Quail Flats Gunning Boxes

I decided to make this post about the Quail Flats Gunning Boxes that I make. Perhaps you have seen the photo on the sidebar. The picture at right is what got this whole thing going. It is still the one I use every hunting season, since about 1979 or so.

It all begin when my brother gave me this replica, of a "Chesapeake Bay Gunning Box" as a gift back in the late 70's. This box was not an original, yet it had been distressed and weathered to look as if it were an antique. The cool thing about my brother is that we usually get each other gifts, that we would like for ourselves.He realized after I started using it just how convenient it was to have all my shotgunning accessories in one location. So not long after he gave it to me, did he ask if I thought I could make one. The writing was clearly on the wall and my friends were also becoming more interested in acquiring one for themselves.

Hence, the humble beginnings of building somewhat rustic and crude versions of the original. I tried different types of hardwoods and softwoods in search of an ideal balance between strenght, durability and being aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The one I received is made of Fir or Pine I believe, and has cut outs in the ends of the box to use for handles. The lid opens to 180 degrees and is held on by strapping hinges. A basic hasp is the closure for the lid and there was not a clip or snap supplied, so I attached one myself to hold the lid closed. It struck me that there was room for improvement regarding the handles, hinges and hasp closure. I felt that the size of the box and its interior tray, were ideal given its usage. Which leads me to a bit of history about this item.

There is not much information about "Gunning Boxes" purse' other than they were used for holding ammo and related items for shotgunning. The earliest records I was able to find were dated back to the 1870's. These days there are companies producing ammo boxes, yet those are different from a true Gunning Box. Also when you mention Gunning Box people often think it is used for storing your gun. Not so. Present day Gunning Boxes hold much more than just ammo. Mine has choke tubes, face camo, sharpening stone,steel, knife, duck and goose calls, cleaning kit, batteries, deck of cards, matches and that is just in the tray. Below the tray are 10 boxes of 20 ga. shells, gore tex gloves, fingerless gloves, hat, 7 x 32 leica binoculars, mag light, headlamp, gunning log, oil, tp, duct tape and dog biscuits. What is really great about these boxes is that everything stays in them year round. No more having to search your house, garage, closets etc. for this gear every Fall. With a Gunning Box you're always ready to go, just grab your vest, dog, decoys and hunting buddy.

After making more than a half dozen or so(with hand cut dovetails) and giving them as gifts to my hunting buddies, in 2001 I decided to refine my initial efforts and do some serious marketing. The end result is the photo below. There are over 100 steps in making a Quail Flats Gunning Box. From the initial selection of solid Cherry hardwood to the milling, routing, sanding, dovetailing, rabbeting, grooving, hand planing, more sanding, lacquering, and even addressing the solid brass hardware.

The hardware is all solid cast brass, meaning it is not stamped, pressed, cut or cheaply made in any way what so ever. Quite the contrary. The handles are made in England and have built in stops at 90 degrees to the box, so your knuckles don't get banged up by the box. The Brusso hinges are made in the U.S., machined from solid brass flat stock and have a stainless pin in the knuckle. They have a built in stop at approximately 95 degrees to support the lid/top in an upright position when open. Less chance of the top breaking by laying fully open at 180 degrees. Plus it makes a nice presentation and requires less space to open the top and access its contents. The hasp is a "Hook and Bail" type, which will not open on its own and is a very secure closure, U.S. made as well.

The top and bottom raised panels are from a single piece of Cherry and are not edge glued to make up their width. Finding wide Cherry is not a simple task, yet it is worth the effort. These raised panels are recessed in a groove that is a bit oversized than the panels themselves. This is to allow for wood movement (expansion & contraction) throughout the year. Just that happy medium from the old school of hand built furniture. The tray bottom is a single piece of Cherry too, and allowances made here for movement as well. The tray dividers are pinned with Cherry dowels and the darker end grain makes for a nice contrast on the front and back of the tray respectively.

