A Boy and His First Shotgun

I still have the first gun my dad ever gave me. It hasn’t been used in over 30 years but I remember it well. It’s a Montgomery Ward bolt action 16 gauge modified choke shotgun. Man what a prize! As a kid I missed more turkeys with that darn thing than a hound has fleas. The first few years I used it, it was longer than I was tall and it felt like it weighed as much as I did. Truthfully, it’s little more than a boat anchor, but I would never trade or sell it for anything. It and I stood together in front of my dad as he gave it to me when he said, “You can have this one.” It and I grumbled and cried together in the woods when my dad asked incredulously, “How did you miss that one?” As far as shooting is concerned it’s like that old flea-bitten hound on the porch – it’s bark is definitely worse than it’s bite. But, it and I have history. It’s part of the family’s outdoor story.

Passing on the heritage with a shotgun that fits a kid a little better than an old 'boat anchor' 16 gauge bolt action - the One-Eyed Hillbilly, Greg Stephens and his 6 yr old son, Coleman getting ready for spring turkey season.

Things have changed a little over the years. Way back then we got hand-me-down guns that dad didn’t figure he would ever need again. It was always the wrong length, action, gauge, and choke to be of any use. These days the gun manufacturers have figured out that those old boat anchors don’t fit the kids and now they make little guns sized just perfect! You would think that aspect alone would break down many barriers to getting kids into the woods but with the improvement in youth sized hunting guns there is also vastly increased competition for the attention of a child. I have to compete with something called an Xbox 360 and it’s not a .36 caliber rifle of any sort! I just can’t understand playing a video game over going shooting or hunting. Of course the kids say, “Dad, we can play hunting games on the console!” There’s another term I don’t understand. To me, a console is in a car. Anyway, it’s hard to eat a digital turkey…makes real thin soup.

If Dad can call in a turkey then Coleman can put it in the freezer! Coleman Stephens puts plenty of shot in the target down range to harvest a big gobbler.

This past weekend my 6 year old son, Coleman, and I set out to pattern his .410 H&R shotgun for the upcoming youth turkey season. Coleman is pretty easy to convince when you anti up a chocolate shake for the ride to the shotgun range. We went to Uncle Mike’s house out towards the Meramec River. We set up the target and Coleman sat on an old galvanized bucket and used a saw horse for a rest. His little H&R .410 youth model is chambered for 3” shells and we were shooting #6 shot. The first shot was at 15 yards and Coleman poured it on thick! We shot three more times to make sure he was on target. We now know that if dad can do his part and call a turkey into our set, then Coleman can shoot good enough to bring home the meat! No digital soup for us.

A proud and excited young man with his first shotgun - Coleman Stephens patterning his .410 for turkey season.

Youth turkey season is April 9th and 10th and regular season is April 18th through May 8th. This is a great time of the year to get in the woods and hunt turkeys with the kids. During the youth portion of the spring turkey season a properly licensed child can legally hunt with a properly licensed and hunter education certified adult. Hunting hours are extended to all day during youth season. In order to keep a young and fidgety hunter concealed I suggest using a ground blind. The blind provides for maximum concealment along with comfortable chairs and places to store snacks for the hunters (you can even bring in video games…much to my protests).

Now that’s how you pepper a target! Coleman standing beside the target with his .410.

This past weekend as I watched my youngest son practicing with his first shotgun I was reminded of H. Jackson Brown’s book – Life’s Little Instruction Book, Vol. II. One of his quotes is: “Life will sometimes hand you a magical moment. Savour it.” As I watched this little boy bare down on his little .410 and fire I knew I was witnessing a rite of passage for a future outdoorsman. It was a magical moment - a young man, my little boy, with his first shotgun getting ready for turkey season. It just doesn’t get any better than this. And I am going to savour it! So says the One-Eyed Hillbilly.

Greg Stephens is a 35-year veteran & life-time student of the great outdoors. His column appears weekly in print & online publications. You can email him at gregstephens@one-eyedhillbilly.com. For more columns go to www.one-eyedhillbilly.blogspot.com.