Letter from my son

[vinemaplebows]

Buy him the gun.....But not the shells.....he has to earn them every time he goes out

[lesken2011]

Sounds like you raised a good one! I got my fingers crossed for him. What about it....Dad?

[JW_Halverson]

I wish he was my son.

But then, I also wish you were my dad!

You know, they say you get the kids you deserve.  You must have been a pretty good kid, Cip!

[seabass]

Eddie,you are right saying he was smart enough not to ask for a .410.buying those shells is as expensive as buying rifle shells.i couldn't believe it last time i bought some.

[gstoneberg]

Cipriano, here's what my Dad did with me...and I think it was brilliant.  Not sure it would work in your situation, but here's what he did. 

Until I was old enough to hunt on my own, he bought  old single shots in .22 and 16ga for me to shoot.  About the time I was hitting rabbits and pheasants reliably with them he made me this offer.  He said, "Son, you're old enough to get your letter jacket for school.  I'll give you the cash, would you rather buy a letter jacket or a gun?"  I hadn't thought about the letter jacket  until then.  I still have the Stevens 20ga pump.  When it came time for class rings I went to Dad and asked if I could have the money for the ring.  I still have the Ruger 10/22, I think you've seen it.  My friends all gave their letter jackets and class rings to girls and most are lost or outgrown.  I still have the guns and will pass them on to future generations.

I've got to be honest, I think a semi-auto is not the right gun for a young man.  Neither is a single shot.  Get him a pump and let him pine away for the semi.  Then, when he saves up his money, it'll be a sweeeeeeeet purchase for him.  In the meantime, he'll learn to cycle that pump like a madman.  Trust me, I know.

Just had a thought.  I'd hire Diego in a heartbeat to peel osage staves for me if he's williing.  Maybe we should negotiate a price for his services and I'll throw a load of staves in the pickup and come your way.  Be a win-win for me, but he's gonna have to work hard. 

George

[criveraville]

Leon it's yes. Well sort of. He will eventually get it. 

Pat it's pretty darn hard turning that boy down. He is rather persistent and persuasive. Funny you should mention the painter. Sort of the reason I picked the name. He already had the last name, and I wanted to make sure folks knew he was Mexicano  

Pearly he's been at me for some time. He wanted one before duck season ended, but we couldn't swing it. An 1187 eh? Is that a pump? Cool deal you knew what to work toward:) 

Jimbob, I'm there with y'all:) Those are two wonderful compliments. Thank you mucho! Trust me there are days when I don't feel like I'm doing well with the parenting, but days like when I found the letter on my computer at school make up for all the more challenging days. 

Wayne you crack me up amigo!! He helps me with all the "projects" I have going. He loves splitting logs and working a draw knife and he's a dandy at picking flint. Do you knap? Full choke for sure. Not much need for other chokes here as the quail are gone. 

jonathan thanks for the tip. A days worth of shooting will bruise you up a bit. You sound just like Mini Me:) 

paulsemp is pretty darn hard amigo:) 




lowell that's a high compliment amigo. Me too actually. Well, it is actually, but to be honest I haven't looked into what they cost. I'm gonna google it and see if I know what to expect. That is very gracious of you. Thank you! 

Jeanette I can't  

Cameroo you are a detailed oriented person. I thought that was pretty good too. Gracias amigo. 

Steve, I like that line. Yes sir. That's what makes Texas; Texas. That's a good story. Sounds like a heck of a dad. It's like that song, "I got the guns." I love that song. Will do. Thank you for the kind offer.  

Eddie, he agrees with you. Not much grass last year. We mowed our lawn once. Too bad that a 410 is too expensive to shoot. They are great guns for kids.  Eddie that's a hearfelt compliment amigo. Thank you! 

Wayne, you are too much. I can't pass up on a knife:) 

vinemaplebows that's the best idea I have heard in a while. I agree with that. Thanks for the wisdom. 

lesken2011 thank you for the kind words. We "he" is working on it. 

JW that's a great compliment to both of us. Gracias mi amigo:) Well just don't go and ask the folks. 