In all I made approximately 75 Quail Flats Gunning Boxes. I made them in runs of 10 at a time. Each box requires approximately 5 to 7 hours from start to finish. Their dimensions are 22" L. x 9" W. x 9 and 5/8" H. The tray is 2 and 5/8" H. and nests mostly in the top, allowing for maximum storage below the tray. I marketed them online and also in Gray's Sporting Journal and Sporting Classics magazines. Most of my sales came from back East where there is more waterfowl history and recognition. Followed by the mid west for the same reasons. Lots of famous decoy carvers from both those areas, and museums dedicated to the preservation of waterfowl history. Over the years I have donated several Gunning Boxes to the Oregon Hunters Association, Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever. It is just another way for me to give something back to this wonderful sport of hunting and to continue preserving the habitat for future generations.
I've had several customers request brass engraved initial/ name plates. Typically these are put on the inside of the lid /or on the tray front. Reason for this is so they don't get scratched or scuffed up from other gear being put on top of them. I have chosen Cherry for many reasons and here are a few; it was used for roofing shakes many years ago and is naturally resistant to bugs. It is a tight grained wood with a wide variety of colors and patterns. It is strong, but not to heavy and can take a bump or two without cracking or splitting. If the truth be known it is my favorite wood to work with. It is honest and to a degree, forgiving as well. Cherry also gets a patina over the course of time and becomes darker and richer in color. I have made these boxes in everything from Western Cedar to Honduras Mahogany, Walnut, Maple and Hickory.If you are interested in a Quail Flats Gunning Box, just drop me a note and I'll be glad to get one going for you. They will last for many generations and are built to honor a lifetime of memories.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Bachelor Bucks

It seems that the older I get, the faster times slips by. I have been busy trying to get work completed before hunting season is in full swing, as well as doing some scouting and the rest of life's day to day chores. On a recent trip I was able to find this small group of bachelor bucks who weren't to concerned about my presence. This is near a rural Eastern Oregon town of which needs to remain anonymous until after the season is over, or I have harvested one of these fine fellows. They are what is termed a "bench leg" deer. That being a mix of Mule Deer and Black tail because they cross over in to each others habitat zones, and inter breed. The ears are a bit shorter than your typical Mule Deer and the forehead considerably darker in some. Yet they have fairly heavy bodies and the wits of both, making them a challenge for sure. These boys have been hanging out for the past month in the same area, and I sure hope they continue to do so into the first weekend of October when the season opens. Just thinking about them everyday makes me a bit nervous and excited. Don't know if I'll find them again or if they'll give me the slip and be gone, gone, gone. It is called hunting for a reason and regardless of the outcome, I will have a good time just being out there. The chase is what really gets me excited, trying to out wit the wily critters on their own turf. So often I am an awkward visitor at best and as those who have gone before me say, "I would rather be lucky than good any day" I am in full agreement.

There are still some things I need to get done before the season opens, like making sure my rifle and I are still on target and sighted in like we were when I put it away last winter. I shoot a Remington 7 mm Mag. and absolutely love it. It came with a Sims Limbsaver recoil pad and the recoil is very mild. I have a Leupold 3 x 9 by 40 VX 2 scope and so far it has treated me very well. I use shooting stix and sight in using them to make things as realistic as I can. I also check it on a bench and do a few off hand shots as well, just to be as comfortable as I can be. There is no substitute for shooting, the more you do it the better you'll be. Then again, when facing your moment of truth be it whatever season it is, nothing can get you prepared for the excitement of seeing that animal in your cross hairs. So stay calm, keep breathing and act like it is practice until after you've squeezed the trigger. Then get excited and twitchy.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Sage Grouse Hunt

It was a early wake up call this past Saturday morning, in hopes of catching up with a couple Sage Grouse. I sprang from my slumber just a little before 4 a.m. and proceeded to get some coffee infused asap! Jet gave me one of those looks that said, "hey do you mind, some of us are still trying to sleep"? I gave her a belly rub and told her we're goin' hunting today! Let's go girl. And with that said, she too sprang to her feet. I threw some kibble in her bowl and some cereal in mine. Then we loaded the truck and headed for Fredrick's Butte and an old lake bed a few miles E. of there. We were on the road by 4:30 a.m. and arrived at our destination just a smidge past 6 a.m.

There were a couple rigs already there and I think they were actually bow hunters deer hunting. As the sun began to brighten the eastern horizon I was getting my vest on and grabbing some water for us. It wasn't more than 200 yards from the truck when the first pair of Sage Grouse flushed at about 80 yards away. Geeze, much to far for a shot. Wow, I was a bit concerned that we may not get many shots if the birds are this wary. Jet was a long ways away from them too. We walked for about an hour before the next Grouse flushed and I fired a shot and knowing as I squeezed the trigger, it was gonna be a reach at best. Yep, nothing dropped. No feathers, bird or anything other than my wad.

