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2
Posted on 12/3/25 at 7:08 am to bbvdd
quote:As a grown man this is what I hunt with
AR in 6.5 grendel. Adjustable stock and the grendel is a great round for deer out to 300yds.
Posted on 12/3/25 at 7:34 am to bull361
We had 7yr old, a 6yr old and a 9yr old in camp this weekend take their first deer. All does, all in the 150lb range, 2 shot with 100gr interlocks and the other shot with 100gr core lokts (which I hate lol) and all within 125yds…..none left the food plot and 2 never took another step. I dunno how much reference you need but I’ve seen it happen too many times. A bad shot is a bad shot, no matter what you hit them with. Bullet construction and placement matter. If they can’t hit a pie plate at 100, they can’t go, full stop.
Posted on 12/3/25 at 7:41 am to TexasHand
Its almost laughable how ignorant some are to the .243. Its one of the most popular antelope and mule deer rounds yet alot of Southern hunters think whitetails are immune to them
Posted on 12/3/25 at 8:10 am to bull361
Weatherby has a vanguard that comes with a youth stock and adult stock. It grows with the kid.
Posted on 12/3/25 at 8:11 am to 257WBY
7mm-08
Posted on 12/3/25 at 8:57 am to WillFerrellisking
quote:
Ruger American Compact in 7mm-08 is what I started my boys with at that age.
That's the gun my 12 year old learned on and my 10 year old is now shooting.
Posted on 12/3/25 at 9:59 am to WillFerrellisking
[quote]Ruger American Compact in 7mm-08 is what I started my boys with at that age.
This is what I just bought my 10 yr old grandson for is birthday! Killed a nice 11 pointer first hunt with it!
This is what I just bought my 10 yr old grandson for is birthday! Killed a nice 11 pointer first hunt with it!
Posted on 12/3/25 at 10:08 am to lsuhunt555
.243 MINIMUM
I would never give a kid a .223 to shoot a deer. To small a margin for error. In my opinion if they cant handle at least a 243 they just aren't ready to hunt yet.
My preference is a 7-08 for kids mainly due to larger bullet weight but have used a .243.
I would never give a kid a .223 to shoot a deer. To small a margin for error. In my opinion if they cant handle at least a 243 they just aren't ready to hunt yet.
My preference is a 7-08 for kids mainly due to larger bullet weight but have used a .243.
Posted on 12/3/25 at 11:03 am to Bayou_Tiger_225
quote:
As a grown man this is what I hunt with
I do as well. Anyone that says it isn't enough doesn't know how to shoot.
Great thing about it is that it's very comfortable for them to practice with it and have the confidence that they are able to hit their target.
My son's 1st deer was with a 6.8spc. Big doe that dropped immediately 75 yd shot.
2nd was the grendel. 130ys. Another drop right there. I've taken a couple with it as well and none have run off.
Posted on 12/3/25 at 11:32 am to Out da box
quote:As a firearms instructor and former YHEC coach, I am pretty familiar with training children in the shooting arts.
10year olds aren’t usually marksmen like you big guy!
They can be quite capable when you show them what to do and instill the discipline to do it every time.
But if the children that you know are incapable, adjust as necessary.
I suggest that even a slingshot may be too much for those...
Posted on 12/3/25 at 12:44 pm to lv2bowhntAU
quote:
one of the most popular antelope and mule deer rounds
quote:
Southern hunters think whitetails are immune to them
Antelope hunting
Southern whitetail hunting
It has nothing to do with deer being immune to them, it’s about finding them after. Western terrain allows you to watch your kill fall for a minute or more after the shot, southern terrain does not. Deer die at impact or run a mile, big bullets make big holes, big holes make bigger blood trails. There’s a lot of dead deer that coyotes and buzzards find before hunters.
Deer hunting is the only thing I can think of besides maybe bowling with a 8lb ball where the consensus is to start a kid with the tools that make it harder, but at least you have bumpers in bowling.
