Originally Posted by Nostalgiafan
Originally Posted by moosemike
Originally Posted by Nostalgiafan
Originally Posted by moosemike
My Dad was old school. He bought his boys a shotgun upon their 12th b-day and you used it for everything including deer. That's how my Grandfather did it for his boys too. It used to be common. He got me a 20 gauge Wingmaster which I did really well on the birds and small game with. Oddly enough he got my younger brother a bolt action 410 which I really don't remember him having any success with.


I suspect your brother was quite envious of your Wingmaster 20 gauge. I'm curious - has he pursued hunting to the extent that you have?




So envious he begged me to sell it to him after I moved on to a 12 gauge. I did and he never really seemed to get into hunting much beyond Deer. Since then he went down the wrong road and is currently in prison and as a felon his hunting career is about over I should think. I'd love to have gotten that 20 gauge Wingmaster back but it was pissed away years ago.


Well... one wonders if his life would have been different if he too, would have been given a Wingmaster 20 gauge at age 12? That early success and enjoyment with hunting during formative years can have an impact.



You make a valid point. While a lot of my friends were starting down the wrong path I was too addicted to my hunting dogs and my 20 gauge to follow along with them. I don't know if it would've been as exciting with a 410.