Setting kids up for the shot

[firstcoueswas80]

Finally, my son is almost 10! He will be ready to hunt next year and I enrolled him for the online hunters safety course yesterday!

Looking for the best ways to plan on setting him up for the shot. I am going to have a brake installed on my 257 wby. I have seen a lot of people use the claw set up. That seems like a great way, and will work as we will have two tripods anyways (mine and his).

What else should I look into? Bipod of course, but that might bring issues based on size, grass etc.

[trphyhntr]

Since I was accused of not starting any shoot lately. Let me ask, If a kid can’t set the gun up himself, find it in the scope, and shoot it, is he old enough to be hunting? 

[firstcoueswas80]

Just now, trphyhntr said:

Since I was accused of not starting any shoot lately. Let me ask, If a kid can’t set the gun up himself and shoot it, is he old enough to be hunting? I don’t think so. 

helll, ive hunted with lots of grown asss men who couldnt set up their own rifle, find the deer and kill it! Let alone a brand new hunter. 

[trphyhntr]

1 minute ago, firstcoueswas80 said:

heck, ive hunted with lots of grown butt men who couldnt set up their own rifle, find the deer and kill it! Let alone a brand new hunter. 

And they probably learned the hard way that they weren’t capable 

[PRDATR]

Casey you are on the right track. Take him out shooting every weekend with a 22 walking around the desert. Shoot lizards, butterflies, leafs etc while looking for rabbits, tweety birds etc. Take an orange. While you are out tell him you are going to have him turnaround then you will toss it and you will tell him to turn around, find it and he has five seconds to shoot it. THrow it like 40' away.

If you need .22 ammo let me know I have plenty. Do this so he gets the basics down, over and over again. When you finally let him shoot the 257 make sure the first 50 rounds are done standing up so he can understand the relationship between getting a good cheek weld and being able get close enough to the scope so he has a full view.

Keep the target big and close. Think cantelopes at 50 yards, make it easy to build his confidence. A 223 or 22-250 is close to a 257 with a break but less recoil and way less loud.

[firstcoueswas80]

1 minute ago, PRDATR said:

Casey you are on the right track. Take him out shooting every weekend with a 22 walking around the desert. Shoot lizards, butterflies, leafs etc while looking for rabbits, tweety birds etc. Take an orange. While you are out tell him you are going to have him turnaround then you will toss it and you will tell him to turn around, find it and he has five seconds to shoot it. THrow it like 40' away.

If you need .22 ammo let me know I have plenty. Do this so he gets the basics down, over and over again. When you finally let him shoot the 257 make sure the first 50 rounds are done standing up so he can understand the relationship between getting a good cheek weld and being able get close enough to the scope so he has a full view.

Keep the target big and close. Think cantelopes at 50 yards, make it easy to build his confidence. A 223 or 22-250 is close to a 257 with a break but less recoil and way less loud.

We will work up to the 257 for sure. I have a 20" heavy barrel AR that we will spend lots of time with. I have lots of 22 and 223 ammo.

The "reactive" targets are a great idea, and can shrink as he gets better. 

[5guyshunting]

Getting a 10+ year old set up for a shot can be tuff. Lots of time behind a scoped 22, from the bench, freehand and from a pack is the best practice Imo. My boys never had a "claw" and every thing has worked out well. Do what you think is best. 

I never had a claw so I didn't think they needed anything of the sort, unless there was some sort of handicap.

[CouesFanatic]

We have used the Bog Pod Deathgrip with a lot of success. For kids it's about having fun and reducing stress. Let them enjoy the hunt, let them shoot what they want. Set the gun up in the vice and line it up on the deer. The kid can make small adjustments if at all needed. Lots of time behind a 22 will help. No matter how much training and shooting they do, they will struggle. Take it easy and dont be hard on them. The first hunt is the time to get them hooked. If you make it miserable they will not want to keep going. There is nothing like shooting your first deer. These kids hunts are some of my favorites.

[AZAV8ER]

48 minutes ago, firstcoueswas80 said:

helll, ive hunted with lots of grown asss men who couldnt set up their own rifle, find the deer and kill it! Let alone a brand new hunter. 

You need better hunting buddies

[AzDiamondHeat]

I like the pig saddle or whatever variation you have. I also am a fan of a picatinny rail mounted directly if you have that option. It is even more stable. Bipod on the rear makes it rock solid.

One thing we did for my niece as she graduated to the big gun was "blind cartridge" practice. We would have her hold on target and dry fire multiple times to ensure that she had trigger control and wasn't flinching or jerking. Then, we would put an empty case in the rifle and have her go through the process several times. during that we would substitute the empty case for a live round, all the while with her holding on target. She never knew if it was live or a dry fire. She remained rock solid and has never developed a flinching habit.

Might not work for all but it worked great for her. 

She is 2 for 2 with shots on elk at over 490 yds and 530 yds.

 

[firstcoueswas80]

15 minutes ago, AZAV8ER said:

You need better hunting buddies

He was from California... he missed a nice buck at 600, then smoked a 100" buck at 700!

[HuntHarder]

Most of the shots I have had kids take are from a bipod prone or from the tripod with a yoke on it.  Best thing I can tell you is do not think any animal is a slam dunk and do not let your haste or frustration show.  There has been a few times where an animal should have easily died, however the kid could not locate the animal or get comfortable with the shot.  It's one of the most fun hunts I go on and also one of the most stressful.  Good luck and whatever you do, let that dang kid shoot any animal he wants to that is legal.  

[Saguaro]

I never had bipods or clamp or any device to hold my rifle.  I was about the same age too.  Maybe it’s where I grew up and was blessed with a lot of plinking, rabbit hunting, prairie dog shooting and just getting out very often that helped me.  Before I had my .270, I was using the old man’s  257 Roberts on coyotes and used what was available like prone, kneeling, fence post or tree limb.  When I got the 270, we went out and shot the heck out of it.  So much that I could hit with decent accuracy no matter what since the gun was kind of a part of me.  Some of the times we went out, we didn’t fire a shot but I carried the rifle the whole time that it imprinted and seemed easy to use after a while. Kind of like the military drills where they do pointless moves over and over that the rifle feels so useful, it’s kind of a part of you.  That’s my recommendation, practice with practical shots.  Bench rest work is good too.  While at the bench or plinking, maybe use a bipod periodically if you’re worried about it, but don’t leave the bipod on while he is young.  I think a bipod is not a good permanent rifle fixture, only temporary.

[PRDATR]

Kids need to learn that killing a deer the first time out to feed daddys ego isn't what it all about. They should hike a few miles for a couple years first before they get daddys participitation trophy, which they don't really care about at all.

[Crazymonkey]

All I can say is make it fun while  teaching  him about safety  and good  shooting .I use a primos trigger  stick in the blind and what ever I can to help make steady shots everywhere  else.If you do need ammo for a 22 or something  I do have shoot me a pm.Lots of time shooting  and having  fun will keep up interest. More practice equals better  shot placement.