Don't be selfish with your time. Send as much of it with your kids as you can and make sure that the walk in the woods is as common as the walk up the driveway. Introduce your children to guns in the proper way and make sure the safety element is built into them at the earliest of ages. Teach them about nature, real nature, not the hollywood crap. Make sure that they know the role that animals play in our lives. Teach them love and respect for what we have as outdoors men and it will come back to you over and over throughout your life. Congratulations on being a father.

My dad gave me his hunting knife.

Outstanding! Let them into your life and give them the time and attention they deserve. In time, while they're still in single digits, they'll want to accompany you in the things you enjoy. Make room for them. Yes, there'll be times you'll want solitude and you'll want to get away. That's understandable, but don't monopolize your own time (because it isn't YOURS anymore). Later, they'll make it all worth it. Take them camping and fishing. Let them earn your trust through a gradual development of responsibilities and praise them when they try their best, reward them when they do well.
If they show a curiosity about your firearms, allow them to examine them or help clean them ONLY when you are present, and that'll eliminate the attraction of forbidden objects. Demonstrate your respect and appreciation of the environment, and they'll understand that at an early age. BE THERE for them. I'm happy for you, and thankful for my daughter and son.

Patience and keep it interesting. Kids have short attention spans, so did we but we don't remember. Just ask your parents.

You may be the best parent, and the most ardent outdoorsman in history, but I would give one bit of advice that would have helped my grandfather.

As they get older, you may want them to enjoy all those great ideals you believe in. But you can't cram it down their throats. As a very young one, I was dragged, almost physically, to go fishing all the time. What happened is that I grew inside me a hatred of fishing that lives to this day. I have endured days on the side of an ice-covered mountain and been happy, but the thought of spending a warm day on a boat appalls me.

I was determined not to do that to my son. But there are fun ways to get them outdoors. If you have a ten year old and a .22 rifle, it may start them asking when you're going to go out in the woods. That's what worked for us. As he got older, he saw us adults coming back from hunting, shooting, hiking, etc., and wanted to join. It is possibly easier for boys to want this than girls.

Congrats...
Pass it on slowly... I introduced mine to calls on the back porch... WE drove his momma crazy but he had a ball and so did I.
Grandpa got him a shakespeare combo and he could cast it and real it in in the house off the couch so after the basics we hit the water his first fish ever was a black crappie... been hooked since

I cannot ad more than Congratulations !!! Start early training.

congratulations and your life is about to change for good...Nature walks and outdoor experiences. One of my favorite things to do with my son is go for nature walks. You can even do this in a local park — you don’t have to get out of town. Talk about trees and rocks, bushes and flowers, and see if you can spot wildlife. Many towns also have nature centers. You can check for planned nature walks, as well as day camps aimed at children. As a family, you can go camping, take day trips to picnic areas, go hiking or biking, or even visit the lake (or the ocean). Spending time outdoors is a great way to connect with your child — it’s one of the best family summer time activities!!!

Youth programs. I was a happily involved in 4-H growing up. There are a number of programs available for children ages 5 and up (younger children, ages 5-8, are actually Cloverbuds). Children meet in clubs and complete projects. My favorite projects included rocketry, geology, forestry and money management. And for older kids, there are conferences, retreats and activities. Other youth programs, such as Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts also offer low-cost, fun opportunities for kids of various ages and interests. And they’ll learn something, too!!!