I guess I started out right. I started with the Daisy BB Gun then went to a pump up pellet gun then on to a 20 Ga. shotgun and 22. My first deer rifle was an eddiestone 30-06 but it was so heavy that the recoils was not bad and had a long enough barrel that the noise level was acceptable. However I did quite a bit of 22 pistol shooting without ear plugs and thats not good either.

I used to not mind the hard recoiling rifles but over time they will take their toll on the shoulders and once damaged there is no way they will ever be the same again. In most cases this is completely unnecessary as good shooting is the answer to taking big game, not more power.