CHOOSING A KID’S FIRST HUNTING RIFLE

Hero image courtesy of Google images

We were all kids once. Dreaming of having a real gun to call our very own. It didn’t matter the caliber, as long as it burned powder. And then one day it finally arrived.

Our fathers or another role model took us out to a hayfield, set up a target and demonstrated the basics. Those were the days. Now, as another generation approaches the age of responsibility, it’s time to start thinking about taking that next step in choosing a youth hunting rifle.

Set Realistic Expectations

In The Education of Pretty Boy, Havilah Babcock tells the pleasing tale of a young boy who acquires a gun-shy bird dog. It’s the “crawl before you walk” ideology mixed into a parable that demonstrates the true essence of patience. The boy is able to lift Pretty Boy out of his frightening dilemma by simply starting with a pop gun and gradually working his way up until he’s shooting over the dog with a 12 gauge.

Much of this is true in the way that kids should start in the outdoors. Start slowly. If they can associate fun with their early experiences, the foundation is set for a fruitful life in the outdoors. Remember, you can lead a horse to water…

Don’t Force Them

If a youngin’ doesn’t want to shoot a gun, so what? Don’t force it. Sure, make them to eat their vegetables and respect their elders, but never something that won’t necessarily make them a better or worse person. Resentment is the hardest block of all. Like a gun shy dog, that kid child is likely to retreat every time a firearm comes out of the case.

Starting With Too Big a Gun/Caliber

Let’s say your eight-year-old, 80-pound son is interested in deer hunting. It’s all he talks about, reads about, thinks about and probably dreams about. So naturally you need to get him started with your .30-06, right? Wrong.

A rimfire is about right for the youngster’s first trigger pull. If you don’t own one, surely you know someone who does. A light-kicking, relatively quiet rifle is the best way to ease him in. Also, he won’t develop the ultimate accuracy killer: flinching.

Finding a proper-fitting rifle will help him feel more comfortable behind the gun. Nobody enjoys feeling awkward. Most manufacturers are turning out production-grade rifles built specifically for small frames. And your son or daughter will be able to pass this size rifle on to their kids one day.

Scope With Proper Eye Relief

“Oh, boy! This is about to be the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” thought your young self. You’ve moved up to a bigger caliber, even shot it a few times, and you’re beginning to consider yourself pretty handy with the long rifle. Then you pull the trigger, the firing pin hammers the primer and the next thing you know, there’s a mixture of blood and stars in your eyes. Touch the scar above your dominant eye if we’re talking to you.

Ensuring that this does not happen to a newbie can help keep him moving in the right direction. Some kids could potentially hang it up for good if a scope knocks them senseless. Choosing a riflescope with three and a half to four inches of constant eye relief will save you from a great misfortune and a possible trip to the emergency room.

Our children are the next generation of hunters and shooters. There is a strong enough force against them in the anti-hunting and -gun community to divert their interests to video games, which, if that’s what naturally interests them, great. But, as parents, let’s not be the cause of any ill will toward burning some gunpowder.