Seafire Jr hunted last year with one of dad's Rugers in 243, but he just turned 14...

like all kids his age, the 30/06 is the 'bad boy' to them.... so he had to have one of those..

So for his birthday, I decided to give him my Browning A Bolt in 30/06... this rifle has 4 stocks for it.. the original Factory wood one, the synthetic one shown and then two Boyd's stocks.. both in Grey Laminate.. a JRS and a Thumbhole ( which was a special run at the time, that they for some reason, called me up and told me I had been selected to try one out, since I had made the suggestion... then they never charged me for it.. just called me up, asked how I liked it and said thanks a lot for your evaluation.. never sent me a bill.. Nice guys eh?)

Anyway, even tho he isn't that good at smiling when it is just him in the picture...



this rifle has accounted for a couple of Minnesota and a couple of Wisconsin bucks...

cheers
seafire

Seafire,
Thats a great tradition, its how I got my first tweleve gauge a great old model 12 when I was 14, I'm now 42 and it still goes to the woods with me from time to time.

Craven

Congrats on the boy. He looks like a winner and what a great way to get started hunting/shooting with his Dad.

Thanks guys..

yeah, actually Teancum he is a great son...

3.8 to 3.9 GPA, involved at school...
conservative...practical...
great shot, don't have to tell him something twice...
doesn't backtalk, give you crap or anything..

will be going into the 9th grade next year.. and he was one of two boys accepted out of about 20, to go onto the High School's Varsity X Country Team next year...he already is in training.. ran 8 miles today alone, usually averages about 6 miles per day....

Star Scout Rank in Boy Scouts, leaves for National BSA Camp in New Mexico on Monday... then comes home, takes 24 cub scouts to their summer camp, then goes with his own troop for summer camp...

It is amazing the rewards you get from spending times with your kids, like use to be valued in this country that too many don't do anymore...
but even that, I am blessed with my son here...

Craven, I hope Seafire Jr can tell that same story someday in his future...

I just want to be there when he gets his first buck finally.. he skunked last year.. never got off a shot.. I got a real nice buck hunting with someone else while he was in school...

but it made me come to the conclusion... I'd rather be there with Seafire Jr and see him get his first and second, etc deer that be able to get the biggest trophy deer and elk on the planet...

The things to cherish in this stage of life, are not what I can accomplish, but what I can help others, especially kids and my son, to accomplish....

quote:

I'd rather be there with Seafire Jr and see him get his first

That is what being a Dad is all about.

AMEN to that, I was blessed with 3 daughters instead of sons, but they have all been hunting with me. We did not harvest anything but the memories of those trips are some of the best I have with my children. I now have 2 grandsons from my oldest daughter and I can wait for the day we get to hunt together...

Craven

seafire2- You the Man!!!
That's a great picture of your son, too!

That is a picture to warm a fathers heart, congratulations and job well done.

I started late in life and have a six year old son who took his first game animal just yesterday.
He shot his first jackrabbit and I could not have been prouder.
One shot with his little chipmunk 22 in the eye no less.

I look forward to the day when I get to hand him over his first big game rifle.
I already have them picked out..

Thanks for the Kudos Dads...

A couple more photos for those interested..



A sage rat Seafire Jr took in May at about 75 yds with a Model 94/22 in 22 LR...

Last season with his 10/22, all of these were taken at over 100 yds...



How's this for a budget field 'rest'? Didn't seem to bother a 12 yr old at the time..



The proud kid with his 'handmedown' lefty 10/22, after a day in the field...



Finally, the irony of a Shooter, as a Boy Scout, with one of his state Senators ( anti gun and anti hunting)...



Kids can bring parents a lot of pleasure in life...
to watch them grow into what will be our future generation is this country...

seafire2 ----- Good to see you training your son. I have two daughters and a son. They have given me six grandsons a grandaughter and a great grandson. My son hunts everything including Elk with me, one of my grandsons went with us when he was 14 and took his first Elk with a .338 Lapua with no hitchs. Two of my grandsons take several Deer each year with all the others in training (sges from 2-12) I have a collection of hunting rifles that will someday belong to the clan, hopefull fully trained by me on my private shooting benchs. I want all of them to do what they will, but each will have a very nice set-up shooting stick to use as they wish. Good shooting.

seafire2,
Great stuff to see! Neither of our two daughters have reached 2 years of age but there's already a Ruger MkII RSI in 308Win waiting for them. Recently was 'given' a kid to take under my wing and shooting, he enjoyed his first shooting session as he 'felt safe', never twigged until I found out later his step-father had taking him 'shooting' with a 12g and no hearing protection sitting around the fire drinking! He's a nice lad too with a well screwed on head, told his step-Dad to get off the hooch and grog and straighten himself out ... prick walked out on the family instead. About two years ago I also had the pleasure of taking a father and son out to my favourite 'guaranteed' deer spot and heard a shot right about when I thought I would. Kid had dropped his first spiker. Whilst his Dad and I dragged it out for about 45minutes ... the kid wouldn't stop singing.

