doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How many hunting seasons for you?

About 63 or 64 years! Shortly after we moved to the ranch in 1950 I was allowed to go out by myself with a .410 Diamond Arms single shot and wreck havoc on the local population of rabbits, quail, ducks, or anything else that moved! Fortunately my bags were never very heavy.

I went along varmint hunting practically from birth --



but my Father didn't rush me into game hunting. I went along at age 12, but my first Pheasants were at age 13 during the 1959 season, here with my Uncle Irv --

69 for me and I plan on going this year to make 70.

Probably 54 by myself, maybe 60 starting with my Dad.
JR

Well some info from Belgium. Before you can put your hunting license in your pocket you need to be 18 yaers old. From 18 yaers old you are a candidate hunter, first you have to pass a written examen. The first hunting examen in Belgium was in april 1978. After this you have 3 practical tests, 1. security about handling guns 2. shotgun test at the trap range 3. rifle shooting. I started hunting in our little country in 1979 and it never stopted.
Cheers, greetings from Belgium, Marc.

Marc, American hunters now need to pass a safety course. Not nearly as rigorous as the requirements in some European countries. But back when most of us who are 60 or over started, we were "trained"--for better or worse--by older male relatives: Father, uncle, older brother, etc. My father shot pheasant out the window of our car. That was illegal, even then. But other than that--and I quickly decided I didn't like that method of "hunting"--he did follow the law and did a good job of teaching me safety. Back then, there was still a military draft in this country, and a lot of men got their first exposure to firearms, safety, etc that way.

60 for me. Started with squirrels with my grandfather's .22 pump that used shorts, longs, and long rifles. I hunted with whatever he had in the drawer. Only admonition I ever received from him was "don't shoot toward the house" and "always be sure of what you are shooting at before putting your finger on the trigger." 8 years old. My how things have changed!!

Here is the patch I received upon completion of our Washington State Hunter Safety course required in 1959 to get my first hunting license.

Researcher,
That's a nice keepsake to have and remember.
Karl

Yes indeed. Gun safety and good gunning manners are the hallmark of a sportsman- as the Paul Curtis said: "The field is the touchstone of the man"-- those words run as true today as when you received that safety training patch in 1959-(year I graduated HS)--