Get my son a gift for graduating hunter safety?

[speedracing944]

My 12 year old son has only 2 more hunter safety classes to go. I am thinking about getting him a graduation gift as he has done a fantastic job studying and participating in the class. The instructor, who is a hard a$$ as he should be, has had noting but good things to say about my boy. I am so proud of how well he is doing and how serious he is taking it.

I did not grow up in a hunting household and have never hunted myself so I am not sure if a gift at the end of a class is appropriate.

For those hunters out there who went through hunter safety as a child did you receive a special gift from your dad or mom? If so what is your story? How much did it mean to you?

Speedy

[Red88Carrera]

My parents bought me a Marlin Model 60 .22 rifle. It wasn't for going through hunter safety, but rather an explorer program. I really loved that rifle. I left it at home after I moved out in '83. My much younger brother enjoyed the heck out of it and beat it up pretty good. Last year, I asked if it was still around. My brother gave it back to me, in 'well-used' condition. I have not intentions of ever selling it, and will bring it back to as-new condition. At my age, even though it's not an expensive gun, it means more to me than what it's value is.

[Racerbvd]

My Dad put me through the course when I was 12 as well, I got a 20 gauge Shot Gun
Our family owns around 100 acres in Up-State NY, every Thanksgiving, my father, my Uncle and all the males would spend the week up there, hunting. Great times..
I still have both my HFS card & patch

[MT930]

Give him a quality bolt action .22 rifle (Ruger / CZ) or a pump shot gun (Rem 870) depending on the critters he is interested in.

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by MT930

Give him a quality bolt action .22 rifle (Ruger / CZ) or a pump shot gun (Rem 870) depending on the critters he is interested in.

This....870 wingmaster 20 ga.......perfect, lasts a lifetime. The .410 would be nice but it's pretty pricey at $600. +. CZ .22/.22 mag. (455 model) target shooting forever gun. Fit is important don't buy too much gun...he's 12.

[nzporsche944s2]

How about a nice good quality knife? A larger fixed blade - Buck / Fallkniven / Boker etc. You could have it engraved?

[targa911S]

Now THAT is an excellent idea!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Some sort of gun seems 100% appropriate. You can't go wrong with a .22 for plinking (quality time). Does he have any particular interest in hunting something specific?

[id10t]

A good rifle and a ride to an Appleseed shoot.

[aigel]

The biggest gift will be to take him hunting. Are you going to hunt?

My 8 yo did the HS class and loves to go. Yes, I have bought kid size guns but don't make them a personal gift, because they are going to be handed to the siblings later on. This may be different if he is 12 and almost grown.

Trust me, the best thing is the hunting you will be doing together. It doesn't even matter if you or him kill something. Time spent together on an adventure that you plan together!

G

[HardDrive]

I don't think you can go wrong with a high quality .22. A Marlin would be fine.

I dunno, unless your son is a BIG kid, I would not get him a 20/12 gauge shotgun. It probably too much gun for him, and could make him develop some bad shooting habits.

[Bill Douglas]

I also think a .22 would be a great gift. My pick would be a CZ, but there are lots of excellent makes of .22s out there. Something really accurate so he gets satisfaction out of shooting targets. AND .22LR is such a terrific calibre.

[aigel]

If you recommend guns, we really need to know what he will be hunting. If he is going to hunt upland birds, a .22 will be of little use and a .410 or a mild 20 ga will be much better.

If he will be hunting big game, a .22 will be a great idea to get him into rifle shooting, and a .243 would be nice to take all the big game aside from elk and some bigger bears ...

I still think a promise to take him hunting and maybe a knife as a token will be plenty.

G

[HardDrive]

Don't go cheap this Christmas dad.

[quicksix]

A gun would be a great idea, but I would like to suggest something different.
Buy him a book, to help him form opinions about hunting and the taking of game.
Sometime it is less about the tool,and more about the philosophy

[vash]

growing up, i didnt get alot of gifts for every single event i passed, survived, etc.

i was like a puppy..praise was just good enough. he WANTS to take this class right? not like it is algebra...i think the class is the gift.

[lowyder993s]

Originally Posted by nzporsche944s2

How about a nice good quality knife? A larger fixed blade - Buck / Fallkniven / Boker etc. You could have it engraved?

This...I STILL have my Buck knife engraved w/ my name from more than 40 yrs ago. Second only to my Futuresoptions original!

[craigster59]

I agree with the knife gift. Maybe a Remington upland bird folder or this one...
A.G. Russell Knives | Böker® Arbolito Nicker

[matt711]

Remington Nylon 66 .22 semi-auto. Mine is 30 years old and has probably fired over 50,000 rounds. Its reliable, reasonably accurate and inexpensive to both purchase and shoot.

Matt

[oilcan]

I think a good gift would be a single shot 20 gauge & go bird hunting. It's nice time of year in the woods together & teaches him the value of concentrating during the shot.