Teaching Children Gun Safety
As gun owners and outdoor enthusiasts, it is our responsibility to educate our children about gun safety. It is important that children learn not only to respect guns, but also to handle them safely and properly.
Children can be taught gun safety at a very early age by using their toys to instruct them in proper handling of a firearm. As they grow older, they can be introduced to air rifles and eventually moved on to the world of firearms.
As our children are taught about safe gun handling, there are a few rules that will go a long way in their firearm safety education.
Never handle a gun without the permission and guidance of a parent.
Never look down the barrel when a gun jams or fails to fire.
In the event of a FTF be sure to keep the gun pointed down range for an adequate amount of time.
The safety must remain on until the target is acquired and verified.
Keep the gun pointed in a safe direction at all times.
The gun should never be pointed at anything unless it is the intended target.
Never pull the trigger without knowing what you are shooting at. There should never be any doubt about a target.
Never shoot towards a sound. Always identify the target before pulling the trigger. Shooting at a sound has resulted in many people being shot during a hunting trip.
The area beyond the target must be clear.
This list is not exhaustive. There are a multitude of things to think about when taking on the responsibility of shooting a gun, and no-one can ever be too cautious.
With the right teaching, we can ensure that our children grow up to have the same love and respect for guns as well as the desire to carry on our outdoor traditions.
- Any day in the outdoors is a good day