denvernoob
New member
I always respect this forums feedback, thanks in advance for replies.
My son in ten, he's been hunting with me for at least 4 years as the bird dog. He loves hunting, and wanted to shoot doves this year on our annual dove hunt in Texas. Myself, I started shooting shotguns at 12. He's young, but his eagerness, and perhaps my own, lead to him getting a Steven's 301 single shot 20 ga. I paired this with Fiocchi low recoil shells.
We have been simply going to the low house on a skeet course and shooting the outgoing bird. He's been shooting (50) shells an outing. At first things started off real good. His first time out he shot (4) clays. Second time he hits (12). I'm thinking great! He loved going, he also handles the gun well, the recoil is not a problem with the training loads, and he is confident. The third time out I bring Grandma and Grandpa... he can't hit a single clay. I figure I added too much pressure with the grandparents, big mistake!
Today was trip #4. No grandparents, but he's not excited to go. We go anyway, and the result is the same. He can't hit a bird, and he doesn't want to be there.
Thoughts on the next step? Too young? While I'm tempted to shelf this experiment for at least another year, I'm worried that's not the right approach either. I feel this needs to end on a high note to regain that enthusiasm he started with.
My son in ten, he's been hunting with me for at least 4 years as the bird dog. He loves hunting, and wanted to shoot doves this year on our annual dove hunt in Texas. Myself, I started shooting shotguns at 12. He's young, but his eagerness, and perhaps my own, lead to him getting a Steven's 301 single shot 20 ga. I paired this with Fiocchi low recoil shells.
We have been simply going to the low house on a skeet course and shooting the outgoing bird. He's been shooting (50) shells an outing. At first things started off real good. His first time out he shot (4) clays. Second time he hits (12). I'm thinking great! He loved going, he also handles the gun well, the recoil is not a problem with the training loads, and he is confident. The third time out I bring Grandma and Grandpa... he can't hit a single clay. I figure I added too much pressure with the grandparents, big mistake!
Today was trip #4. No grandparents, but he's not excited to go. We go anyway, and the result is the same. He can't hit a bird, and he doesn't want to be there.
Thoughts on the next step? Too young? While I'm tempted to shelf this experiment for at least another year, I'm worried that's not the right approach either. I feel this needs to end on a high note to regain that enthusiasm he started with.