Wifey gave me an Air Rifle

[Smart Red]

Maverick got a BB gun for his 12th Christmas present. "You'll shoot your eye out, Kid" was a favorite part of the movie in DIL's family. Not as good a shot as his younger sister, for that I blame his glasses. I suspect that with more practice he can do a lot better, but since sis does well he doesn't seem to want to try.

Gypsy got her own BB gun for her 12th as well. Pink, of course! She has a great eye for the target. My yuppie daughter was shocked to think of the grands having their own 'guns'. Her three wouldn't have been allowed to even look at them. Where did I go wrong?

 

[seedcorn]

@Smart Red let's not go there. Married a city girl whose favorite dating phrase was "my folks were farm people". (They were but raised her in city). Both of my kids won't hunt, fish (can't hurt the animals) but eat from grocery store...... All animals on my place become instant "pets". Why didn't I listen to my friends and nit marry a city girl...... Ps I know reason, just ranting

 

[Smart Red]

Well, Seedcorn. I am a city girl who married a hunter/fisher/trapper with roots in the driftless area of the West (Western Wisconsin that is). My childhood dream was to trade homes with my cousin on the farm. Her's was to live in the big city with me.

DH hasn't hunted, fished, or trapped since we married despite my offering to go along or send him with friends. We do both like the country where we are now and both like working outside. I taught myself to garden and preserve foods.

I suppose it was more all the historical reading that I did. That and being too cheap to buy things I could make myself.

 

[Nyboy]

I am sure little house on prairie, made a lot of kids believe they wanted the rustic life when grown.

 

[Smart Red]

Never did get into that book/program. I covered L. Ingram's Little House in the Woods (of Wisconsin) with my classes in fourth grade and much preferred that book's early lifestyle. None of her other books really interested me that much although I "forced" myself to read them.

 

[so lucky]

I was raised around people who hunted and fished for food, not for trophies. I am not a hunter, but don't have a problem with it. What I can't understand is people who hunt for trophies. What's the point? To prove that a person with a deadly weapon can kill with it? To prove that they are rich enough to blow $50 thousand on an African safari?
My 9 year old grand daughter killed her first deer last youth season. She was thrilled at first, but when the reality set in, she was saddened and decided she didn't want to hunt anymore.

 

[Nyboy]

While I don't hunt, being a meat eater, I am 100% for hunting for table. I also don't understand killing some thing for it's head. But I am tired of hearing about Cecil the lion 24/7 thats all that is in the news this week. God knows how many thousands of dollars Peta collected in his name.With families loosing their homes, living on streets, Kids going hungry, people not able to afford their medictions. To much attention is on one animal half a world away.

 

[so lucky]

You are so right, @Nyboy!

 

[digitS']

@seedcorn I am right handed and can't hit the broad side of a barn. But I swing that rifle up on my left shoulder ........ and I am deadly. Pistol- either hand. Maybe you should switch shoulders.

My brother does the same - right handed, shoots on the left... I claim he learned how not by watching how and what someone was shooting but having someone shoot AT him.

He doesn't appreciate my humor ... He doesn't appreciate hunting either, I guess. Has lived out in the country almost his entire life. Owns a couple of guns.

I was with him the first time he had a chance to kill a deer. He was about 12. Missed badly at an easy distance, twice. Dad killed the deer. Bro was so upset he sat down and cried. As far as I know, that was the last time he went hunting.

He has livestock, tho. When a bear showed up in his barnyard, he killed it.

Steve