{"id":54806,"date":"2016-03-24T08:21:07","date_gmt":"2016-03-24T12:21:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/blog\/?p=54806"},"modified":"2016-03-24T08:21:07","modified_gmt":"2023-08-19T13:08:25","slug":"kids-guns-series-introduction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/kids-guns-series-introduction\/","title":{"rendered":"Kids And Guns: Series Introduction"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Andrew<\/a>

Andrew Yackley, at age 10, shooting his mom’s Adams Arms<\/a> rifle on 4th of July.<\/p><\/div>\n

Introduction:<\/h2>\n

When I was given an opportunity to write this series about kids and guns, I was so excited that my brain froze a little. Where do I start? How do I share the absolute LOVE<\/strong> for guns that pervades my life and my children\u2019s lives? Do I show pictures of the guns that sit on my couch? <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, you read that correctly, there\u2019s usually a gun sitting on the arm of my couch, or leaning in a corner, or on the kitchen counter, causing me to say, \u201cDon\u2019t drip on my 2011\u201d as my son unloads the dishwasher. Are we crazy? Lazy? Unsafe? Nope, we just have the tools that are part of our life — IN<\/strong> our life. On a daily basis, we hold, touch, shoot, clean, lock up, unlock, shoot, clean, reload, unload, check they\u2019re clear, dry fire, shoot…and basically just live guns. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Kids\"<\/a>

Kids and Stoeger air rifles<\/a>, getting ready to partake in the great American past-time of plinking at soda cans.<\/p><\/div>\n

I guess that\u2019s where I\u2019ll start – that kids can live with guns and not only be safe, but carve out a life full of amazing opportunities, filled with traveling the country, the world even, <\/span>and it\u2019s not just something you read about in gun blogs like this. I don\u2019t consider myself abnormal, and I think my kids are what I call everyday<\/em> kids, just living a life that runs in harmony with the values and history that they were born into. This isn\u2019t to say everyday kids can hop into what my kids and others are doing with guns, just like my kids wouldn\u2019t be able to hop into national champion-level swimming, but there are kids who compete in sports at a national and world champion level and nobody ever asks if their bats are too dangerous or their skis too sharp. <\/span>In fact, sports-related injuries in competition shooting are really not something that crosses our minds, but having had kids competing in other sports, like swimming or wrestling for the Quantico wrestling team coached by Marines, I can say that I HAVE told them to tap out if someone\u2019s hurting them \u2013 no use ruining a joint for a wrestling meet.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Competitive<\/a>

Competitive shooter Ryan Muller with his nephew, doing a little long range shooting in Kansas.<\/p><\/div>\n

Kids can also hunt, plink, and perhaps even just learn valuable life skills from shooting guns. The way in which guns are used is as much a teaching tool as the way an athlete uses their gear in any sport. Children learn from a young age self-control, safety, teamwork, and sportsmanship from competitions. They learn stewardship of natural resources from hunting. From being part of most activities that guns are involved in they learn about their communities and the people in them. <\/span><\/p>\n

From Hunter Safety and the Department of Natural Resources to the various organizations designed to preserve animals and the food, habitats, and balance that needs to be maintained for people to live with animals, kids can take away lessons from guns that leave an impact beyond the part the guns are involved in. Take predator control and farming- these things go hand in hand with guns, hunting, and trapping, and the link to our food chain and the balance that needs to be maintained. Through hunting, kids learn about the impacts that industry and farming, and a whole host of environmental subjects. They learn about how all these things can affect animals and the environment.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

But this series isn\u2019t just going to talk about kids who compete with guns, and spend their time on the range or out hunting, we\u2019re going to talk about all the of the following topics:<\/span><\/p>\n