My club holds a youth pheasant hunt each year for 25 kids, 12 to 16. All must be licensed and most of the kids come from a pool that several hunter education coursed put the names of all kids who score 100% on the test. Before we turn the kids over to the guys with the pointing dogs, we give them a safety lecture and have them shoot some clat birds. I find it incredible and sad that some of these kids do not even know how to load their shotguns, they bring their own, nor do they know how to shoulder them. Many of the guns are too long in the butt stock and some kids can' even hold the gun up to shoot. Sadly, we actually had to refuse to allw a few to participate because they were a danger to everthing and everyone around them. What kind of parenting does this to their kids. It hurt the guys running the hunt almost as much as the kids to refuse them to participate. Not all kids are created equal and should not be using a gun and some parents should not be allowed to have kids because they put their egos ahead of the kids well being and feelings. When I look back to the way I was taught to shoot and to hunt with safety foremost in both I just shake my head when I see some of the no clue people who give their kid a gun and not much more and say have at it. If it would not be for the mandatory hunter education classes, some kids would recieve no instruction at all. Kudos to parents who care enough to ask questions on forums like this so they can do their best for their kids.