Hunting With Kids | Camaraderie and Life Lessons
By James Esperti, Branif Scott, and Vinny Delgado, Fay Ranches
As much as you can love hunting, there is nothing quite like hunting with your kids. The excitement that oozes out of their every pore reminds you of some of your first hunts, a time when it just meant a little bit more to you. Whether following the tail of your bird dog anticipating a solid point, hunkering down in a duck blind calling to working birds, or pursuing a wise old bull elk or mature white-tailed buck, the enthusiasm from a young hunter experiencing these things is the greatest reward of all.
Having children who are just starting their young hunting careers has encouraged us to dust off all the old decoys and clean the shotguns, recalling fond memories of hunts with our parents. The early, cold winter morning hunts were some of the most treasured times we shared as a young family, the precious time with mom and dad in the field, something we always looked forward to. Passing the torch to our children—and doing it in the right way—is very important, especially in this day and age, with an exploding population and so much anti-hunting sentiment in the media.
Fay Ranches was founded on five core values, one being family and another, conservation. If you are a hunter, by nature, you are also a conservationist. We enjoy teaching our kids about harvesting, encouraging the “give and take” value, and instilling in them a desire to protect the precious resources that provide so generously for us.
Hunting not only provides an opportunity to turn off the cell phones and focus on each other and being in the moment, but the kids also walk away with positive life skills, everything from discipline to patience. Cell phones and computers don’t provide those opportunities or skills. The camaraderie and life lessons learned from time in the field have been a part of our American heritage forever, and hopefully, 100 years from now, the sporting torch will be shining bright because our children passed these values down to the next generation, and they to the next.
Connect with James Esperti
James Esperti grew up enjoying and appreciating the abundant natural resource and outdoor activities of the Teton Mountain Range in Jackson, Wyoming. Endless hiking, hunting, skiing, and rafting adventures with friends and family laid the foundation for James’ passion for nature. While attending Montana State University in Bozeman, James began buying and selling homes to pay for college while embracing Montana’s lifestyle among all its natural resources. After graduating, James continued developing his lifestyle and met Greg Fay. Realizing a shared passion, James soon began working with Fay Ranches to preserve and enhance the west’s premier ranches. James believes in valuing and developing relationships with clients and peers who share a love of nature as his favorite career outcome. Some of his best friends started as clients and became hunting and fishing buddies. James has worked with many portfolio asset groups to improve ranches and lands for the betterment of all. James takes pride in helping to enhance ranch management, natural resources, and value.
Connect with Branif Scott
Licensed since 2004 and located in Bozeman, Montana, Branif Scott is a seasoned, successful real estate professional and is one of Fay Ranches’ top producers. Branif’s passion for the land, love for the Rocky Mountain region, and honesty and sincerity when working with and helping clients has propelled him to the top of his field as an expert in income-producing farms, high-end properties, recreational ranches, and other types of large landholdings and exclusive homes.
Connect with Vinny Delgado
Born and raised in the once sleepy ski town of Whitefish, Montana, Vinny was immersed in Montana's great outdoors from an early age, helping him develop a great appreciation for wildlife and the land that supports it. From fly fishing for rainbows near Glacier Park to stalking white-tailed deer in the Sweet Grass Hills to chasing pheasants in the flatlands of Eastern Montana, he has roamed around Montana since he was seven years old.
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