Squirrel Hunting

[Mickey Rat]

Whatever happened to parents taking their kids small game hunting? When I was a kid in the 50's, I couldn't wait for my dad to take me hunting. I was given my first gun for my birthday when I turned eleven. It wasn't much, just a new Sears bolt-action 410 single shot, but it was mine. I started squirrel and rabbit hunting with it.

By the time I was 13, I was allowed to hunt alone in the woods below the house. My dad gane me a Winchester Model 52 20 guage automatic for my 14th birthday. I was the MAN! I killed small game and later killed my first deer with that shotgun.

The 410 was traded years ago, it was impossible to reload without looking, and cost me a lot of game. The Winchested is still with me. I sent it of to Poly-Choke years ago, and now it sports a short vent ribbed barrel witha Poly Choke. The shortened barrel wasn't the best ideal I ever had, but it is instant death on quail and rabbits.

Now days, most kids start deer hunting without ever learning how to stalk a squirrel, and they miss the experiance it gives them. All small game skills are usefull in any other hunt.

[Oldbushman]

Mickey I'm with you 100% on this ! When I was a kid we all used to get together on a Friday & Sat night & go Spotlighting for Rabbits & foxes! Our vehicals were Old farm Cars that our parents let us use. Normally a car with the back of the roof cut out so one could hold the spotlight & one could shoot at a time (average age was 12-13) most of us had single shot .22lrs but every Known again somebodies Parents would give them a Repeater (bolt or Pump) as for Shot guns ? they were single barrel .410's but every once in a while someone would turn up with a SMLE converstion to .410 (they were considered Capitialists of the highest order ) on really special occastions we were entrusted with a 12g Double !The Old cars we drove were miricals of engerneering as normaly Brakes ,were a optinial extra but we never did any harm & had the fun of cork it was a simple life style ! When I remarried my stepkids had never been out of the city let alone fired a firearm !
I had a old Fairlane on the Farm & I gave the kids Driving lesons & shooting leasons next came a single shot .22lr & a single barrel .410 . My Poor wife half argued over this but then had a few shots herself & deemed it t be Ok ! It was when everytime she turned her back something else disappeared off the Car that she paniced ! I say who needs Doors or wind screens ? The kids love going out to get a rabbit or hare or give a Fox a scare ! to them as it was in my youth it's as good a shooting a Elephant ! Should be more of it I say !There's plenty of time for Big Game but let em start with the simple things in life.

Dave