Is it ok to own a gun and let teens or kids go hunting?

Answer 1

Gun ownership is a constitutional right in America, and many (including myself) believe that every human being has a right to self defense. So yes, it's very OK to own a gun, and is seen by many people as a socially responsible thing to do.

Letting teens or kids go hunting is OK, but only with proper supervision and education. With an experienced, responsible hunter along with them (paying careful attention) there should be no problem with that.

Before anyone handles a firearm, they should be familiar with the 4 rules of gun safety:

RULE 1: ASSUME ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED

(This means, never assume a gun is unloaded, even if you KNOW it is. That way, no one will ever "play around" with a gun because they think it's not loaded.)

RULE 2: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY

(This means, never point the gun at anything you don't want to shoot, like other people, etc...)

RULE 3: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET

(This rule is self-explanatory. Keep your finger *outside* the trigger guard until you are aiming at your target and have decided to fire. This is the most important of all rules.)

RULE 4: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT IS BEYOND IT

(Make sure you have positively identified your target [not just shooting at something furry in a bush, etc...] and you know what is behind it, in case your bullet misses or goes through the target.)

If these 4 rules are followed, an accident is physically impossible. As long as the teens/kids in question know these 4 rules and are being supervised by an experienced, responsible person, everything should be fine.

"The strongest reason for people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves from tyranny in government." - Thomas Jefferson.