George that's a great couple of stories about your dad. I would have gone for the guns as well! I think you are right and apreciate your wisdom. I got rather fast at pumping an old 12 ga. And right again. He will have something to work toward. I know he would be more than happy to peel staves. Maybe next week on your way to the lease? Sure. I bet we can come to an agreement:) 

Thank you all for the words of wisdome, the advice, the kind words and compliments and thank you for the gracious offers. 

Cipriano 

[stickbender]

    A pump would be better for his first shotgun, since he will have to rely on skill rather than just pulling the trigger like he is shooting at enemy planes, and sending up as much lead as he can.  I first started out with a Winchester single shot .410, and got very good with it.  later my Dad gave me a 16 gauge side by side Parker Brothers, and then later I bought an Ithaca featherlight 12 gauge pump from him that he had gotten from a lady whose husband had passed away.    I still have the side by side, and I still love side by sides.  It has killed a lot of quail, and doves, and ducks.  I still have the Ithaca, and it is still my favorite shotgun, as it shoots, just about anything, and well!  It also has killed a lot of quail, doves, ducks, and a buck.  If you can get a simple hand held skeet thrower, it will help him to wing shoot better, the main thing with wing shooting is to come from behind and as soon as you pull past the dove, or ducks head, pull the trigger, and keep moving the gun, don't stop the follow through.  Most problems are from stopping after pulling the trigger, or shooting above, or below.  Tell him if a bird is coming at him to follow through above it, and the bird will run into the shot, and if it is going away from him, to follow through under it, and again the bird will run into the shot. He will get it quickly enough once he starts analyzing his misses.  Most people think of the shot pattern as one big glob of shot, like in the cartoons, but it is actually about a 12 ft. stream of shot.  I will get the knife ready.   Well I hope that you have some cool weather, peeling stave's is going to some hard work for him, but he is working for what he wants, and that is something rarely seen with kids, and some adults anymore.
                                             Wayne

[Keenan]

Simply Priceless......... That one needs framed

[Sparrow]

That kid's on the right path. Good work Dad ! .. I started out with a Ithaca 12 gauge "Super single" I learned to hit with the first shot,I learned to reload (Get the Lay Bird after the covey flush)  Up here where I am,you just about have to use steel shot for everything, A modified choke is a good for all shooting out to 30 yds. then up to a tighter choke ( if you get to use lead ) I shoot double barrels,pumps, mostly now. Shot a friends remington 20 ga. 1100 lightweight one fall back in high school.man was it a sweet shooter on doves,quail,huns,and early season pheasants. I have not shot one since,and I have never really come across a good used one to buy, although I'd love to have one. My Dad got a great deal on a Ithaca/SKB 20 ga. over/under ,When I was 14. (To think that was nearly forty years ago,.. Wow ! ) I have several other light shotguns, but, I still use it for my light chicken gun and have shot thousands of birds with it.   If a guy's gonna shoot ducks seriously,he needs a good 12 gauge pump,even with steel,a guy can kill the biggest ducks out to 40 yrds. (I like to limit myself to 30)  Shooting the hevi-shots,the range goes out to 50 yds. ( with a good 12 ga. )  It's nothing to get a cut down stock so the gun fits him well,and then later ,put the original full length one back on when he's grown some.
 I am eyeing a grandson that is about 2 yrs old right now,thats showing promise. It's very exciting to get them youngsters shooting. Good luck with your son, (stay close to him always)  '  Frank

[Parnell]

He writes better than many of my high school students!  Ha!

[Pappy]

Very cool, I'm with Keenan on the framing.
   Pappy

[JW_Halverson]

Very cool, I'm with Keenan on the framing.
   Pappy

I can see it 54 years from now Diego has a "man cave" in his house with some very nice mounts, photos of great friends from all over the world gracing the walls.  And in a place of special honor this letter in a frame and the gun hanging over it.  The gun shows plenty of wear and tear, but not a bit of abuse.  He's in his favorite chair trying to read A Sand County Almanac or something by Peter Capstick, but he's not paying attention to the book.  He's antsy because the grandkids are coming and they are going to go out and do a little shooting with "the gun".