I was taught if you shoot it you gut it. My boy killed his first at 8 yrs old and he gutted his first deer at 8 yrs old as well. Was quite a hack job but he still done it with me walking him thru it. He is 15 now and has been hunting without me since last yr. Every parent decides what and when something is right for their kids but I wanted mine to realize at the very beginning that as soon as that trigger is pulled the fun is over and the work begins.