gun for 4 year old

[jackelope]

I took a 9 year old on his first successful hunting trip. He killed a buck at about 50 yards. He shot 3 times. Somehow the deer never moved.
You can help All you want cocking the hammer, holding the rifle, supporting the kid, etc but you can’t aim for them. That’s what I can’t see a 4 year old being able to do. At least not enough to be sure that they will make a clean shot leading to an ethical kill on their own. They don’t even hardly know how to form complete sentences at that point. 


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[argie1891]

i started taking my kids with me when they were still in 3 corner pants. I would stay out till they got so cold or tired I sometimes had to carry them back to the car. then off to the restaurant for hot chocolate and toast. I can tell all of you I enjoyed it more than the kids did. just had  49th year anniversary today. I sure hope the kids remember those days like I do. once my daughter couldn't understand why I didn't shoot a hen pheasant that the dog flushed right at her feet. after raising 5 kids some are ready to handle a gun at a fairly young age others take a bit longer parents must use good judgment. one son just wasn't ready till he was a bit older than the others now he understand but then it created a bit of hard feelings. age does not relate to maturity. but 4 years is a bit too young to turn loose with even a bb gun like that father in the post above. 

[Pegasus]

He needs to buy the 4 year old a car or a truck first before the child gets a gun.

[fishngamereaper]

My rules where simple for my kid, you hunt when you can do everything yourself. Hold the gun, shoot the gun, load the gun, carry it all day, carry all your own gear.....etc.....this was his first year, he's 12.  Seems pretty straight forward.

[JDHasty]

I took a 9 year old on his first successful hunting trip. He killed a buck at about 50 yards. He shot 3 times. Somehow the deer never moved.
You can help All you want cocking the hammer, holding the rifle, supporting the kid, etc but you can’t aim for them. That’s what I can’t see a 4 year old being able to do. At least not enough to be sure that they will make a clean shot leading to an ethical kill on their own. They don’t even hardly know how to form complete sentences at that point. 


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Bridget has had her Hunter Ed card for a couple years.  I have had her 7-30 barrel set up and ready for when she is ready to go deer hunting.  She has been shooting chucks for since last spring w/her 17 Hornet barrel and does a very good job of putting the shot right where she wants it to go.  She has a lot of patience for a kid her age, she waited out a chuck last year for ~45 minutes because she wants one taxidermied and had removed half the head from ones she hit in the noggin.  I told her to just shoot the next big one right in the middle, but she thought that would make a mess for the taxi to clean so she waited out a heart shot. 

She said she doesn't think she is ready for deer yet this year, and I told her:  That is fine, we will do more chucks next year and if you are ready for deer next year your rifle is all ready for you.  But you have to make up your mind by summer so you can practice with your gun set up for deer. 

She shoots off a Harris S-25 pivoting bipod unless she is shooting off the benches, then she uses a S-BR.  She is solid on chucks out to at least 150.   

 

[Special T]

I have to laugh.  I got pulled over one day because my daughter was in the front seat of my truck hunkered down reading her book.  I was in trouble because she wasn’t in a car seat or in the back seat.  (Age thing)She got out to move to the back.  She was bigger than the officer was.  He was embarrassed but those are the rules.  I obviously hate how the government gets involved in everything raising our kids, but I could almost justify it for this.  I guess it’s like saying you aren’t old enough to drink, but you are old enough to go to war.

Well said

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[yorketransport]

I'm not that surprised by the thought of a 4 year old taking a deer. My kids were shooting their little 22 LR by the time they were 3-3.5 years old. They were both capable of hitting a 10" target at 100 yards while sitting, off of shooting sticks with my 6mm BR by the time they were 5. I would have been confident letting either of them take a shot on a deer with that gun a reasonable range when they were that young. If the shooter is capable of making the hit, I don't see any real reason for an age requirement.

It's worth mentioning though that my kids are currently 13 and 15 and neither of them hunts. Every kid matures differently and right now neither of mine is ready to kill a big game animal. They're certainly capable of making the shot though.

[PastorJoel]

My rules where simple for my kid, you hunt when you can do everything yourself. Hold the gun, shoot the gun, load the gun, carry it all day, carry all your own gear.....etc.....this was his first year, he's 12.  Seems pretty straight forward.

I like this. I think I will do the same.

[Skyvalhunter]

Problem is your not allowed to hunt deer with a .22

[Curly]

I think I found the thread.

http://www.300blktalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=128&t=101338&sid=fcc06ecbe24f1b3c6fa896fd5a08e064

[Magnum_Willys]

My kid was packing my 338 out of the canyon for me at 5 on elk packout and started hunting at 8 as soon as he could quickly read the hunter safety test questions.  But all kids age differently.   Big kids at 5 are pretty capable.  My small nephew is just there at 12.    12-15 can be a kids best hunting years b4 cars and boy/girlfriends take over. :-)

[Jpmiller]

I was four the first time my dad let me shoot his .223 ar. He has a picture of it squirrelled away somewhere. My mother was none too pleased. Knowing my dad I'm positive he was right there the whole time to make sure if anything seemed off he could take over in a split second. Don't know how I'll handle it when my kids are older but my oldest is three so I have a few months to decide 

Every kid is different and every parent is different. It can be done, don't know if it should be done but I only know how to parent my kids. If you're being safe and not endangering the kid or those around do what you think is best raising your own kids.

[Dan-o]

My sons started carrying muzzleloaders for elk and rifles for deer at age 9 and 10.

They packed bb guns for some hunts before that.

My basic rule at the time was show me you can safely pack your bb gun, and we'll move up to big game weapon.
It worked well for us.

Even then, I didn't pack a weapon on some of those first hunts.......   I had enough on my hands just making sure my sons were safe and hunting safely at that age.

 

[Thehowler]

4 years old, young undeveloped brain, Really?

[lokidog]

I made a wooden rifle for my son when he was two.  He had to follow all of the gun safety rules with it. If they can pay attention to the rules when "playing" by themselves, they will probably be ready to be immediately supervised with a real firearm.