Took the boy out today to pattern his gun

[Birdguy]

Well, we have been talking about it for months and today was the day  . My 7 year old son ( all 51 lbs. of him) and I went out to pattern "ol Betsy" (youth model 870 in 20g). It was a beautiful afternoon opening ceremonies for baseball were done and we were headed for the woods. In the car I asked if he was ready, he said yes. I asked if he was nervous he said a little. I asked why he was wearing two shirts, a jacket and a vest? He said it was for padding  . I told him if anyone else ever asks it is to simulate your hunting gear as it will likely be cold in the morning you plan to kill your first game animal  . We arrived at the spot, got out the target (3ft X 3ft white pizza box with a hand drawn turkey, including the red pumps on the neck were you are supposed to aim) and looked for a good spot to sit where we could shoot 40yds. at the target.  After acquiring the perfect spot I crossed the moist clear cut to place the target against the stump he picked out as "the one". I loaded the first round as discussed a 2 3/4 #8. He laid the gun across a log and pointed at the "other" stump and touched it off. DAD that was easy, I thought it would be way worse then that, I must have grown a lot since I shot during my hunters safety class last year (he fired the 20 gauge at the class but only one time and gave it back to the instructor ). My Dad side, asked a few questions to see how he was feeling really, without letting on I was concerned. We then moved to the perfect spot established earlier and sat down. I loaded round number two in the chamber (3" #6 turkey load) and asked if he was ready. He said YES, let do this! I steadied the Y branch monopod (ordered bi pod does not arrive til Monday  ) and went through all the prep stuff. Do you have it in your shoulder? Yes. Can you see the turkey head on the target? YEs. Are you steady? YES. When you are ready push the safety off and if it is still lined up and in your shoulder touch it off gently. Is it in your  shoulder? YES!! Then when ever you are ready..BOOOOM!  OUCH! Ouch what? I ask. That thing kicks like a mule! Those 3" things really make a difference! he says. Are you hurt? YES! Where? I ask. My ribs. Your ribs can't hurt unless you did not have it in your shoulder, I said. I did, he said. You did not. Do you want to shoot anymore? I ask. I don't know, can I sit in your lap? he asks. So we get all situated, I swap the targets out, he looks for unbroken clay pigeons. We move up to 35 yds. I load round number 3 (3" #5 turkey load) and ask if he is ready? He says no I need to get it into my shoulder more. We make the proper adjustments and he says he is ready. I tell him to line it up and take off the safety and he can fire when ready.....45 seconds later, BOOOOM! He pushes the safety on, hands me the gun and heads off to look at the target. As he runs off I ask how it was and he says, " Dad if you just keep it in your shoulder it does not hurt at all!" . He asks to shoot a few more rounds before we have to go. As we walk back to the car he grabs my hand and says " Dad shooting with you is a lot of fun I hope we can do this for a long time. Next time can I shoot your 12 gauge? I answer, we will see. We talked the whole way home of opening morning, how early we get up, how many birds we will see, how many tags he will need, who will do the calling. What a great way to spend a couple hours on the most beautiful day of the year, so far. Good luck to all going out for the youth hunt.

Incase you are wondering his 870 at 40yds. with #6 had one pellet in the head  . The #5 at 35yds. had 15. Looks like it will be #5s at close range this year. There may have been a little new guy shooting in the mix. Overall the #6 pattern was good just had one hole in it. No other place in the pattern could you have missed the bird  .

[gasman]

Thats cool 

I remember the first time my son shot my 12 ga. He said he was ready and he needed no help, but when he pulled the trigger and butt ended up on the ground 











It was better then the best comedy show 



And he still reminds me of it 

[grousetracker]

I TOOK MY DAUGHTER FOR A while and learned she didnt like to hunt, i feel like a failure, my father would have pushed it but i dont because i feel she has an opion. i am glad that someones kids are still into hunting, we are losing the next generation. my dad would take me at a young age and we would get pigeons or grouse and then would come deer season and i would be a basket case about getting one, but dad waited till i was 9 and watched my grades to let me hunt deer, i have mastered deer and have always got a deer. i appreciate the dads who can get there kids out hunting.

