What age do you think kids should start shooting?

[jdyoung]

The 4H Club Organization in our county had a 4H Air Rifle Club which competed with counties in the state that also had 4H Air Rifle Clubs. Nicely organized, safety first, excellent experienced instructors. That's how my son got his start.

 

[Ronald W Schaefer]

Started mine at about 5 with bb/pellet guns, safety rules, handling, breathing and trigger control, range safety etc. Then the summer of about 6/8 Y/O respectively they started with .22LR and 20 ga and light rifles. By fall they were ready to go hunting but sat with me. The next season the oldest 9 Y/O by then shot his first doe (7mm-08 browning micro medallion) and the youngest 7 sat in my lap and shot a nice hog with that same rifle. They've hunted ever since and by the way, over 70 game animals fell to that little 7mm-08 one shot DRT. Conversely, my buddies' boys were just too rambunctious and just not able to focus on the training so they got under way at about 10/12 respectively. He hooked them up with 4H and that was a good match for them. You have to use your best judgment on when you think they can understand the rules and pay attention, and when they are large enough to comfortably handle the firearms being used.

 

[tribb]

My son is only 3months old but I find myself day dreaming of the days he will start shooting with me. I don't want to start any kind of moral debate here. I'd probably start him with a pellet gun and then move on to 22lr. Of course he would learn all about proper gun safety and such. Just curious what you all think is an appropriate age?

I'm sure im going to catch flack for this response. You are the one who knows your child best. Only you can decide when it's time to begin teaching him. My grandson is an exceptional young man. "We" started earlier than most with him. Today he is an accomplished cowboy action shooter, vice president of sophomore class, participates in numerous F.F.A. contests and chapter activities every year,top 5 in his class. Well you get the picture anyway. Attends Church regularly and is well though of by young and old alike. He does drive a little too fast sometimes though But I am too wordy. Point is he has definitely been positively influenced by the shooting sports!!!!! I won't get into his age when he took his first deer and Osceola turkey but it was young! . Started with BB gun and worked on up. Good luck and enjoy the experience. He will grow up way too soon!

 

[dwcars]

I started my boys at about 5 years of age beginning with demonstration laced with prodigious amounts of safety instructions. One is now an FFL holder and instructor and the other is a highly decorated Marine

 

[dwcars]

I started my daughter out with a nerf gun from Cabelas at 3. It had little cartridges you loaded the nerf bullet into, so I could teach her about loading and safety, in addition to how to shoot, in a way that mimicked a real gun. When she was 6, we bought her a Davey Crickett single shot 22lr. She's 9, now, and wants to go back home to Texas with me to help rid the state of pigs so I bought her a 270 WSM with a brake. I loaded some 110gr TTSX with reduced recoil powder levels. Hardly any recoil, but we do need to manage the noise. Once the lock down is lifted, we'll get back to the range for practice and wait for that trip to my parent's place in Pleasanton for some free range pork...

Glad you have the money for range fees~!

 

[dogz]

When depends tons loads on the youth, and this is the tougher one but it also depends tons on the parent...

 

[skywag]

I had a BB gun before I was strong enough to cock it. I'd shoot......run in and have my mother cock it..........run back out! Pretty soon though I figured out how to place it on a tree and pull the handle with both hands.

 

[Buxndiverdux]

I started my kids with nerf guns, went to BB guns and then to .22LR and the rest is history. LOL... The main thing is hearing protection and recoil. Avoid both and your kids will shoot as good as anyone. Let your kids ears get rung, or scoped on the forehead/eyebrow/nose and they will shoot as bad as anyone.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

I'm somewhat amazed by some of the ages I am reading that people were either starting or started their own children hunting big game animals in this forum. I took my first born daughter archery elk hunting with me when she was six years old, along with her bow and arrows I had made for her but, I didn't and don't consider it hunting until she was old enough to legally take a game animal.

 

[memtb]

Gone Ballistic, in some states in legal for kids to hunt quite young……provided they are with a licensed adult! I mean the adult has a license! If the other…..many of us would not qualify for licensing! memtb

 

[RB II]

I set up a BB trap for my kids/grandkids when they were about 5-7 years old. Interest in shooting is an individual thing, but they all shot their BB guns at about 5. Progressed from there, youngest daughter is an avid hunter to this day. Middle daughter never gained an interest in hunting but loves to shoot and her daughters are now shooting into the BB trap, age 5 and 9. Oldest is now an accomplished shot with her BB rifle and pistol. I enjoy watching/teaching them to shoot almost as much I love to shoot.....almost.