Makes you wonder...

Nice that you are able to help keep him warm.

Just tell him the more skilled and prepared he becomes, the less he has to worry about luck..

Don’t worry about competing with the other side of family. He may not realize now but the things you make him and give him such as your hats and knife will mean much more to him later in life when he looks back or now when he sits and really thinks about it than any high fence hunt or expensive thing the others do for him . Trust me , I’m 37 and when I look back at things when I was 18 and less there were several things that I looked over that mean a lot to me know that I wish I had said more then. I guess it’s all part of growing up . Keep trying and don’t count yourself short.

Sounds like you want more from him than is fair. Be thankful you've still got a relationship with him, even though it's not your fantasy.

Unlucky to carry a hunting knife? I've never heard that one before. I carry a knife of some sort EVERYWHERE. It's part of me. The people who taught me considered a hunting knife to be a source of pride. You kept it RAZOR sharp and you never abused it. That's what screwdrivers were for!!

It's even more unlucky (or foolish) to be in the woods and need a knife and not have one with you.

I'm a little confused. As for the knife comment, I grew up hunting deer in the Texas Hill Country and have never heard that in my life.

As for the other part, don't put too much pressure on the kid. He's going through a phase. Everyone does it.

Funny thing… The day I got my first one with a bow, I had gone off without my hunting knife. And that is why my little old Swiss army Spartan still resides in my hunting kit wherever I go.

Love and Patience, Dan. It may not feel like it’s working, but anything else just makes it take longer..

BOX CALL - it sounds like you are shaving a tough time of it with the Grandson. I can't tell you how to make everything great, or how to compete with high fence hunters. I know nothing of your relationship with your grandson and family, and wouldn't even pretend to know how to offer that kind of advice.

However, against my better judgement, I am going offer one piece of advice. You know better than I, so take it as you will, but I say, BE YOURSELF! You can't worry about competing with the rich stepdad and associated people. Don't worry about them, just be yourself. If your grandson says something about it being "bad luck" to carry a knife while hunting, tell him the same things you would tell me, or your neighbor, or your coworker if we said something dumb like that. Hopefully common sense will show itself.

Good luck, hope you work things out.

Dan, keep planting those seeds. The youth of today want things now. However, as time goes on, he may come to realize that"Grand Pa's" ways really mean more than just instant gratifacation. John

"unlucky to carry a hunting knife"?.....well I don't know about that...but the only time I ever hook a big fish is when I don't have a landing net in the boat!

It takes all kinds, but I truly doubt the Kardashian will value more some rag some relative made for them, over some brand. It is a different way of thinking.

I make stuff for myself, and not so much my kids, who are a great bunch. I am really the only one who appreciates stuff I make sufficiently to be worth making it for. And a portion of the value comes from customization which is a lot easier to do for oneself, than it is for someone else.

If you look at the tabs I made for myself, that I posted in the tab thread, right off the bat, you would recognize the inspiration for them in tabs by other makers that I copied to some extent. So if I give a tab to a kid, the various sources of inspiration that made me choose the starting points for my investigation of tabs, are my preference after 50 years shooting, not his; But none of my tabs are copies, I have never set eyes on any of the tabs I "copied" I used unique patterns, materials, etc... all based on preferences I developed over 50 years. Then if they didn't work out right away, I modified them, and redrew the patterns. So you can see where I am going with this. There is no way the work I do will be as useful to someone else as it is to me. I'm wasting my time making stuff for others, who don't get the thought process or details involved in making these tabs.

That is how I approach all my gear.

Keep giving him love, gear and knowledge regardless; he is just a boy.

He will appreciate it all went he is a man.

Get him a nice folder. A fellow should always carry a knife (except in school, nowadays). Tell him that but do not call it a "hunting" knife. I bet he takes it with him when hunting.

I've actually heard the one about it being bad luck to carry a hunting knife many years ago. I disregarded that suggestion as foolish. As for your grandson, just keep being a good grampa, he'll figure it out. We're all a little self-centered around that age, especially with everything going on in life.

devisive at worst. Why in the world would someone say carrying a 'hunting knife' is unlucky? Seems ignorant if you ask me. Probably devise in intent be my guess. That young man gonna remeber you BIG time when he gets some smarts.

All us boys loved flash and speed and knew everything right out the womb! Atleast i did ; ) Even when we were taught something we listened our way and only heard the words we wanted to,,,thats the class A personality Man i was smart as hell when i was a kid!

