Entry into muzzleloading ?

[captchee]

 I  been sitting here reading the posts . Some of the  opinions of late have got me thinking
 Just how many of us started out shooting/ hunting with   either muzzleloader or muzzleloading weapons ?

 Myself as a youth I started out with center fire  ? Well really BB guns   and stick bows for rabbits and small birds . However as soon as  my father thought  me to be responsible enough I had my first 22 .
 So basically does  how many of us  start our children out today  with  BP weapons  on their first hunt  or is it really the cartridge weapons that they get their first real  association with and then later move into muzzleloading weapons ?

[crow_feather]

I sarted my daughter shooting with a Traditions 45 kentucky rifle.  She was so small that she couldn't hold the rifle - had to set it on a bench to shoot it.  My Granddaughter was started with a mule ear 45 caliber rifle.  She does quite well with it.  My son in law was started on a GPR 54 which I later gave him and my other daughter was started with a T/C 45 Hawkin.

C F

[dodd3]

i started muzzeloading 30 years ago with a second hand 50 cal percussion which i still have and will never part with. to me muzzeloading hunting is  far more rewarding than anything i have ever done,its just special .
bernie

[captchee]

 Thanks for your replies guys .  What I was getting at  is that  I was wondering what bring  young hunters into  hunting . Do  a majority of folks start their kids with muzzleloaders or is it really center fire  that draws their first  experience with hunting .
 I do know a couple families that I regularly shoot with that have boys that have been shooting muzzleloaders from  the time they could hold one . However they also shoot center fire .
 For hunting it’s the center fire first and foremost..

 So is it muzzleloading that attracts young hunters or is it hunting that attracts ?

[lostid]

that have boys that have been shooting muzzleloaders from  the time they could hold one .

 I started Dustin at 5 with a Crosman 760. 3 pumps at a can at the end of the hallway with saftey glasses and knowing he had to load "one" bb at atime and the trigger safety. After taking him to the range with me for years,(and bringing the Crosman), He got a Marlin 15ys at 7. Another two years past and he turned 9. That's when he got his first capper ML (then he could hold it! almost.) 10 was better, at 11 he said "what did you do to this gun dad"?." It feels lighter"!,,,,
 What I wanted to teach my son is "one shot".
 He's 13 now. He loads from his own pouch. Hassles me about proper patch and caps being available and uses "alot" of powder and lead. He's a bit intimidated by the good shooters we have around us but thats a mind set thing..when he gets 18, he can try them centerfire things of his own account if'n he need too,,but I know I'll have taught him too make the first shot count

[sharps4590]

My Dad, who started me hunting and shooting, was not and still isn't a muzzleloading enthusiast.  He sure got me into hunting tho!  I started with a BB gun, then 22, tried shotguns but preferred the prescision of rifles, got into muzzleloaders 30 years ago because of an interest in history and old things in general.  I still shoot centerfire but it's almost always a BPC rifle of some kind. 

My two sons were started much the same as me.  The youngest has no interest in hunting or shooting.  The oldest still hunts but much prefers centerfires altho he is deadly with his 50 cal. CVA Mountain rifle.  He just hates the clean-up.  He's also much more into long bows and making arrows than shooting any kind of firearm.

I think what brings youngsters into hunting is wanting to do what "grown-ups" do.  Whether that be Dad, an uncle, grandpa or reatives who hunt of their friends.  It's outside, it's rifles and pistols and shotguns, it's bringing home the meat, it's high adventure for a 5-10 year old.  It's the hunting that brings kids in, the choice of firearm is probably dictated by what their mentor uses.  When my boys were young we hunted all three seasons with all three weapons, centerfire, muzzleloader and bow.  I still do but as I said my centerfire is still black powder and cast bullets and bow season is long bows and Port Orford cedar arrows.

Vic

[encore3006]