[Birdguy]

Grousetracker, you are not a failure! Not all kids are into it. My 10 year old daughter could not wait to go, made a huge deal of it everytime I went. She too took the hunter safety course last year and passed (missing 2) and was jazzed about pheasant hunting. I paid the $$$ for her license took her out with our new pup. The pup flushed two birds and she did not shoot. I said you can not kill em if you don't pull the trigger. We went out the next day and as we were walking in, she got a yellow jacket in her ear that stung her twice . Needless to say we went home that day without any as well and she did not want to go back  . I raise pheasants and she has not had much interest since. She would be going turkey hunting with me but has missed to much school for my liking this year already. If my boy gets his chance, and I can find the time, I may take her out for a later weekend but has yet to be seen. I am with you give them the opportunity and let them decide what they want to do.

[turkeydancer]

Well said BG !!! I think both of yours will end up spending a lot of time afield with their dad.  Hope I'm still able to see them when they do ... 

[KimberRich]

 

Love it.  To bad I missed out watching that but I'm totally excited to film his first hunt in a couple weeks!  I'm more excited for him to get a chance at his first bird than I am about my own hunting this season.  10 days and counting. 

Don't blame him one bit for all the clothes for padding.  Seems to me you had a similar laugh a couple years back watching me sight in my 870 with 3 1/2" turkey loads.     Pretty hard to not get flinchy after a couple rounds. 

[Austrian Hunter]

Love it, and I know how it feels.  Funny reading this today    Well let me tell you why I slept on the couch last night.

Me and my wife went shooting jesterday afternoon.  She shoot a Glock .40 cal and her little Keltech and she is a decent shot, actually a good shot with both hand guns.  I got my 12 GA with me that I have to get ready for Turkey season.  After she shot up all 200 rounds she had in about 1 hour  $70 worth it  she comes over to me and asked do you have a riffle I can shoot, I said yes, why don;t you try my shotgun 870 with a 3 1/2" Super Mag 5 shot shell.  Whatever that means she said, I gave her the riffle not loaded and explained press it firm against your shoulder and than squeeze the trigger, so I put in the shell and repeated myself and said press it firm against your shoulder and (and of course she did not) "POWWW" Ahh  not soo good, she did not screamed but her look said enough, I checked to see if she is hurt but all she said was don;t touch me you SXX of BXXXX.  I need to mention she is 5'3" and about 110 lbs.  Maybe she lets me take a picture of her arm and I post it tonight

[Rowdy]

Fantastic!!! I love to hear about kids getting into hunting just as much as I like seeing them in the field with their dads/grandads/moms.  We need the next generation, Good Job!!!!

Couldn't help but laugh about the padding, I found some 3" #2's I had for ducks after I forgot to bye shells for the next morning Chukar hunt, Yowsers!!!  I wasn't prepared for the first one. 

Again, good job dad and good luck bagging that first bird kiddo.

Jake

[Machias]

My youngest is 17 now....I miss those days, just a little bit, but still miss taking them out to shoot for the first time and those first few years of hunting.    Thanks for sharing!

[Birdguy]

Thanks guys. I really hope to post some pictures in a couple weeks. Well there will be pictures for sure but I hope there is a dead turkey in it as well. For those of you who know my son you know that smile of his will be a hit  . This will be the best hunting year of my life and I may not even take a gun! He is certain he will get a turkey and a deer this year and if his arms get long enough to really swing a gun perhaps a pheasant or two. My daughter will likely head out later in the season if all goes well and I think she may deer hunt this fall, but we will see. I also get to hunt with my nephew for the first time. He got his hunters safety cert. while living in Alaska but my brother and his family will be stationed here by this summer, so this fall the woods will be full of new hunters in our family . I can not wait. I started hunting after my brother joined the army so I have never hunted with a member of my family (except two short days of pheasant with my daughter last fall  see last post above). I am really excited.

[PA BEN]

I have a 870 youth 20 ga w/ultra full turkey choke and red dot site. 3" #5's work real will. I have one Daughter kill a Tom at 50 yds once with it.

This is the 50 yd Tom

[turkeydancer]

As you know BG, my youngest is now 35 ... can tell you that hunting with your kids never gets old, just better ...
       
Wish I could be a "fly on the wall", but will be in Texas ... wishing Brett the best of luck !  Send pics and a story ....