Having small children does not mean you must give up all of the activities you enjoy and hunting is no exception. Depending on the hunt and your comfort level, hunting with a baby is much more doable than you may think.
We took both our children out hunting as babies with our youngest going Sitka Blacktail hunting when she was just three months old, and let me tell you, it was much easier than wrangling her toddler brother (taking a toddler hunting will have to be a entirely separate post lol)! On our first attempts, we purposely chose easier hunts that were on gentle terrain, didn’t require long hiking distances, and had base camps with transportation nearby in case something went wrong.
As with anything, your own comfort level with the activity is also an important consideration before taking kids. If you are new to hunting, getting a few trips in by yourself is always a good idea. Same goes for the type of hunt. Starting with an easy or short hunt to get used to having a little one tagging along will help ensure a more enjoyable experience.
Once your hunt is planned, making sure you are properly equipped to have a youngster out in the wilderness will help ensure a successful trip. Below is a list of our top, must have gear when hunting with babies to help you while packing.
Must Have Gear
Fleece Bunting
We love fleece buntings. Both our kids used them to play and sleep in while in the outdoors. We prefer ones that include rollover cuffs that convert to mittens and booties. This allows curious hands and feet to touch their surroundings and then quickly and easily be covered if they get a little chilly. A slightly oversized fit for these buntings is ideal so you can put it over layers while still allowing for plenty range of motion.
Our favorite bunting had to be this adorable bear suit (basically built in camouflage, right!?) but we also really liked Columbia’s Infant Snowtop II Bunting.
Baby Carrier
I brought along our Ergobaby 360 to carry the baby in while out in the field. This was perfect for hiking, nap time, or when I needed to focus on glassing rather than constantly watching to make sure they didn’t eat a rock. Both our kids always loved being in the carrier and would fall asleep after walking back and forth a few times or bouncing when it was nap time.
The pack was also perfect to use around camp when I needed to get dinner going, gather kindling, or any other activity that requires you to walk around. The kids were happy to come with and I got to have two free hands!
If your hunt requires longer distance hiking we highly recommend the Osprey Poco AG Plus (so long as your child is old enough to ride in it). This pack is also great for carrying toddlers!
Ear protection
Even if you don’t plan to take your baby out in the field or shoot around your baby, it is still a good idea to get your little one ear muff protection just in case. There have been numerous times when we have had animals come by camp or be spotted while out doing other things. I say when it comes to safety, better safe than sorry. We got these Walker’s infant to toddler passive earmuffs that grow with baby up to age 4 so it is well worth the money.
Baby Sleeping Bag
Keeping your little warm while sleeping is probably one of the most important things while out adventuring with your kids but also one of the most difficult. Babies of course can’t safely sleep with loose blankets or in sleeping bags that they could slide down into so sleep sacks designed specifically for babies is the way to go.
For more mild nights, you can dress your child in warm clothing, we use fleece footed jammies, a fleece pullover top, and booties, and then layer with sleep sacks such as these:
- Kyte 2.5 tog Sleep Bag
- Baby Deedee Sleep Nest Travel Quilted Baby Sleeping Bag
- Carter’s Microfleece Sleepbag
But on chilly nights we used our child’s snow suit for sleeping in. We dressed them in warm clothing and then put them in the Columbia Kids’ Snuggly Bunny Insulated Water-Resistant Bunting. The other nice thing about using a snowsuit is they can easily crawl and roll around without getting tangled up.
I have also heard great things about these baby sleeping bags by Morrison Outdoors and definitely would have bought and used one if we had known about them before our babies grew up!
Bug Head Net
As unenthused as little kids are to have a bug net on their heads it is an absolute must! The gnats always seem to swarm you while hunting and babies obviously aren’t old enough to swat them away. We used this Sea to Summit head net that is soft, easy to see through, and wide enough to wear with or without a hat, though we definitely recommend a hat with a brim to help keep the net away from their face.
Snacks
There is nothing worse than having your cover blown while out hunting. Of course bringing a tiny human along ups your chances of this happening but a pile of quiet snacks always helps mitigate the risk, or at least buy you some time! Puffs, dry cereal, squeeze pouches, baby safe trail mix, or granola bars are all great choices depending on your child’s age and abilities. Basically, anything that makes no noise, doesn’t require refrigeration or heating, is mess free, and easy for self feeding, Puffs were always our favorite as they are easy to quickly sprinkle around for them to search for and try to pick up and eat.
If you happen to be hunting during berry season, you can also pick a bowl full of fresh berries (after properly identifying them as safe to eat of course) or, if you little is old enough to pick themselves, plop them down in the bushes for a free, diy snack!
Tip: If you plan to use snacks that come in crinkly packaging, open them while at home or in camp and put them in a cloth bag for a silent storage option.
Tuffo Muddy-Buddy Suit
If there was one piece of gear I could recommend you have it would be the Tuffo suit. With dual front zippers and a large, oversized fit it’s easy to get on and off and has plenty of room to layer clothing while still allowing ease of movement. It is made with a durable, lightweight polyester fabric that is waterproof and keeps dirt and debris at bay. I was able to set our babies down in the tundra and not have to deal with him being covered in lichen and dirt or worry about them getting wet crawling into a little puddle.
Believe me, this suit is a lifesaver when it comes to heading into the tent for the night. I made the mistake of not putting it on our babe once out hunting and his clothes had so much debris stuck to them that I was unable to brush it all off and it ended up being tracked ALL over the tent.
Tip: Get this suit in a bright color for safety purposes while out in the field.
Pack-n-play
If you are camping close to your vehicle (don’t have to pack it in) and have a large enough tent, a pack-n-play is very helpful.
Both our kids slept in a crib at home when they were babies and were used to snuggling up next to the railings, so transitioning to the completely open tent floor took some time. Prior to bringing along the pack-n-play, we mitigated this by having me sleep right next to them so they had something to run into but the real problem came when it was nap time or the start of bedtime. Knowing they liked to roll in their sleep and crawl right when they woke up, someone had to stay in the tent with them the entire time they slept. This wouldn’t have been such a big deal if there was nothing dangerous in the tent but since ours has a wood burning stove, which can be hot and has sharp edges, we just couldn’t risk it. With the pack-n-play, I could enjoy sitting by the campfire after they were down for the night without fear of them getting injured.
Fleece Footed Pajamas
We love fleece footed pjs, especially when it comes to clothing a baby in the great outdoors. There is no need to worry about socks falling off and they make for easy diaper changes (no snaps or wrestling to get squiggly legs into pants), plus, fleece is warm and dries super fast. Our babies always wore these the entire hunting trip so make sure you have a few pairs.
The Surprising Thing About Toys
You don’t need as many as you think. Now before you ask “but what will my baby do?” I’ll let you in on a little secret. The only question you’re going to be asking is “what ISN’T my baby going to do”.
Aside from a car Finn could push around in the dirt and a few books for bedtime stories, he didn’t touch a single toy I brought. He was so excited to explore the great outdoors that no toy could even catch his attention. Rocks to pick up (and lick), twigs to snap, leaves to pull off of branches, dirt to dig in, there was a whole new world for baby to touch, feel, and play with. Even in the tent he was far more interested in the door zipper pulls, sleeping bag drawstring, lantern, jetboil cup, and basically any other gear in his reach that he didn’t even notice his diaper bag full of toys.
Have you taken your baby or young child hunting? What tips would you recommend?
