Hunting, Guns and Children

Hunting has been around since the beginning of time. People hunted game in the past for food and for the use of the furs. If you wanted meat to eat, you hunted wild game. There were no supermarkets where you could go to buy the choicest cuts of meat. Hunting was a necessity. It was one of the lessons taught to young boys as soon as they were old enough to understand how to handle a weapon. When the weapon became a gun, learning to shoot was just another lesson in growing up.

Today, the main reason for hunting is basically recreational. Oh, sure, some hunters do have the meat processed and do actually use it. But for the most part, it's all about the trophy. So should young boys, or girls, still be taught how to shoot a gun or even be allowed to hunt?

That's one of those questions that ultimately comes down to the parents and their views on the subject. Some parents absolutely do not want their child handling a gun. That's fine, if that's their wish. However, they should keep in mind that things that are forbidden hold an undeniable attraction. Tell a child he can't have a certain toy and that toy becomes the one he wants most of all.

The same is true with guns. Guns are fascinating, especially to young boys. So if you have a gun of any type in your house, you might want to rethink your perspective on allowing your child to handle a gun. And even if you don't have a gun in your house, what if the father of your son's best friend has guns all over his house? Can you ever really know where a gun might turn up? What if one did happen to end up in the hands of your ten year old son? Would you want him to be totally ignorant of the vital parts of the gun and their functions?

No, I don't think you would. You would want him to know how to check to ensure the safety is on and how to unload the gun should it be loaded. You would want him to know how to act responsibly when handling the gun. He can't do that if he has never been shown or taught how to handle a gun.

I know you've heard it before, but I'll say it again. Guns don't kill, people do. You don't blame a car if you are involved in a car accident. You wouldn't say, "If I didn't own a car, the accident wouldn't have happened." And yet, people really do believe that if they don't own a gun, then their child will never accidently get shot. But as I said earlier, can you know for certain that a gun will never end up in your child's hands or in the hands of the child across from him?

Children do need to learn the fundamentals of guns in order to learn gun safety. And gun safety is something that all children should learn. Even if you absolutely will not allow your child to hunt or even shoot a gun, you should make sure he or she is at least instructed on gun safely. You, as a parent can be the instructor, if you are knowledgeable enough about guns to properly demonstrate the correct handling of a firearm. Or you could enroll your child in a firearm safety class.

If you just want your child to know basic gun safety, then begin by teaching them to treat every gun as if it is loaded. And to never, ever point a gun at anyone. Children should be taught that guns are not toys, therefore, they should not "play" with them. Tell them that if one of their friends should ever have a gun, they should tell them to carefully lay it down and then go get an adult. A child who has been instructed on gun safety has a much better chance of handling a bad situation than a child who has never been instructed or taught gun safety.

And if your child should show an interest in hunting, keep in mind that most states do require some type of hunters' safety courses. In Kentucky, a law was passed which requires all hunters born after 1975 to complete a valid hunters' education course. These safety courses are great for children and adults of all ages. For people in Kentucky, you can find out about dates, times and locations online at fw.ky.gov

So even if you don't like the idea of your child learning about guns, remember, in some cases, ignorance is not bliss. It's downright dangerous.

Credits: Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife at fw.ky.gov