This post was edited on 12/3/25 at 12:45 pm
Posted on 12/3/25 at 2:44 pm to bull361
243 young and 243 when old
Posted on 12/3/25 at 3:33 pm to Citica8
It’s a bang flop or it’s not…. No matter if it’s an 06 or a .243. I’ve had to call dogs on deer hit with 06s, .270s and on and on. Inside 200 yards, a 30-06 or a .243, bullet construction and shot placement matter. Now, the game changes when you start sectioning it out. BUT for kids? It’s hard to beat .243 with 100 grain interlocks. Fellas, we kill the piss out of them with 100gr broadheads with mostly marginal shots lol…..a .243 is plenty plenty of gun
Posted on 12/3/25 at 3:47 pm to The Levee
quote:
BB Gun
.22LR
5.56 (kill first deer)
5 years later .308
This method will get them comfortable and focused without worries about kick or noise. They will be more accurate when they get the bigger .308 but truth be told 5.56 is all you need for whitetail in the south
My 4 year old is currently doing the BB gun and 22 thing now. I have an AR 5.56 gun I’ve never used before but if I could get it set up right for him in the future it might be perfect for him
What kind of things do you recommend I do to it to help him use it in the future.
Somewhat of an issue is that he’s left eye dominant but right handed. Closing his left eye has worked for him so far shooting righty but I’m open to letting him learn to shoot left handed too if that’s the most comfortable.
Posted on 12/3/25 at 4:03 pm to s14suspense
quote:
What kind of things do you recommend I do to it to help him use it in the future.
My daughter killed her first deer at 5 or 6 with an ar, I had her shooting it as well as mp-15 22lr with a red dot for familiarity and target accusation.
Put a 2-7 power scope on it maybe a drop in trigger and some federal fusion bullets.
Posted on 12/3/25 at 4:51 pm to TexasHand
I killed my first deer with a .243 close to 30 years ago, killed probably 15 after that, many of which dropped. My oldest kid killed his first deer with the same gun 2 years ago. I've been apart of blood trailing easily 50 deer shot with a .243. I know first hand all too well the downfalls to a .243 especially in the hands of a kid. Despite all of the success I've personally had with it, I hate a .243 in the hands of someone who can't legally buy alcohol.
This is a thread about what to start a 10yo on, and while there are certainly people who prepare their kids for hunting by practicing shooting better than most, better than I was, or my own kid... if you're coming to a message board to ask something smaller than a .243 is not the rubber stamped answer.
This is a thread about what to start a 10yo on, and while there are certainly people who prepare their kids for hunting by practicing shooting better than most, better than I was, or my own kid... if you're coming to a message board to ask something smaller than a .243 is not the rubber stamped answer.
Posted on 12/3/25 at 4:56 pm to Out da box
quote:
10year olds aren’t usually marksmen like you big guy!
I got a .243 for Christmas at 9 years old. I never once lost a deer I shot with it starting that year at 9 years old. My 8 year old dropped his first buck with that same gun last year at 7. Teach your kids to shoot better
Posted on 12/3/25 at 5:38 pm to Citica8
There is no rubber stamp answer…. There are a pile of quality options out there as I stated above. I choose to put my 7 year old daughter behind and 26” barrel full size .243 because for me, it’s the best option and I know if she does her job, it’s game over. My rule is simple, I don’t care if it’s a .35 Whelen (hammer), a .300 win mag (hammer) or a .243, she better be able to hit a pie plate at 100 yards on command. We need to take less pride in the weapon and more pride in teaching these kids what an ethical kill means and why it’s important.
Posted on 12/3/25 at 6:41 pm to s14suspense
quote:
What kind of things do you recommend I do to it to help him use it in the future.
Maybe a new shorter stock. Get an LPVO 1-6 and it’ll make target acquisition easier. They don’t need to zoom to 12x. It’ll make them miss or it’ll make them less of a marksman. Get a 5.56 specific suppressor.
my cousins son has killed 12 deer. He’s 9. He killed 11 of them with 5.56/.223
A deer has very thin skin, very little fur, very thin ribs, and just membrane. It’s got to travel 6 inches to completely go through the heart or lungs.
Too many people overthink it.
Yes a .308 will kill one faster. And it’ll drop. I’d rather teach a kid to be accurate faster than teach him to center-mass and get lucky
Plus, tracking them is fun.
This post was edited on 12/3/25 at 6:46 pm
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