My dad was born in 1927 and hunted rabbits and squirrels as a kid. He said he used to trade those rabbits and squirrels for flour and other essentials at the local store. Oddly enough that old store was still standing when I was a kid as was the house they lived in. He plowed fields with mules growing up. He enlisted in the Navy during WW2 and then went to college at N.C. State University where he was in Army ROTC. As an officer he joined the Paratroopers, which I guess was the special forces of the time, and one jump away from becoming a jumpmaster the Captains parachute streamlined on top of dads and they hit the ground. dad lived the captain didn't. I pain all of his life he did take me squirrel and rabbit hunting. Also quail hunting with his brother and my other uncles on my moms side. I don't really think he enjoyed it that much but he enjoyed being with me a seeing me out shoot the old folks. As I got older, maybe 13 or so he never went hunting again. But he always encouraged me. I went hunting most everyday after school with my model 37 20 gauge Ithaca pump or my Mariln 22 which dad had bought me. he also bought me a Mec 20 and 12 gauge reloader and when we finely got some deer around he bought me a Remington 700 BDL 30-06 with a 3-9 Leopold scope. Shortly there after I had an RCBS press and everything I needed. Dad really didn't teach me much on how to hunt but he supported me and one of his bothers was an NC Game warden and between them both they did teach me gun safety and to respect the game animals we pursue. Most of what I know I gained through reading everything I could, experience, and trapping probably helped more than anything I guess. But my dad loved me and supported me and that is all that matters.
Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms should be a convenience store; not a government agency.