There are rewards aplenty for anyone willing to take a kid out shooting and/or hunting!
Cheers...
Con

Seafire2

We had 4 sons in our family and now that they are grown up and married they love to talk about the adventures we all had hunting this or fishing for that. When they all get together they revert back to about age 10-12 and push and punch each other while their wives just look at them and shake their heads and comment about Men will be boys.

Those time now are very critical for you and your son and the memories you are building will be worth any sacrifice of money, time, and/or larger trophies taken by you. Enjoy the journey and I envy you at this point of his life.

Congrats to ALL those who have been smart enough, lucky enough, and patient enough to pass at least some of it on to the next generation!!!

My dad did not ... a sadness. I've tried. My sons are trying. I've very much enjoyed hunting with them and with friends taking their sons and daughters. Great to see big smiles!!!

We're still living it. I've got an 11 & 15 year old. Rather than just hunting which takes hours to get to we participate in small bore Silhouette at our local gun club. 15 year old is a AAA! We use either fine 22 bolt actions (Kimber & Coopers) or Marlin 39A's. This way the boys get to shoot plenty, most often 2-3 times each week (I buy 22 ammo by the case rather than by the brick!). Then when hunting season rolls around we're ready to go.

That's me standing (green vest) with our Kimber HS. My 15 year old with the big grin about to shoot his Jackson Hunter (note SS barrel) 22lr.


That's 11 year old with an well worn but accurate Win 320 22lr & mixed bag of fox squirrels & crows.


Cold wet & happy boys with 11 year old's first deer using 223 & 63gr Sierra @ 45yds.

From a happy & involved dad;

Pete A.

Seafire, sorry I couldn't hook up while I was in OR. Now I am on my way back to AF. Where's you son's shooting merit badge? It appears that you have your son pointed in the right direction. Don't let him give up on Eagle Scout, it's one of the greatest accomplishments a young man can achieve.
Lou -- Eagle Scout,1983.

My hats off to ALL of the Fathers , Mothers Brothers , Sisters , friends and Neighbors !.

Who take the time and patience to pass along their skills knowledge and respect of firearms , in teaching anyone. However Especially the younger generation of future Sportsmen and Sportswomen !.

Without that dedication to preserving an inherited passage . I fear that all we have known and loved would be lost in but just a couple of generations !.

Hip Hip Hooray !. Too ALL OF YOU !. ...

great job seafire and the rest of the dads and grandads out there. i'm 27, have no kids (or wife) of my own, but i wouldn't be who i am today without the guidance and teachings of my dad. he started me out early at the age of 5 hunting squirrels with a little .410. now i'm old enough and make enough money to accompany him on some hunting trips, elk last year, antelope this year, hopefully south africa next year!! and i can't wait to teach and share this with my own children. the night we pulled in with my first deer in '91 my mom says she doesn't know who was more excited, me or dad. thats what its all about.

Well Guys, thanks for the Kudos, but we dad's really wouldn't have it any other way...

Lou
you be safe over in Afghanistan.. sorry I missed you when you were up.. just will look forward to the next time...

seafire jr is set on nothing but being an Eagle Scout.. he already has his Shooting Merit Badge along with about 20 other ones also... plus he needs to wrap up another 12 or so that he has open.. he just turned 14 and is a Star Rank now..he'll be Eagle by the time he is 16... he is looking forward to earning some palms to go with it also...he leaves in about 6 hours to head to Philmont for 2 weeks...

Cooperjd... saw you are from Fairfax County Va...there is quite a few years difference in our ages, but I am a 1970 Graduate of West Springfield High School...and was Captain of the 1969 and 1970 Spartan Soccer Team...

Hey Seafire,

I just saw this post and I treasure it...Our kids are all we got and family is what really matters!

You know how I take my son hunting with me and shooting I feel the same as you and many others here!

I know your heart...You're a good man and a good dad, setting a great example for his son...

Thanks for sharing as we need to keep the VISION and we don't hear enough of these types of stories on here...Thanks its been refreshing!

Aloha,

Roland

Good stuff, Dad! I can't wait for my 5 year old to get just a wee bit bigger.

To me, these skills are no different than learning to read, write and do the math.

I got a single shot 12 guage H&R from my mom when I was fourteen. Though I was just shooting birdshot, I shot a few boxes through it the first time and was then showing off the little bruise to my amazed Pards the next morning. I HAD ARRIVED!

great post

Seafire, it is a proud moment in a fathers life-a son that honors his father.

got my son at 14yrs. to harvest ducks and geese and at 15 yrs. to shoot a 60" bull moose with my .375RUM-he had more confidence in that than his full stocker .308.

I too understand giving and reaping the rewards as well.

best regards,