It is quite difficult trying to see where these birds land. They get up just high enough to clear the tops of the sagebrush and have very rapid wing beats followed by gliding with set wings. They blend in very well to their habitat and unless you can get your binoculars on'em chances are you won't see where they land. It will be in the general vicinity that you go to in hopes of flushing them again. We took a water break back at the truck for about 15 minutes, then got going for round 2. We never did flush anymore Sage Grouse yet we saw found several areas where they had been recently. They leave a very distinctive "cheeto" look alike dropping. Right down to the color and size. Jet got excited and worked her little heart out trying to find them, she just knew they're had to be one "not so smart" bird left behind. After 4 plus hours of walking and hunting ,Jjet and I were fairly tired. We headed for the truck and called it a day. The sun was getting high in the sky and Jet was wore out. We drank some water then headed for home.

We had a good time and I didn't want to get either of us anymore sore or tired than we already were. Jet slept for the drive home and continued to do so for the following day, before she actually got her spring back in her step. Took me a few days to get over my soreness as well. The season is short and I doubt I will have the time to give it another try. Yet I will definately put in for tags again next year, in hopes of closing the distance.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Humor

Single black female seeks companion, ethnicity unimportant. I am fun loving by nature, play well with others and am low maintenance. Some of my favorite pastimes are going for long walks, playing in the water, camping, riding in pickup trucks and sleeping next to a cozy fire. Candlelight dinners will have me eating out of your hand. I am loyal and will greet you at the door when you get home from work, wearing only what nature gave me. Please give me a call at (503) 768-4225 and ask for Jezzabell.







Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Crock Pot Sage Grouse

As promised here is my recipe for Sage Grouse. Even though some folks claim Sage Grouse are not very good eating, I had favorable reviews from my friends with this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 Sage Grouse boned out and cut into bite size pieces
1 Lg. can cream of celery soup
2 tbls. worcheshire
1 tbls. honey
2 tbls. stoneground mustard
2 celery stalks cut up
3 carrots cut up
3 yukon gold potatoes
1 med. onion cubed, sauted and added to crock
3-4 garlic cloves chopped finely
1-2 c. brocolli tops cut up

Directions:

Firstly clean and cut up your Sage Grouse and saute them in a cast iron skillet with a couple teaspoons of good olive oil. Brown lightly on all sides then put into crock pot. Next saute onion until translucent and add to crock. Add garlic as is without sauteing. Cut potatoes, and add the remaining ingredients except for broccoli. Add enough water to cover all ingredients.
Typically I set the crock pot on High to get everything up to heat (30 - 45 min.) then turn to Low and simmer for a few hours (2 - 3) until meat and potatoes are cooked. Remember to add your broccoli about 30 minutes prior to serving.
This recipe is simple and tough to go wrong with. Just don't add any sage seasoning, you will not be happy with the results. The Grouse are naturally sage seasoned in the field. I made this last Fall and took it Deer hunting with us and it was delicious. Servings approximately 4-6 hungry hunters. It is good to have some home made bread to go with and to mop up the bowl. You can add whatever other vegetables you like and just experiment. If you find something even tastier let me know how you modified the recipe.

Oh, by the way I did draw Sage Grouse tags so they will be my first quarry of the Fall 2008 hunting season. Only 2 birds per person and that is it. Looking forward to watching Jet do her thing. Season opens on September 6th.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

The Bend Bulletin Interviewed Me

Much to my surprise I was recently contacted by a reporter, Anna Sowa, of The Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon. The recently published article will continue to promote and advocate for more women hunters. I am honored that they found my blog and were willing to venture out of mainstream social norms. A sincere thank you to The Bend Bulletin.

