My dad, when I was 12. I was sooooo excited. Every year, he'd try to fit me with a gun, but my arms were too short (He wasn't about to go out and buy a kids gun). Finally, 12 years old and I could comfortably shoulder his 870 Wingmaster. Do you know those suckers run about 650+??? I was floored! lol His got burned up in a fire, so there's no passing it down. [&o]

As for archery...it's something I've always wanted to do, but no one in the family shot a bow. Finally, in 2002 I broke down and bought a bow, a PSE Nova. It wasn't so expensive that if I wound up not liking archery, I wouldn't be out too much. So, my bowtech was the one who pretty much taught me.