Two of my four daughters [not shown] shoot. One lives in The Land of Hope and Glory, a country where shooting sports and shooting smack are equally acceptable. The other is estranged. So I get to do the family shooting thing once a year with one of my girls. It’s a seriously enjoyable experience, unlike any other family activity. Watching her pleasure at mastering a gun, knowing that she’s gaining a skill that could save her life (and the life of her family), fills me with pride and pleasure. But again, it’s a black swan event. So I have a question for those of you who are more family firearms fortunate than I: does the family that shoots together stay together? Is hunting more of a bonding experience than target practice, or is it all good?
Shooting smack is slang for heroin use.
Anyone who wonders what it will be like in large, leftist-run cities during a 2-3 week power outage can look at this film for a really good preview. Or read about LA in the Rodney King riots, when the cops abandoned the honest folks. And the news media called the people protecting their stores and homes by the non-judgmental name “snipers”. Welcome to anarchy, leftist style.
Let’s deal with collective rights thing. The concept of collective rights is a product of the early 20th Century Progressive movement. It would be totally alien to an 18th Century American. If the Second Amendment was about Militias it would not be a “Second Amendment.” It would probably be placed as a clause in the 10th stating that the States’ right to form a militia could not be infringed. The Militia is established in Article I Section 8. There is no need for a Second Amendment if it only applied to collective bodies, i.e., the States.
Progressives reject the concept the individual and individual rights. Everything is about groups. That is why folks like ST and Dirk are considered sellouts for not following the group leaders on any number of issues. We must remember that Progressive is nothing more than a synonym for Fascist. Remember the first Progressive hero was not Lenin but Mussolini.
Before our daughter was born, my wife and I would go to the range together. We both took Randy Cain’s 3-day basic pistol class together, too.
Because of childcare issues, she went on her own to a pistol class last year, and I stayed home to keep an eye on our daughter.
All the more amazing considering she was an ‘anti’ when we started dating.
My family all shoots, wife and I both carry every day. When my son is 18 he will carry too.
Great piece Robert
I had not hunted for about 40 years. Then, on his own my son, who is 36 decided to get into hunting. Now I’ve jumped thru all the hoops required and have my first license in 40 years. So you could say that a son got his father into hunting.
Anything that a family does together will enhance their natural bonds. Even robbing banks, which worked well for Ma Barker and her family.
I can’t speak to hunting, but shooting in general is a great family activity. Until the anti-gun BS of the last year conspired with declining finances to deep-six the tradition, I went out plinking every weekend with my son. We’ve spent a lot of quality time together that way.
The wife and daughter aren’t as interested, but they come along once in a while. Even though my daughter doesn’t enjoy a day out in the boonies with guns the same way the guys do, she’s proud enough of her results to put her favorite bullet-holed targets on her keepsakes shelf.
Her best friend comes from a very anti-gun family; they don’t bug us about it personally and we keep it low-key, so I don’t know if the kids have ever talked about it. But sometimes I do wonder what her friend thinks about those bullet-holed items next to the tiny ceramic cats and the Hello Kitty collection. 🙂
From just plain enjoying time spent in each other’s company to actively practicing responsibility, safety, cooperation, and building skills together — it’s one of the best family activities I can think of.
I just showed this vid to my gf and asked her how she can say my rifles are too big or scary for her when this little girl can handle them so easily.
I am not in good graces right now. The temp in the house has dropped 10 degrees.
My most treasured memories of both my Grandfathers are the times I shared in the duck blind or chasing pheasants. I still hunt often with one of my Uncles and and cousin, and the other Uncle I shoot competitive clays with.
Its a bonding experience that has kept us in constant contact I think would be missing otherwise. And its not so much about the hunt, but talking about each others lives and staying involved with our families.
So in short, yes. And I hoped to pass the tradition on to my three boys and their cousins as well.
errr mahh gerrrrd WILD WEST
OutFLAMEDELETEDstanding!
Now, to get the wife a CCW, and to drag the Mrs to the range.
Just as I thought my state was quickly circling the inside of the toilet bowl, it just might be slowing down a bit. Just a bit.
I actually felt a surge of hope when Illinois got slapped down in court. As churchill said. “This is the end of the beginning.” We still have a long road ahead. Time to go write a couple of checks.
Wow. Future first female Navy SEAL possibly? Nice shooting, Miss.
““the very enumeration of the right takes out of the hands of
government . . . the power to decide on a case-by-case basis whether the right is
really worth insisting upon.””
i think i’m getting aroused…
Does anyone know if he is ok?