Recommendation

[Bushfire]

I’ve thought about this for a couple days now…10 years old, kind of young to have a kid going after big game. 12 years old, 13 years old yes…if they are mature enough…10 years old, get them into hunting in general.

I have a 9 year old grandson, and a 4 year old grandson. I love these two boys dearly.

Every year, since he was 6 years old, I’ve taken the older one on upland game hunts; dove, quail, pheasant…I carry my shotgun, he carrys his BB gun. Soon his younger brother will join us.

This year I got the boys a .50 calibre percussion smoothbore, and a .32 calibre flintlock rifle.

View attachment 154723
Above image: Top is my .40 calibre 42” barrel flintlock rifle for scale. Middle is the .32 calibre Flintlock. Bottom .50 calibre smoothbore.

The younger one (4 years old) just got his BB Gun for Christmas this last year. The older one moved up to a bigger Red Rider BB Gun.

We shoot often as a family…range safety, shot placement are emphasized. I’m sure you do this as well. I believe that they need a few years of small game, family hunts before they head out for big game. We’ve developed a nice little load for the smoothbore…family dove hunt on opening weekend in early September; coupled with rabbits on the horizon for this fall. Big Game is a whole different ball of wax.

10 years old…tad too young. 12 or 13, much better. Take him on a hunt at 10, but as an observer…maybe carrying a BB Gun, that would be an amazing experience.

My grandfather that hunted and trapped died when I was a few months old, my other grandfather was a grumpy old Frenchman so I never grew up with an older male figure to go out bush.

If I did I'd have wanted one like yourself

 

[JPB]

Thanks for the suggestions. I guess I was not clear with my request for a recommendation. But I’ll bite

Character, experience and proper training…some are fortunate to obtain it early and some never do. For my kids, I am the decider.

 

[SDSmlf]

Thanks for the Suggestions. We are going to give the .45 T/C Cherokee a go. Thanks deermanok for the heads up.

I have found the TC Cherokee and Seneca to be nice light gun for adults, but the LOP is just too long for many youngsters. Considered shortening one of mine a few years ago but thought better of it. Pricy modification unless one has money to burn. Maybe consider something like the Traditions @Smokinfeathers has for sale in the link below. Hard to go wrong at updated price of $180. He might even do better knowing it’s going to kid, I don’t know. Cut stock down to length that works and save the pieces so they can be added back in as the kid grows. Like they do with beginners target air guns, maybe half inch sections. When he grows up, sell the gun for what it is, a gun for that kid just starting to shoot and hunt that will grow with them.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/traditions-deer-hunter-50.149923/

 

[JPB]

I have found the TC Cherokee and Seneca to be nice light gun for adults, but the LOP is just too long for many youngsters. Considered shortening one of mine a few years ago but thought better of it. Pricy modification unless one has money to burn. Maybe consider something like the Traditions @Smokinfeathers has for sale in the link below. Hard to go wrong at updated price of $180. He might even do better knowing it’s going to kid, I don’t know. Cut stock down to length that works and save the pieces so they can be added back in as the kid grows. Like they do with beginners target air guns, maybe half inch sections. When he grows up, sell the gun for what it is, a gun for that kid just starting to shoot and hunt that will grow with them.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/traditions-deer-hunter-50.149923/

That’s a good option, thanks.