I have taken 27 kids, five fathers and one mother out dove hunting over the last seven years. It started out as friends of my sons, but just carried on a bit. A boy knows a boy who went before. You get paired with an adult, so you get a lot of coaching. To an old man, I enjoyed the kids the most. All had completed their safety course but one fellow. He was too young so he sat next to me and was my bird boy. Rumor has it he got to shoot my big .410 a few times. No hits, but a lot of smiles.
Four of the five fathers were great to be around, but one was a complete ……. His son can return, him, not so much. One of the early boys is now serving active military and his mother said he might return on leave this fall. Told her he was always welcome and to tell him I said thank you for his service.
One single mother was there with her son, so he could go with his best friend. She had never shot before, but was a good sport. Took the hunter safety course with her son. She and her son got the best spot in the field. Or I told them that when I put them with me. He had an absolute blast. She killed a few birds as well. I gave them 3/4 ounce 20 shells loaded with 7 shot. Mild recoil, modest noise and it killed birds well in a 1100. They shared the same cutdown gun with a stock which fit them both. Took turns and cheered each other on.
Afterwards I gave them, the boys, all latex gloves to wear, when we cleaned the birds. Hint being small gloves. Quick anatomy lesson showed them all the intervals and a quick way to process a dove. All the boys liked the chance to see a dove heart, crop, gizzard and liver. Everybody wanted to see where and how the bird died. An autopsy if you will.
I always bring my .410 but somehow never seem to load it much. A lot more fun that way. Our only hope for a hunting future is to bring young shooter into the sport. Teach them it is not about killing a limit, but about enjoying the experience. I certainly do.
