Let's take this situation ONE STEP AT A TIME.

Daughter is now 4.

She wants to start deer hunting with you "in the next few years". This will bring her to 6 or 7 years old, correct?

In order to hunt in IL she will have to successfully attend a hunter safety education course and pass the examination. At 6 or 7 YOA (or sometimes even 8 or 9) the kids are not able to read the test. We are not able to turn anyone wanting to take the class/test away based on age (discrimination), so one of us instructors (we can't allow parents,siblings or others to do it) will read each of the 50 test questions to the student and read each of the 4 multiple choice answers.

I have never seen these young of studentspass the test. It breaks my heart because as I read the questions, as hard and helpful as I try to be, I know the students do not understand the great majority of the questions.It is QUITE HEARTBREAKING at times, believe me. I teach these classes because I love kids and getting them into the outdoors with their Moms and Dads. I would love to walk away at the end of each class and test with a warm feeling but when the young kids are in class I know all weekend that I will have to walk away with a bad feeling. Kinda like a lump in my throat that I have to swallow.

IMO getting by this obstacle first should be priority. You may have to repeat the classes several times so be sure to be upfront about this with her to minimize disappointment. I see plenty of kids leave in tears. Sometimes I practically shed tears myself.

Then worry about the gun.