PASS IT ON WITH PATIENCE

This spring, one of my co-workers came in to discuss his plans for his son's first turkey hunt. Dustin's boy, Hunter, is 8 and has been accompanying his mother and father in the field since he was old enough to walk. This spring, Hunter was ready to shoot a turkey. Dustin borrowed a youth-model, 20 ga. semi-automatic shotgun, and the two practiced shooting stationary targets for a couple of weeks before the youth season opened. On their second hunt, Hunter made a great shot on a nice tom. Father and son were thrilled and proud. That experience gave Hunter the confidence to learn to shoot flying targets. Dustin brought him to the local gun club on a recent evening and before members started shooting five-stand, Hunter was allowed to shoot an incoming target. After a a little instruction, Hunter smoked the target on his first attempt. Hunter appeared elated with his success, but when asked if he wanted to shoot again, he declined. He rubbed his shoulder, which was smarting a little from the recoil, and there was obviously some anxiety about shooting in front of other shooters. I thought, "Maybe this kid knows to quit while he's ahead." We all bragged about him breaking his first target and that his break percentage was 100 percent. We didn't push him to shoot more. He and Dad hung around and watched others shoot five-stand and trap. In no time, Hunter was champing at the bit to shoot again. When the trap shooters were done, Dad let him shoot a few trap targets from just behind the house. He broke the first one before missing a couple. He was satisfied and ready to quit. And again, we didn't push him to shoot more than he wanted. When he left that evening, Hunter was jabbering about how much fun he'd had, thanking members who helped him, and making plans to return next week. The point is, Hunter was allowed to progress at his own speed. He made the decision when and how much he shot, and he came away with a positive experience. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of a young shooter's initial success and not pay attention to their emotions and feelings. Be patient. Always ask if they want to shoot again, and avoid putting them in situations that could embarrass them or make them feel uncomfortable. Remember that learning outdoor skills such as wingshooting is a life-long process and it's all part of the journey to becoming a hunter. Take time to enjoy every step.