Great thread!!

I would've probably asked this question here before long myself!

My opinion...

I'm going to start my son off with my ole Model 94 30/30. I want him to be proficient with open sights before I introduce him to a scoped rifle. At the age of 10-12 I think that it would be easy to get so caught up in "buck (or doe) fever" that he/she could have trouble finding the deer in a scope, and open sights would just eliminate that worry. Again, just my opinion.
I have a couple of scoped 22's and we'll spend some serious range time shooting, and then after a couple of years when he's ready to move up to the next level, I'll buy hima nice 270.

Good luck with the boy!!