Training the Youngsters

[Elkmtb]

Time to start getting my boy aquainted with heaven and the outdoors so I thought I would ask you old farts some questions.

1. Ideal first gun after BB gun? 410, 22 or 223 When did you get the BB gun or first gun?
2. How young did you start taking them shooting or hunting to watch?
3. How yound did they start actually participating? When is it legal?

4. How yound did you start instructing them as to whether or not the 30 06 is "enough gun" for an elk?

5. when did you start taking them camping etc?
6. How did you introduce them to cleaning thier first animal?


Any tips, thoughts, hints or fun things to do would be apprecaited.

 

[ELKCHSR]

Personally I would go with the 22 for the very first, you can shoot up a thousand rounds for $25 bucks, and he learns to hit very small targets, especially if a little distence is added....

 

[ZAMBONIMAN]

I don't think I'm an old fart, but I do have a nine year old son that loves the outdoors. His first BB gun was in his room at home before he came home from the hospital. He started shooting it as soon as he could hold it up, about 3 years old. Had his first single shot .22 at five, and a single shot .410 soon after that. Last x-mas he got a youth model pump 20 gauge, and he can hit about 50% of the clay pigeons that I throw for him. This last fall I bought him a Ruger compact 7mm08, and he can shoot tighter groups at 100 yards than I can. He has been on hunting and fishing trips with me since he was about 4 years old. I let him accompany me on grouse hunts with his 20 guage UNLOADED to learn proper gun safety techniques. We have done family tent trips since he was about 3. He has came along deer hunting the past 4 years, and November in Minnesota can be pretty damn cold, but he is a tough little shit. He has helped clean critters and fish since he caught his first walleye at 4 years old, he likes plucking ducks too. He loves to fish and has caught a 12# northern, a 6# rainbow trout, and uncountable numbers of bluegills, crappies, and walleyes. Minnesota law says that he cannot hunt big game until he turns 12 years old, so his 7mm08 will be just for the rifle range for the next few years.

 

[IDHunters]

Personally, I don't remember NOT having a BB gun and have shot .22's as long as I can remember. Shooting pigeons out of our barn with both a .22 and a 20 guage after feeding cows is one of my best memories.

My son will be 4 in March and he went pheasant hunting with me last fall. He packed his toy pistol and was mad when he "shot" at the pheasants and they didn't drop. I told him dad has the same problem!

He has been camping and has caught bluegill and bass. Here in Idaho they can hunt upland game at 9 or 10 and big game at 12.

I'm thinking BB gun this summer.

 

[wyomingtim]

My suggestion would be a .22 with open sites....possibly even bolt action over semi. I have always thought that it is better to learn to shoot with open sights than a scope, and a bolt action encourages to get better with the first shot.

 

[Whiskers]

I like a open sighted single shot .22 for their first gun. Teaches them patience, and accuracy. Both my sons went with me as soon as they were willing, able, and legal to go. While they were still infants we had them on outdoor adventures, I had my wife along for the motherly details. I am not a big proponet of .410's I like the first shotgun to be a .20 guage.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

Let's see - my son was camping at 6 months old, in the snow, in a tent.

He started shooting a pellet gun (I don't like BBs - they tend to bounce back more than lead pellets) at age 5, a .22 at 6 (at the bench) and he is allowed to walk around with his pellet gun with me when I hunt quail or varmints. (He is 7 now.) As soon as I am comfortable with his gun safety consciousness all the time, he will graduate to carrying his .22 around. Then a .223 probably in a year or two. That is as much a matter of his physical size and his desire as gun safety practices.

 

[2fastnaz]

Jeeze the kids started going camping before their second birthday, but the boy went younger than the girl. I think I got the boy his red rider at age 4 and cut the stock down. He got a nylon .22 for getting staright A s in 4th grade, so what, 8 or 9 years old?? He got a NEF 12 gauge for his following birthday. He started going every where with me after he turned 2. The girl not so much but usually because of space issues.
I think for a first rifle that little cricket single shot bolt action that Wall Mart sells is the coolest.
The first time I had him clean game and stuff I think he was 10 but I had him cleaning fish way before that, 7 or so. I still remeber him just bawling about all the blood on his hands. Now he doesn't even bat an eye. He knows you can never have to much gun LOL.

 

[Nut]

I agree with Whiskers.