The older i get the smarter my father becomes! ; )

He ll get the wind knocked out of him enough to start thinking alittle more,,,,,I guarantee it Just sit back and laugh,,thats what father did,,,,and now days that ole Remington gentleman folding knife he used on deer and gave me is more important to me then the Randall hanging on the wall

Perhaps his stepdad is training him to leave the field dressing to the hired help. I have never heard that silly superstition, but there is another one that everyone in Texas seems to know. Whenever a knife is gifted, the receiver gives the person gifting the knife a penny. The stupid superstition is that a gifted knife will sever the relationship, where a purchased knife will not.

That has been going around up here my whole life. If you carry the knife you see nothing, if you leave it in the truck you get your shot and then have to walk all the way back to get the knife. That's an old one and true quite often.

I had it drilled in me when I was young, I was in the boy scouts, explorer scouts then the sea scouts......MOTTO: Be Prepared.....The only time I don't have a knife is when I take a shower.....Ha!Ha!

I carry a folder with a minimum of a 4" blade, assisted opening with one hand and kept very sharp and not in my pocket, a clip on that is clipped to my pocket so i can get it if in an awkward position.

Dan, I wouldn't worry, I know you would like for him to spend a lot of time with you, but you need to let him make that decision. Like a lot of others have said, he is in his confused state, Just be your wonderful self and it will eventually pay off. Who could not Love someone so giving and sincere as yourself.

I have two grandsons and all they think about is games, computers, girls.

Come to think of it.... I think the first deer I ever shot, PERIOD, I found myself without a knife. Rookie mistake!

So I don’t know - maybe it’s GOOD luck for a neophyte to NOT carry a knife because the Little Red gods will bless his humility?

I wouldn’t be surprised, though, to learn that the guys with the great big fancy knives don’t get many deer.

None of my grandkids hunt and it doesn't look like any ever will. I also vaguely remember being sixteen and not very smart, although I thought I knew everything. It takes a level of maturity, and maybe not until he is on his own and away from those who would sway his thought process. Don't let it change you, Dan. ))

Well, I've carried a knife of some sort when I was a kid, and never hunted w/out one! Ridiculous to think hunting w/ a knife w/ you is bad luck! Bah, Humbug! I've had to kill 2 deer that were spined w/ my "hunting" knife! Guess a guy could use a rock, huh?

I don't know anything about the knife thing but I do regarding grandsons. I have three--the youngest now 19 (working), the middle one is 21 (in college), the oldest is 24 (professional firefighter). They all went to shoots with me when they were young and still at home, but only the two older boys ever had any interest in hunting. Now....none of them show any interest in hunting. They go their own ways now and while I know they do love me, and I have been their outfitter over the years, their interests change, life has its own challenges for them which fill up their time, and I have learned to accept that reality. It isn't personal--don't take it as rejection. Maybe someday they will circle back around to outdoor interests (the two oldest are both eagle scouts, by the way), but at this time I really doubt that they will return to hunting. And as I think back about it, I sort of did the same when I was that age. It happens--lots of stuff going on in their heads at this stage. I would suggest that other issues in your life which you have felt free to share with us are affecting the sense of loss of time with the grandson more than it might otherwise. Keep the lines of communication open and be available.

Not true, that only works when fishin :-) JF

Oh, regarding the knife thing, I read a story by G. Fred Asbell once where he had forgotten his knife, killed a nice elk and had to field dress it with a broadhead arrow. Now there would be a fun job. :o)

I confess that I've forgotten a LOT of things when going hunting, from my BOW (yes...I can't even figure out to this day how in hell I did that), to my licence, to my cold weather boots (fortunately I didn't need them), but NEVER, EVER my knife. When I put my pants on the first thing I do after I zip and buckle is check my right hip for my folder. If I have to get "dressed up" (YUCK!) and cannot wear it I feel nekkid! I still carry my Swiss Army pocket knife, but it's not the same.

Dan, I have family with a fancy high fence place here in Texas, and it is a different situation all together. I still like them and have taken my fair share of meat in years past. BUT It's different. Don't take the grandsons current character to personal. If he is now driving he is at an age where no one in the world is more knowledgeable then him. He will see the error of his ways, in due time. I have as many others before me. My dad carried his knife to the woods, just as his dad had, and I do the same. I feel pretty certain my son will as well. He has been on a hot streak this year, but not made the transfer into true archery just yet. Stay in there and be the grandfather he needs.

