s residency status. Youth aged 12 to 17 who are Manitoba residents have flexible options. They may hunt without a licence if they are under the direct supervision (within reach) of a licensed adult and share that adult’s bag limit. If they prefer their own bag limit, they can purchase a reduced-cost Deer and Game Bird Licence (Youth) or a regular licence, but must still be accompanied by an adult supervisor. Non-resident youth are not eligible for the special Manitoba resident options or shared bag limits. All Canadian and non-Canadian resident youth must purchase the appropriate regular hunting licence for the species they wish to hunt.
Do kids need to take a hunter education course before hunting in Manitoba?
Yes. All youth hunters, including Manitoba residents, Canadian residents or non-Canadian residents, must successfully complete the Manitoba Hunter Education course or a similar recognized course from another jurisdiction. They must carry proof of this certification, along with proof of age, while hunting.
Where can you hunt whitetail deer in Manitoba?
Manitoba provides incredible access to diverse hunting habitats, ranging from the rugged Canadian Shield to the rolling hills of the west. The province is divided into dozens of specific Game Hunting Areas (GHAs), which dictate the specific season dates, bag limits and whether certain tags are valid in that region. When selecting a GHA, you can explore vast expanses of public Crown lands and Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) or set up on private agricultural land and acreage, provided you have secured landowner permission. Always consult the Manitoba Hunting Guide to verify the exact rules and boundaries for the specific GHA you plan to hunt.
What safety tips should parents know when deer hunting with kids?
Safety must always be the top priority, taking precedence over getting a deer. If you are utilizing a tree stand, emphasize the strict necessity of safety harnesses, discuss the dangers of an improperly hung stand and always select a tree you can get in and out of safely and easily. For younger hunters who might get restless, ground blinds are often the safest and most forgiving option, hiding small movements while keeping everyone securely on the ground. Adult mentors should also remember they can be held accountable for the actions of a youth hunter in their care.
What should you look for when choosing a deer hunting spot in Manitoba?
When hunting with youth, proximity is a major factor. Focus on areas close to home so you can easily hunt the evenings without an exhausting drive back. Scouting your chosen spot in advance is essential; look for the core elements that hold deer in an area, like active grazing or feeding areas, secure bedding areas and nearby water sources. Once you have identified their travel patterns between these zones, look for locations where you can enter and exit quickly and quietly during the heat of the day to avoid spooking the deer. If you are hanging a tree stand, always choose a spot with a solid backdrop of branches and other trees, never set up where the sky is your only backdrop, as any movement will immediately give away your position.