Blogger aims at women who hunt
By Anna Sowa, The Bend Bulletin (excerpt - links to original)

At age 11, Terry Scoville was finally old enough to join her father trudging through the Oregon forest, guns slung onto their camouflaged backs. The early fall air was warm and laced with the smell of star thistle, and painted leaves cloaked the ground. The two moved through cornfields taller than Scoville’s head and settled beside a flooded field, waiting for the whistle of wings in the air.
The experience, Scoville would later post on her blog, reassured her that her father would support her interest in a sport that doesn’t engage most daughters.
Scoville is now 49, but she remembers the butterflies in her stomach at being included during those first hunting trips. She also remembers feeling unusual: a short girl wielding a Belgian-made side-by-side 410 shotgun, an early Christmas present from her father that would help her bag her first dove.
“ It was a novelty having a girl in the field,” Scoville said last week in Bend.
She says the recent rise in women hunters has increased their representation in the industry, but she’s still a member of the minority. So she is using the blogosphere to connect with more women hunters and encourage their entrance to this male-dominated sport.
She started her blog, womenshuntingjournal.blogspot.com, in April, at a friend’s urging. She’s been pleasantly surprised to find more women like her, searching for fellow hunters online.
“It’s nice that there’s a community of women hunters out there,” Scoville said, adding that she’s already made plans to meet one woman, whom she found through the blog, for a hunting trip this year. She hopes that’s just the beginning.
Bucking the trend . . . READ MORE http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080825/NEWS0107/808250366/1041
From bendbulletin.com - published daily in Bend, Oregon, by Western Communications, Inc. Copyright 2005.
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Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Going The Distance . . . Pt.3

Pt.1
Pt.2

Oh my aching body! I think to myself as I begin to wake up from a fitful slumber. The wind howled all night slamming into the west side of the cabin. Then we heard some rain, not good. Oh boy, this will be a doozey of a day. After about 10 minutes of rolling around in bed I began the process of trying to get to my feet. This was not pretty, nor was it a graceful sight. My hip flexors were screaming at me from being bent over, head down pushing the boat and having to high step the foot plus deep snow. O.K. lets take this slow, we are not in any rush. Larry is groaning too and agreed that we not be in a rush. The coffee tasted great and for a minute I forgot how much I was hurting. Jet and Oyster (Larry's Brittany) are eagerly awaiting their breakfasts. So we finally get moving after a hearty meal ourselves.

The weather is overcast with drizzle and a warm SW wind. Going to be a wet one today. We drive to the dike and start walking out to the river in a slow metered pace. I am looking forward to the snow melting as this will make walking less painful. We get the field shells set and because the wind is so strong we decide not to put out the floaters. The Klamath River has whitecaps and waves nearly 3 feet high. It was the right decision cause we only spent about 2 hours hunkered in and called it a day. Nothing was flying, absolutely nothing! No hawks, no Mergansers, Magpies or even Marsh Wrens. They knew long before us what was going on. We picked up the field shells before they blew away and headed back to the cabin. The wind was so strong I had to lean into Larry. We couldn't hear each over the wind. No doubt, we were a bit nuts to be out there. So we hung out in the cabin and took it easy, still hurting from yesterday's efforts. It was out of our hands that the birds were grounded for the day. We'll try it again tomorrow.

So it is day 3 and the pain upon waking is a little less than yesterday. The best news is that the warm wind and rain have melted much of the snow. We were able to drive closer to the river and less walking which is a big relief. The storm had passed and all was calm again in the basin. We began the usual routine; me setting out field shells and Larry putting out the floaters. Most of the river ice was gone. All that remained is the large shelf ice on some of the corners. There will still be work to keep decoys clear of ice chunks, but at least we have open water at the rivers edge on our side now.


There are geese across the river in the fields and even some Goldeneyes and Scaup on the river. We get comfy in the tules and are optimistic we'll get some shooting. We heard geese as we were setting out the decoys, glad they didn't all leave the Klamath Basin. I was doing some light goose calling when, out of nowhere came 4 geese right into our decoys on the river. They were in total stealth mode. We rolled around and eventually got to a position to shoot from, and as luck would have it we got all 4. This time we had a couple in the river to retrieve but they were dead and in open water, phew. We hunker back down and waited patiently for a couple hours before we had a few more geese come our way. We were 1 shy of a two possession limit and the last goose we shot was a cripple that landed in the river. We both got in the boat and began the wild goose chase. It took us rowing hard over a 1/4 mile before we got into range. That goose had us frothing in sweat before we finally got within shooting range and put it out of all our misery.

We headed back and began breaking down our set. The sun was coming out and we were tired and ready to call it a hunt! Fortunately we were able to drive to the river and load up all our gear, especially the boat. Otherwise I was going to leave it in the ditch til Spring. We agreed that we were indeed a bit nuts, as we chuckled about the great goose hunt boat drag of 2004. Wondering just how long that dike really is?




Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Going The Distance . . . pt. 2

pt.1

We have worked our tails off by the time we get our modest spread of goose decoys in the water. Now we keep our fingers crossed that the water will stay open for awhile. This is challenging hunting for sure and patience is important. Even more difficult is continuing to keep the ice chunks out of your open spot. The river is still flowing, so anything that gets a hold of decoy lines can be trouble. Thus making your decoys look more like cord wood than decoys.

Anyhow, we gave each other a big pat on the back and a, "I can't believe we did that" look then began to settle in. We were tired, and rightfully so. We'd just dragged a 10' Jon boat down a 1/4 mi. snow covered dike, with all the trimmings in it for a river goose hunt.

The sky was overcast and the air temp around freezing. Quite balmy for a January day on the Klamath River. We were comfortable laying in the tule's at the edge of the river. All we had to cover ourselves was some camo burlap. Just across the way in the fields the geese were really chatting it up, and I was getting that warm feeling all over anticipating the fruits of our efforts. It was about mid afternoon and we heard wing beats and before we knew it, the convention across the river was breaking up. It wasn't more than 20 minutes after we had our little patch of open water that we had geese trying to land in it.

We both had our faces covered making it tough to see what the geese were doing, and who was going to give the signal to shoot. Well, needless to say it all worked out just fine. The first small flock doing a fly by, made the mistake of swinging over the river dike for their final approach. We could hear their wing feathers cutting through the air and especially those that were a bit out of place or worn. We rolled, jumped up simultaneously and fired 5 shots and had 5 dead geese on the dike immediately behind us. Larry dropped them quicker than I could believe and and not a single cripple. WOW! I knew it would work, I just knew it! I was thrilled beyond belief and we were well on our way to our daily possession limit. It just about seemed to easy. Last thing you want to do is have to retrieve a goose out on the river ice somewhere. So, we timed our shots so as to attempt to drop them over the dike or fields immediately behind us. We kept our dogs at the cabin cause conditions were sketchy at best. I didn't do much calling, just enough to let them know which direction to get to open water. The next group came and we had our limits. It was the most economical hunt that I had had in a long time.

We were grinning from ear to ear and Larry had now experienced a goose hunt of a lifetime. Re invigorated from our success we began the careful process of retrieving the decoys. Getting the boat on the ice pointed in the right direction, with the rope tied between the boat and head gate in the ditch behind us. Larry carefully scooted the boat towards the open water then gets in it and continues to inch his way over the ice to the decoys. Using a combination of the oars and mall to get there while I keep a semi taught line from the bank. The ice is slicker now from the first time that the boat was pulled over it from the open water. Larry carefully slips the boat into the water and picks up the decoys. He gets to the edge of the ice and I give it the old heave ho and get'em on top and pull him on in. That was the easy part. Relieved that it went smoothly, we drag the boat over the dike top into the ditch behind us and stow the gear for the night.

Now the walk back to the truck. . . again. Only this time with 4 Canada Geese each. It was just about pitch black when we finally got to the truck, tired, hungry and even a bit amazed with our efforts. We grabbed a quick meal and some more coffee, then began plucking etc. It was 11 p.m. before we finished processing the 8 geese. I was starting to get more than a bit stoved up and was wishing I hadn't quit drinking the firewater. We were both exhausted, totally spent and I knew we'd be paying for it tomorrow. After all, this was only day one of our 3 day hunt. Larry was feeling it too. I guess Tylenol pm will have to do for now.

Don't go to far, Pt. 3 is on its way!

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Going The Distance . . . pt.1

The story I am going to share with you all is perhaps the most dedicated, die hard, insane and fruitful wild goose chases, I have ever had the pleasure of participating in.

The following events took place at a location known as Lowlands, in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon. My good friend Larry and I set out on a cold morning to hunt geese in early January of 2004.

There was quite a bit of snow and the flooded fields, as well as most of the ditches were froze up. The local waterfowl population was long gone by now and only migrating Canada Geese were in the vicinity. We decided to take some goose shells with us for the field and we'd give it a try, in hopes the river might not be completely frozen. We broke trail through the foot deep snow for about a quarter mile or so before getting to the river. Well, there were geese across the river in the fields, although the entire Klamath River was frozen solid. Ummm, as we hunkered in after setting up our field shells I kept thinking to myself, "all we need is open water". Eventually I began repeating this out loud to Larry. The geese were pressured to find open water and need to drink on a daily basis. They can go days without food if they have to, but not water.

