SwampTHING

One of the farms I hunt,, the son just turned 12 and got his lic this week. Hes dieing too get out there,, no one in the family muzzleloader hunts. Hes been calling me every evening this week telling me about the deer he is seeing and in what field every evening right before dark. There is a muzzleloader season going on right now in the area. This kid has shot Scoped rimfires and slugguns fairly extensively,, hes never fired a muzzleloader before. I called his dad last night and asked if it would be ok if tried too get him his first deer friday or saturday,, he said no problem,, hes getting harassed to get him a muzzleloader so he can hunt this week. I shoot a scoped optima,, it spits darts at 100 yards for me.. Im wonderring what will happen if I pick him up after school tomorrow and rush out to the field with him and sit down for the last hour and a half of light.. We wont have time for him too fire off a shot. think this gun will hit in generally the same area for him as it does me??? I really would like too get him a shot at a deer,,, and im pretty sure it will happen,, just dont want him too throw one over or under a deer at close range,, not a memory that i want him too have! any thoughts?

cayugad

He should be just fine since the rifle is scoped. Although make sure he only shoots high percentage broadside shots. He should be fine if he aims center mass on a broadside shot. Also watch him so he does not get too excited and pull the shot. He only gets one chance.

I done this with a nephew one year when I took him hunting. He was so excited when this little buck walked out, I had to tell him to calm down. I could see he was about ready to burst. Finally I told him the deer out in the field was not going to be a target. He looked shocked. It was a little four pointer. I told him he could practice sight pictures though. So I had him aim the iron sights on the Renegade on a broadside shot. I then told him to cock the rifle and hit the set trigger, but not to fire the rifle as this was all practice. When I asked if he was aimed dead on, he said he was. So I told him hold your sight picture, and touch the trigger with his finger and just take the slack off it for practice. When the rifle fired, he was surprised. he looked at me with this strange look and I told him.. did you hit it or not. When he looked out in the woods and saw that deer laying there, he did not know what to say until I congratulated him on a fine shot. He then handed me the rifle and told me his knees would not work for him to stand. We still laugh about that when I see him.

Nolehoe

keep us posted!

gleason.chapman

Use some shooting sticks or a tripod and you will be ok. I find most young people can't hold the gun up steady and therefore usally shoot low or pull the shot. Chap Gleason

AZBear

as long as he has good form then it should shoot equally as well for him as it does for you. Just take a couple of minutes to go over mounting the gun and check him out and make any adjustments to his mounting the gun and it should be ok. Just make sure he isn't in a big hurry to pull the trigger and make sure he is ready when he pulls the trigger.

Bigtimer

That's a great story Cayugad. It's such a joy to hunt with a youngster. That was a neat little "trick" that you pulled on your nephew. I'll bet he'll always remember the time that uncle...............

cayugad

He's in his 40's now.. and he still tells that story of how his uncle tricked him into shooting a deer.. to anyone that will listen to it for the 100th time..

SwampTHING

Thanks guys,, I was just worried about point of impact. Ill keep him to a shotof under 75 yards and broadside,, we will be sitting in a hunting shack so he will have a good rest to shoot off of. He called tonight and told me about the 5 does and the buck he was watching in the cornfield for an hour tonight... So I asked him if he wanted me to pick him up after school tomorrow and go sit for a couple hours tomorrow and all day saturday if nothing happens tomorrow,, all he could say was really really really?? I sure hope he gets the chance,, hes a good kid and I know this would make his year! Ill keep you posted on what happens.

RugerMike

SwampThing,
Way to go man. That is what it is all about. Wish you the best of luck. Let us know what he gets.

gleason.chapman

There is nothing sweeter thanto introduce a youngster to hunting who is really "into it". Give him your old magazine, he will read them cover to cover. Give him especially theBowhunter Magazines and the ML Hunter magazines.

There is a young man near where I live, who goes to my chuch, who father owns a large farm and loves to hunt---his father didn't hunt, nor any of his uncles. When he was about 14 or 15, I had him register for Hunter Safety Class and drove him tothe course and picked him up after it was done, he only missed 1 question on theTest at the end of the course. I gave/lent him a bow that my son started with, showed him how to make tree stands like this for cheap on his land:

http://www.the-gleasons.com/low_cost_tree_stands_for_hunting.htm

took him bow hunting several times with my son and gave him a new Optima MLer--- because he loved hunting and I could see it in his eyes (he ALWAYS asked at chuch how I did the previous Sat). My son gave him an 8mm mauser, they hunt togetherat times and are good friends. I is great to see him in college now, working in the building trades AND helping his brother's learn to hunt and basically following in the foot steps thatmy son and Ishowed him. My son is aabout 3 years older than he is. Some cautions:
If you give the young man a gun, make sure the mother is OK with it and buy a lock for the gun and give it to the mother. I think the ML is the ideal gun to give a kid, since it is very unlikey younger brothers will be able to load a MLer and shoot it. Too many steps and too difficult to push a bullet down a long bore.
Very very rewarding and joyful to me as I am sure it will be to you. May theLord bless yourministry of helps to this young man.
Chap Gleason