-Bones

First of all high fence garbage is for girls. Straight up. Either be a man about it or don't even do this so screw the idiot. Now let me tell you something, when I was married my wife used to wanna buy the kids fancy shoes, take em to fancy plays, etc cause she had money. She never actually did things with em that were important. Buying stuff like a deer in a high fence enclosure isn't as important as the knife you gave him. The way you showed him how to care for it. Time you sharpening it with him, etc No one is remembering fancy shoes, it's pushing kids on a swing, that matters. In other words stop feeling insecure bout money and just be confident in what you can do.

Why don't you do a poll? I'd bet way more guys always have a knife on them when they hunt than guys that don't. Hunters in my neck of the woods are prepared to succeed. Luck has little to do with it. Plus what happens if you need to cut yourself free from say a safely belt?

Never heard that one. I usually carry two knives when hunting. A small folding pocket knife and a fixed blade belt knife but I'm not very superstitious.

Got great grandsons almost that age. One thing I've learned is that the older the son's, grandson's, and great grandsons get, the smarter you become.

Can't imagine being anywhere without my Gerber LST.

To Not carry a hunting knife when HUNTING??? Might as well NOT CARRY a BOW or GUN if You are going hunting. Gonna throw rocks and then use some kind of skinning stone that You just happen to find on the ground?? Uncle is not exactly thinking, eh? That superstition is "NOT THE WAY TO ENLIGHTENMENT!"

What Brad L said about the receiver of a gifted knife giving the gifter a penny is not just a Texas thing. My Dad told me that when we stopped to help an old man fix his stove pipe in bow season 1960. The old man gave me a knife and I gave him a penny. My Dad was born and raised in PA, but he did have relatives in Texas. bvd

Im from east texas,, been hunting since 50 years ago,, never heard that one,, from my parts we always carried a knife hunting,,,had lots of luck too,,,,up here in New Mexico,, elk hunting ,, if you didnt have a knife,, might have to walk more than 5 miles back to camp to get a knife,, , so that would be really bad luck,,,,

keep on doing what your doing Dan, stick with the fruits of the spirit, "love, patience, joy, peace, gentleness, self control, etc. ", just like Barber said, don't worry about competing with the other family. Just be Yourself Dan, and You won't have to worry about being anyone else.Dan, just to put things in perspective, what young man or adolescent boy wouldn't love to have someone offer Him a hunting knife. My 10 year old son is bugging Me for one.

Of course guys out hunting have knives on them. In fact I don't remember any man I hunted with NOT carrying a knife, and using it while hunting. I'm NEVER without a knife, afield or not. I'd feel naked without it and I'd certainly bet most of the men on this site carry one everyday, same as me.

It is an old tale. Most likely made up by the carrier of a huge knife that never killed anything. I feel your pain BOXCALL. Hang in there most come around to realizing what is important about the time they have to start paying their own way.He won't forget the things you do and make for him. They will become much more important as time goes by.>>>----> ken

All I know, if you gift a knife to someone, he has to pay you a pittance for it. Nickel, dime, whatever. Otherwise, the knife will eventually "cut" your friendship. I know that to be a fact. Saw it in a Jimmy Stewart movie.

I was always told that it was good luck to sharpen your knife before you go huntin,there is almost always a purpose behind all these old sayings.

Superstitions abound, but it comes down to we deciding for ourselves the values we choose. Your grandson will choose as he grows, no doubt.

Dan, Did your grandson's stepdad have a knife with him when he got his deer? bvd

You may be mourning because you can't contribute like you think a grandfather should.

Maybe you can switch to somebody else's grand kid...or with a kid who doesn't have any connection to a grandfather (that's not unusual).

Why would ya want to its supposed to be fun and if you try to complete then how.

Just be loving, informative and very understanding or you will feel like ya do and that's not how you should be looking at it.

Is it. Isn't life just grand? LOL

If the Texas High fence/lease culture is a factor, it probably morphed into "unlucky" since a good hunting knife isn't required to skin or dress game. Most of those operations require recovery of the animal and have it brought in whole, no field dressing allowed. Once brought in, the ranch personnel will dress it and put it in the cooler or get it ready for your transport.

LD

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