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Teaching a 10-year-old to shoot
Backwoods Home ^ | November/December, 2018 | John Moody

Posted on 11/25/2018 1:00:05 PM PST by SJackson

In my youth, I remember my dad dragging my brother and me out of bed in the middle of the night, tossing our tired bodies in the back of his hitched-up pickup truck, and having us fishing out on Lake Erie by the break of dawn. Come fall and winter, we found ourselves bundled up out in the middle of nowhere, hunting turkeys and deer with my dad. Although we lived in the city, my dad’s heart was in the country. Hunting and fishing are in our family’s blood.

For many years, life separated me from such pursuits. When my oldest son, Caleb, reached around seven years old, he started to show a keen interest in trapping and hunting. He made makeshift bows, slings, and other weapons, vainly chasing squirrels and rabbits across the yard. I don’t think he ever hit a moving target with his makeshift weapons, save perhaps his siblings.

So I started teaching him how to trap (in order to protect our livestock, especially the chickens). He even made a few of his own traps and once caught a young possum by hand! But he wanted the big prize: a buck.

So I promised him that this year we would hunt deer together. Hunting is a big task for a young boy, and it requires a lot of preparation.

Shooting with support, either prone or leaning on a rest, allows kids to focus on the basics — sighting, trigger discipline, and the like — instead of struggling with the weight of the firearm. The towel makes sure that they don’t ding or scratch up the gun when doing so.

You can’t give what you don’t have


(Excerpt) Read more at backwoodshome.com ...


TOPICS: Outdoors
KEYWORDS: banglist
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1 posted on 11/25/2018 1:00:05 PM PST by SJackson
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To: Iowa Granny; Ladysmith; Diana in Wisconsin; JLO; sergeantdave; damncat; phantomworker; joesnuffy; ..

Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me to be on or off . And ping me is you see articles of interest.


2 posted on 11/25/2018 1:01:13 PM PST by SJackson (The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself)
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To: SJackson

Ear and eye pro.


3 posted on 11/25/2018 1:01:15 PM PST by 2banana (Were you)
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To: SJackson

Send them to an appleseedusa.org clinic.


4 posted on 11/25/2018 1:03:53 PM PST by ebshumidors
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To: SJackson
When I was young, in the 4th and 5th grade the best day of the week was Wednesday when we got out of school early to go to the shooting range at the National Guard Armory (in Denver).

I earned my first .22 cal rifle selling subscriptions to Boy's Life Magazine. It came in the mail.

5 posted on 11/25/2018 1:07:11 PM PST by Baynative ("A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." - John Barrymore)
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To: SJackson

Just be sure to teach the kid that a gun is not a toy, and can kill people.

There are storied where a kid played with a real gun and actually shot a parent or sibling.


6 posted on 11/25/2018 1:10:29 PM PST by Innovative
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To: SJackson

Excellent.

Let’s not leave the girls out of this instruction.

Skills that last a lifetime. Pass it on.


7 posted on 11/25/2018 1:12:01 PM PST by Daffynition (Rudy: What are you up to today? :))
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To: SJackson
HowToTotallyFreakOutYourSchool

Kid-with-machine-gun

8 posted on 11/25/2018 1:45:46 PM PST by SkyDancer ( ~ Just Consider Me A Random Fact Generator ~ Eat Sleep Fly Repeat ~)
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To: Daffynition

Here is an inspirational video for any youngsters wanting to learn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd4B77PkeaU


9 posted on 11/25/2018 1:51:02 PM PST by Shark24
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To: SkyDancer

Nice!!

I have pictures of my daughter shooting a Cricket .22 when she was 5 or 6.

Last month we bought her a Springfield XD and sent her to self defense classes. She is 15 now.


10 posted on 11/25/2018 1:55:29 PM PST by Romans Nine
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To: SJackson
My brother has taught his kids, grandkids and now his greats to shoot. His 8 year old greats have gotten deer and turkeys. My niece was coming back home and the car in front of her hit and killed a deer. Some guys in a pickup stopped to get the deer. She asked them what did they think they were doing and they said getting this deer. She told them to forget it that her dad was on his way to get it. Now, this niece weighs less than 100 lbs but they left. No one messes with her.
11 posted on 11/25/2018 2:00:10 PM PST by MamaB (Heb :13:2)
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To: Romans Nine

Had my first .22 rifle at seven. Single shot and had to cock it after loading by pulling back on a knob behind the bolt. Very accurate.


12 posted on 11/25/2018 2:11:30 PM PST by SkyDancer ( ~ Just Consider Me A Random Fact Generator ~ Eat Sleep Fly Repeat ~)
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To: SkyDancer
Had my first .22 rifle at seven.

Me, too.

Single shot and had to cock it after loading by pulling back on a knob behind the bolt.

Mine, too.

Very accurate.

Ditto.

Seriously, that's uncanny.

13 posted on 11/25/2018 2:17:11 PM PST by Skooz (Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us)
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To: Skooz

I think it was called The Beaver made in Oregon(??)


14 posted on 11/25/2018 2:36:50 PM PST by SkyDancer ( ~ Just Consider Me A Random Fact Generator ~ Eat Sleep Fly Repeat ~)
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To: SJackson

That almost looks like a break barrel air rifle. My dad has the .22 version.


15 posted on 11/25/2018 2:37:55 PM PST by SkyDancer ( ~ Just Consider Me A Random Fact Generator ~ Eat Sleep Fly Repeat ~)
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To: SJackson

Am I the only one who can’t stand that commercial with the kid asking his dad if they have a gun? Instead of the dad cowering, he should have manned up and told the kid he was too immature to handle one safely or taken him to the range to teach him the proper use. Maybe then the kid could help protect mom when dad isn’t at home. Maybe dad should take mom to the range so she can protect herself. Another thing, get it out of the top of the closet because a bad guy isn’t going to wait around until dad/mom/kid climbs up there, moves around a few boxes, gets it down, finds the combination to the lock, goes to a second location for the ammo, loads it and finally tells the bad guy they’re ready.


16 posted on 11/25/2018 2:41:34 PM PST by bgill (CDC site, "We don't know. how people are infected with Ebola.")
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To: SkyDancer
Not the pictures you posted.

I think you're right. Obviously not a semi auto. No bolt visible. That funny supresor they put on air rifles.

17 posted on 11/25/2018 2:44:02 PM PST by SJackson (The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself)
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To: SJackson

The picture of the kid with the rifle over the hay bales looks like an air rifle. Good rifle to start with though.


18 posted on 11/25/2018 2:45:08 PM PST by SkyDancer ( ~ Just Consider Me A Random Fact Generator ~ Eat Sleep Fly Repeat ~)
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To: bgill

I’ve not seen that. I don’t watch much TV. My kids always knew we had guns, camping and stuff. I don’t know about protecting mom when dad’s not there, but if there are firearms in the house, they should be comfortable with them, respect them, and know how to use them. As a matter of safety, but also maintaining the culture. I know, to the left firearms are no part of culture, they’re evil. Other than when possessed by their inner city supporters.


19 posted on 11/25/2018 2:48:17 PM PST by SJackson (The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself)
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To: SkyDancer

I got mine at 9. An Ithaca falling block lever action. It was accurate too.


20 posted on 11/25/2018 3:36:31 PM PST by jospehm20
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