Being an NRA Certified instructor and working with the Boy Scouts has been one of the highlights of my life. Being able to teach a young man safe gun handling, and life skills, is a reward that only those who have been teaching understand. We had our November camp out at my gun club. The Troop covered the shotgun and rifle basics, and then shot skeet, trap and .22 rifles. The weather was perfect and we also tried to allow the dads that were there to also shoot

After a great day of shooting we were all sitting around the campfire telling stories. Pictured on the left is the club right at sunset. Terry, one of the new dads, was telling a story on his own father. His dad had such a dry sense of humor that no one ever new if he was kidding or not.

Many years ago when Terry was about 9 years old he had his first lesson with the family .22. His dad had taken Terry out and showed him how to use the rifle and he had his first gun safety lesson. Several days later his dad said "Son go and shoot the cow we are going to butcher her tonight". Well a young man of 9 years old walks down to the barn and leads the cow to the house and shoots the cow right between the eyes. While we were deathly quiet around the campfire listening and waiting for the punch line, Terry continues and says he remembers his mother holding his dad down and saying "You told him to shoot the cow".

He described the event as being horrific, because they had to stop and butcher the family pet. I asked Terry if his dad had ever said anything to him, and he smiled and said no but his dad never made a joke like that again.

The reason this story is so important is because boys listen to their fathers. I have been able to see a difference in boys that have dads active in their lives and those that do not. If we are going to leave this country in a better condition for our grandchildren, we as men need to take the time and talk to our kids. We also need to take the time to give them the right directions the first time.

Happy trails and keep the lead down range. Clark -Carryconcealed.net