He shot this hog 1 month prior to his 6th Birthday at 35 yds out of a bow blind using sticks. 257 Weatherby Mag. See that little semi U shaped smudge at the back of his jaw. That was the entrance wound. IT was the right time, right place, right feel of the situation and it was just time to let him try. He had been shooting his own red rider all year and had been practicing with a Marlin 22 mag. He had even shot several rabbits with it. Each kid is different. You just know when they are ready.

Here he is at 11 with his best buck taken with a high shoulder shot at 209 yards. This year at 12 yrs old he is putting the rifle up for a year and going bowhunting exclusively...so he says. We will see at Thanksgiving.

My son is 17 and has been hunting with me since he was ~6. Here's how I did it:

1) When he's with you, serious hunting is not your objective, so don't worry about extra noise, movement, etc. You'll still be surprised at what you might see anyway.

2) Comfort is important - snacks, drinks, etc. When you know he's bored, go on a still hunt - kids love to explore.

3) Start him w a BB gun; he'll feel like he's actually part of the hunt & can shoot at targets outside the blind, tweeties, etc. Also a good way to start him on gun safety. Can graduate to a .22 for squirrels & rabbits, and step up in caliber and game as appropriate.

4) Even if he's not going to be shooting, still get him a license. They're cheap and it will make him feel like special, like he's one of the "big guys".

5) Bring hearing protection for him, in case you do shoot.

6) Bring a couple of game calls. It's a great way for him to be active in the hunt. Imagine how thrilled he'd be if he even thought that he had actually called in a deer or coyote!

7) ENJOY THIS TIME. There's nothing else like it!

Carpet the inside of your blind then insulate the walls. You'll be surprised what you'll see even if your little one is int the stand wit you. I had the wife, an 11yr old a 13yr old and a a dog all in the stand with me last season. We saw a 5 bucks walk with in 15 to 60 yards of the blind. I'd advise to not let anyone eat anything that makes them gassy though. Close quarters can be deadly.

I love reading these stories... Keep it up! Let's hear some more.