BB guns, etc....Proper age to start??

[fritztown]

Wanting to start my nephews shooting under close supervision at the appropriate age. The oldest is 7 yrs.....Any thoughts, experiences?? Also, proper age for youth bows??...

[tex_n]

At 6 I bought my son a red rider bb gun. He's always with an adult, wears glasses and only shoots at targets. He understands, that living things are not targets (yet) and learned that if you shoot through a piece of paper, or miss, the bb still travels. He's ready to move up to a 22 when we go to our land in the country. Same rules will still apply.

[ground level]

Always make sure you have a good backstop and know where a stray BB or pellet may travel.

If they plan on shooting any species, be aware of the regulations pertaining to the use of air guns (BB & pellet)

From the TPWD website:

Means and Methods
Firearms
Game animals and game birds may be hunted with any legal firearm, EXCEPT:

-white-tailed deer, mule deer, desert bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope may NOT be hunted with rimfire ammunition of any caliber.

-shotguns are the only legal firearm that may be used to hunt Eastern turkey during the spring Eastern turkey season (see County Listing). Rifles and handguns may not be used to hunt Eastern turkey.

-pellet guns and other air guns are NOT LEGAL.

-fully automatic firearms are NOT LEGAL.

-firearms equipped with silencers or sound-suppressing devices are NOT LEGAL.
a shotgun is the only legal firearm for hunting migratory game birds (see Definitions - Legal Shotgun).

Nongame Animals (Non-Protected): Any lawful firearm, pellet gun, or other air gun is legal.

ENDANGERED, THREATENED, AND OTHER PROTECTED NONGAME SPECIES
It is unlawful for any person to hunt (see Definitions - Hunt) threatened, endangered, or protected nongame species. To sell or purchase goods made from threatened or endangered species, proper documentation must accompany the goods. For a complete list of threatened and endangered species, and regulations relating to breeding threatened and endangered species, please call (800) 792-1112 (menu 5).

Protected Birds: Hawks, owls, eagles, and all other nongame birds and songbirds (except for the few unprotected birds listed below) are protected by various state and federal laws and may not be killed, taken from the nest, picked up, or possessed for any reason, and their feathers may not be possessed or sold. Arts and crafts may not include these protected species under any circumstances.

Unprotected Birds:
The only birds not protected by any state or federal law are European starlings, English sparrows, feral rock doves (common pigeon - Columba livia) and Eurasian collared-doves; these species may be killed at any time, their nests or eggs destroyed, and their feathers may be possessed.

Yellow-headed, red-winged, rusty, or Brewer's blackbirds and all grackles, cowbirds (does not include cattle egret), crows, or magpies may be controlled without a federal or state depredation permit when found committing or about to commit depredations on ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in numbers and in a manner that constitutes a health hazard or other nuisance.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/hunt/nongame/

A hunting license is required of any person, regardless of age, who hunts any animal, bird, frog or turtle in this state (except furbearers, if the hunter possesses a trapper's license).

Every hunter (including out-of-state hunters) born on or after Sept. 2, 1971, must successfully complete a Hunter Education Training Course. Proof of certification or deferral is required to be on your person while hunting. Minimum age of certification is 9 years and cost is $15.

If you were born on or after Sept. 2, 1971, and you are:

-under 9 years of age, you must be accompanied. (*See definition of accompanied.)
age 9 through 16, you must successfully complete a hunter education course or be accompanied.

-age 17 and over, you must successfully complete a hunter education course; or purchase a "Hunter Education Deferral" and be accompanied.

Hunter Education Deferral (cost: $10) - Allows a person 17 years of age or older who has not completed a hunter education program to defer completion for up to one year. A deferral may only be obtained once and is only valid until the end of the current license year. A person who has been convicted or has received deferred adjudication for violation of the mandatory hunter education requirement is prohibited from applying for a deferral. Take the course by August 31 of the current license year and receive a $5 discount.

* Accompanied means: By a person (resident or non-resident) who is at least 17, who is licensed to hunt in Texas, who has passed hunter education or is exempt (born before Sept. 2, 1971), and you must be within normal voice control.

Note: Certification is not required to purchase a hunting license.

Have fun and be safe!

[Humper]

Just make sure you watch the Christmas Story first with them ...or "you'll shoot your eye out"

[MQ32Shooter]

I started at about 6 or 7. Started my son at about the same time. Funny story. Have a buddy that was at the Garland Shooting Range the other day trying out a new pistol. When he went to get set up on the pistol range, there was a gentleman that he estimated to be about 80 years old there shooting a BB gun. He asked him why a BB gun. The old gentleman stated that as a kid he always wanted a BB gun, but his parents felt like they were too dangerous and would not let him have one. Said he put it on his "bucket list" and went and bought it recently and went there to try it out. Could not believe how much fun he had been missing. On a side note, said his wife made him keep it in the garage as she was afraid of guns and would not let him bring it in the house. Don't let this happen to your nephew.

[Idaho TradBow]

6 or so seems to be very common...my bro and I started at that age...led to a lifetime of fun in the firearms and archery shooting sports...just be responsible and stress safety and good sportmanship, and they should be fine

[sckiller]

4

[Mudshack]

I got my first BB gun when I was 33 years old. I still shot my eye out.

[BrandonH]

My daughter got a .22 when she turned 4 and no problems learning firearm safety. I shot my first deer with a .243 when I was 6.

[Redraider28]

Got my first red rider at 8 i dont remember when i got turned lose with it but i couldnt have been too long after that. We did have some woods behinde the house though so i had stuff to go shoot at.

[ifishdad]

Depends on the kid. My 8yr old is allowed to go out on his own with his "pump up " bb gun.He can go out and shoot his bow "35# mathews" anytime he wants in the practice range we have set up. All with no supervision. He also has a Gamo pellet rifle He can only take it in the yard alone. He is not allowed to venture out with it unless me or his mother is with him. "We live on 60 acers"
Now i have a friend that has a 11yr old that is not allowed to carry his bb gun alone and for good reason. The boy is a great kid but has no common sense. so again it depends on the kid
My 8 yr old killed his first deer with a 243 when he was 6 standing in a open pasture with a shooting stick at 100yrds. He is all outdoor kinda guy.

[Shane]

Started my kids on BB guns at 4, with constant and very close supervision, of course. I started their gun training before that though. Even when they'd play with toy guns, I'd make them keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. With BB guns, I taught them how to breath and squeeze the trigger. We talked constantly about safety. Never left a gun loaded when we walted "down range" to look at the targets. ALWAYS put the gun on safety after loading it, and only took it off safety just before a shot, etc....

At 5, I let them start shooting 22s, and at 6 Zach got his first rifle - a .223. He killed 3 deer and a turkey that year.

As long as a kid learns and respects safety rules, then he/she is ready. Age doesn't matter as much as understanding.

[mharris1]

The sooner the better. Start them early and teach em right.

[stinkbelly]

Depends on the kid and the parents. I started my boys young. I was one of those rednecks that bought their kids BB guns when they were born. Mine started shooting and really enjoying them around 5. I bought them Mathews mini-genesis bows at 5 years old. My younger boy can't get enough. My older boy shoots a little, then he is done. He would rather watch than shoot.

Here is my 6 year old. He shot a 243 for the first time this past weekend. It kicked him back about a foot, but he kept on shooting. His interest really went up, when I took him to Academy and bought him his very own Cricket 22lr. After that he always wanted to shoot and wanted to try everything.

[TransPecos]

Every kid is different I agree. I know 5 year olds who can safely handle a .22. I also know grown men who probably shouldn't be around a BB gun unsupervised.