Because of all the snow we were unable to drive to the river and bring the Jon boat. So with much encouragement and enthusiasm I was able to convince Larry that what we had to do would be worth the effort. We headed back the same dike we came out and stepping in the" post holes" we'd made 2 hours earlier. We got back to the main road, jumped in the truck and headed up the hill to the cabin. We each grabbed a really strong cup of coffee, and began the checklist for our mission.

Life jackets? check
200' rope? check
8lb. splitting mall? check
Oars? check
Plug in boat? check
5 G and H floating goose decoys? check
Goggles/ eye protection? ? ?
Sanity? ? ?

We loaded the 10' Jon boat in the truck with all the gear and set off on our mission. Got back to the dike, parked and unloaded the boat with the gear in it when reality began to set in. "We're really going to do this, aren't we"? I was beginning to think I might have bit off more than I could chew this time. With the boat loaded, on the snow covered dike we commenced to drag it to the river. Larry was on point pulling and I was in the rear pushing with my head down hoping to stay in our tracks. We stopped a few times in order to keep shedding layers as we were really sweating buckets. The temperature was warming rapidly and the snow was sticking to the boat worse each time we stopped. It took us 40 min. to get there, but we made it! With a collective sigh we rested a few minutes, and listened to the geese chatting across the river. I was relieved they were still there.

Safety is always first when you do this sort of hunting. My mall has a whole drilled through the end of the handle just for the purpose of tethering it to the boat. (We've lost a few malls). The rope was our safety line between shore and the boat and always wear a life jacket when breaking ice on a river. It took awhile to get enough ice broke and cleared to set out our floating decoys. Larry did most of the ice busting and clearing, as it was about 4 inches thick and I was barely making a dent. Yes, these are the extremes to which a die hard dedicated huntress and hunter will go through for the opportunity to shoot a wild goose.

With a modest puddle of open water about 40 feet off the bank with 5 G and H floaters in it, I was feeling more optimistic by the minute. We had gone far and above the average hunters efforts, and I had a real strong hunch the pay off was just a field away.

Part 2 later this week.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

At What Age?

As the 2008/09 hunting season draws nearer, the age old tradition will be passed on to the next generation of young hunters. Parents, grandparents and siblings will all be anticipating their youngest member of the family joining them on this annual ritual. The unfortunate aspect to this rite of passage are the accidents resulting from lack of supervision and /or the individual not having completed a state sponsored Hunters Education Program successfully.

I was 11 when I passed my hunters safety class and began hunting with my dad. Up until then I had a pellet gun which I was taught the basic rules of firearms.

1. Treat every gun as if it is loaded.
2. Know where the muzzle of your gun is at all times.
3. Never point a gun at something other than what you intend on shooting.
4. Don't put your finger on the trigger until you know what your target is.

These rules keep everyone safe provided they are taught in the correct environment and at an appropriate age . Not all kids mature at the same rate. A six year old is certainly not mature enough to cognitively know the consequences of his actions. He may still be a believer in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy and for his sake I sure hope that is the case. My point being that a 6 year old is too young for firearms. Same is true for a 7 and 8 year old. Perhaps around 9 or 10 is a more appropriate age to introduce firearms.

You may be wondering why I have gone on a bit of a rant here? Well, it's because of someone I know who thinks his 6 year old son is ready to walk beside him with a real unloaded gun. Yep, I can see the scenario play out. The kid now wants real bullets and after weeks or months of whining, the parent finally caves in to their sons wishes. Setting the table for another accident just waiting to happen. We do not need to fuel the "anti gun" lobbyist with needless firearm accidents.


The last thing we as hunters need are self indulgent ego driven parents putting firearms in the hands of children who haven't the ability to know what is right from wrong. Our responsibility as hunters is to safely educate and instruct youth with proper gun safety. Even as an adult when I hunt with another adult for the first time, I am watching to see if they have safe gun handling skills. If not then I won't want to hunt with them again.


Each state has their own Hunter Education Programs and has established laws or guidelines as to what age a child may legally hunt. Most states require an adult to be with the youth up to a certain age.

I am interested in hearing back from you, the reader as to when you started hunting and at what age do you feel it is appropriate to give a child their first real gun?

http://www.oregonhunters.org/magazine.htm
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/outdoor_skills/hunter/index.asp

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt