Pushing Kids Too Fast.

I finally got to watch some hunting shows and Pig Man was one I've been hearing about so I tune in to the Cotton Mesa TX hog episode. Everything's fine until the dad wheels out the lil 6 year old and says he's gonna be using what appears to be an adult size high powered rifle. They don't show either shot the boy takes at a hog, probably because the little guy can't handle the rifle himself. Later when they find a hog they think is the one he shot at Dad is carrying the rifle.

Why do some dads insist on starting kids WAY to early with big guns? It's unsafe since the kid can't handle the weight and length of the rifle nor the recoil. Pushing a kid into a gun too big for their little bodies is also a great way to develop a flinch in a new shooter. I was tall for my age and wasn't allowed to carry a rifle other than a .22 until I was almost 10 years old. I can't imagine handing a small child a rifle and expect him to be able to control the muzzle like he should.

One recent instance of this nonsense I witnessed was at the trap range. One dad was insisting junior shoot dad's older shotgun and the poor kid couldn't even shoulder the gun correctly. Even when it was pointed out to dad that it was teaching the kid poor gun handling and shooting skills and also how unsafe it was for the kid to fumble around the shotgun, pop insisted on continuing their practice. Grrrr, sometimes you just want to shake people.

In many states youth hunters can't hunt big game until they are 12 years old like here in CA. I'd say that's about the right age but each kid develops at their own pace. When a young hunter should be trusted with a firearm should be up to the parent to make the right call, and PLEASE, leave all the macho BS out. Make the safe decision.

Between the gun safety nonsense I've seen on 3 "Wild Within" TV shows already and this it's gonna drive me back to Oprah and The View.

Raahauges's Shooting Sport Fair

The Raahuage's Shooting Sports Fair,  held June 4-6 2010 in Corona CA, is a 3 days hands on event where you can handle and shoot rifles, pistols, shotguns, Gatling guns and more. There are plenty of vendor booths to check out new hunting and gun gear along with great gun groups like CRPA, NRA, Cal-Guns and more. FN and Sig-Sauer were no shows this year and hopefully they will be at the Shooting  Sports Fair next year. There are also hunting and gun seminars by seasoned pros plus great food.

JHO dropped by Friday to films some of the action.

More info at http://www.raahauges.com/

Video part 1




Video part 2

A Turkey Tale That'll Make You Smile

Every once in awhile you come across a hunting tale that makes you break out into a wide grin. This here is one of them misty eyed, glad they took the time to tell it stories.

Norm and Sonshine's first turkey



Got any good turkey tales to share?

Video from the Cibola NWR Youth Waterfowl Hunt

Here is the video from the Cibola NWR Youth Waterfowl Hunt. Enjoy watching the kids get their first goose.

Cibola Youth Waterfowl Hunt

Got some pics to share from the Cibola NWR Youth Waterfowl Hunt that was held December 12-14 2009 at Cibola NWR along the Colorado River. Thanks to all that helped put this great hunt together. AZ Fish and Game, Cibola NWR, Yuma Valley Rod & Gun Club who served up the hot chow, Sprague's Sporting Goods for the 20 ga. shotgun in the raffle. Cibola Sportsman's Club for letting the kids shoot their two ranches and use the club for staging. DU (Ducks Unlimited) for the mentors and help.

The kids knocked down 18 honkers and 1 snow and busted over 50 ducks. The Cibola NWR let the kids shoot in the afternoon this year and they had a ball getting most of their ducks then.

First geese ever for these two young ladies who were shooting on the farm unit of the Cibola NWR. And a band on one to boot.



First geese ever for these 2 guys who were shooting on the farm unit of the Cibola NWR.



This lil guy could hardly see over the pit blind but he smoked 2 geese Saturday.



Kids plucking their first goose.



Tim Corbett from Cibola Sportsman's Club setting dekes for the Sunday morning hunt. The rye grass was up but you can hardly see it in this pic. This is the pit blind where the two kids shot geese Sunday morning that I missed with the video camera. My deer blind could only see 1 field, the one south of this field.



Always great sunsets at Cibola. Looking out over the flooded milo marsh at Cibola Sportsman's Club.



I've got some video I'm putting together from the hunt, if you were there and want to share some pics to be included in the video please email me. Thanks.

15th annual San Jacinto Junior Pheasant Hunt

This was the 15th annual San Jacinto Junior Pheasant Hunt. This junior hunter event is put on by the California Department of Fish & Game (DFG) along with the Riverside Quail Unlimited (QU) Chapter.

Lots of smiles and high fives for the junior hunters again this year. There were 39 juniors, we were hoping for 50 but the rain may have kept some home. It turned out to be a nice day after an early morning rain, just a bit windy at times which made for some challenging shooting for the young hunters.

Huge thanks to the staff at San Jacinto WA, the volunteers who brought their dogs to point and retrieve the birds and everyone else who helped out to make it a great day for the next generation of hunters..

Sponsors included Bass Pro, Valley-Wide Recreation & Park District, Inkredible Prints ((951) 654-1111) and Jesse's Hunting & Outdoors. Mike Brown also donated a $100 NRA Shooting Class certificate.

Part 1.



Part 2



Part 3

MO Spring Youth Turkey Hunt 2008 Video

This was our hunt we did along with MissouriWhitetails.com. Steve and and our young hunter Kelly joined Dad and me up at our farm near Lewistown MO. It was a cold and snowy weekend and we froze our butts off. We did get a couple toms in to about 60 yards but they just wouldn't commit to give Kelly a chance for a poke at them with his shotgun.

Camcorder was a Canon GL-2.