I took my youngest 7&1/2 out this afternoon for a rabbit, I just replaced the scope on Dads Marlin lever action he's had since new in the 1970s ...so we spent the first hour shooting paper , this was the first time she's ever shot a rifle and took to it Like a duck to water... Admittedly the old Marlin was a bit big for her but a rest made from a banana box and some patience had her doing the business in no time.....
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Next is to find a rabbit we walked around a few likely spots before we found a couple of the grass thieves , I figured I should knock the first one over to show her what killing something means .... so I waited till she saw them and told her which one I was gonna try and shoot and that she was ok with it all........
After I shot she stood straight up and Said "nailed it ...oh yea " !!! We retrieved the rabbit and whipped its tail off for her tally bag then moved on.... A few minutes later more rabbits ..... I asked if she wanted a turn but she said no you go for it daddy..... so another tail got added to the bag. I shot another couple on the way back to the ute each time she was happy for me to take the shot and see them knocked over and the tails adding up.
We jumped in the ute and started heading home, I stopped to open a gate & I saw a hare trot off and stop with its ears pinned back it hunkered down about 30 meters away near a drain.... I quietly opened the door of the hilux and said "hey did you see that Hare?" She nodded yip..so I asked .."..you wanna have a crack at it ?".. Yip she said so I got the Marlin out set her rest up next to a wire and a strainer post , ready the rifle and told her its ready when you are .................wham ....and the Hare did an aerial summersault followed by a back wards flip double pike and ran about 5 meters before it nose dive head over heals .....dead.
One very happy nearly 8 year old..........................and a pretty cuffed Dad too......!!!!
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Hopefully the first of many many more ....!
