FREDERICK, MARYLAND — When a 17-year-old discovered a deer trampling through his living room, he got a gun and shot it. His father, who had taken his son target shooting plenty of times, felt confident that his son did the right thing.
“Absolutely, had I been there I would have done it myself,” the father said. “Though Ryan might be a better shot than me.”
The son exercised good caution and followed the proper protocol of contacting animal control first. When he discovered they were 15 minutes away, he decided that was a bit long to wait. The deer had been thrashing through his living room, knocking over the family Christmas tree.
“I went downstairs,” he said. “I had to follow it around a little bit and wait for it to calm down. And I shot it.”
When police arrived, they saw the teenager shot and killed it properly, and even posed for pictures beside him with his new found trophy. He even sent the head off to a taxidermist so he could mount it.
Both the father and the son agree he did the right thing. A wild animal can cause a lot of damage and even potentially hurt others without meaning to. Putting it down in a humane and safe way not only helped minimize further damage to the household but also gave the teenager an added confidence when handling firearms.
This is what happens when your kids have the proper knowledge in the safe use of firearms. They’re able to defend the home even when you’re not around. That’s why we promote bringing your family into the fold when it comes to the handling of guns. The more they know, the more they’re able to do.
While we’ve written a couple articles about helping your family understand firearms, the best possible education comes from actually getting to handle them at a live range. It’s an opportunity to reinforce good safety, the basics of marksmanship, and proper handling.
Hope you guys have a safe and fun Christmas season and we’re sure this family will enjoy some deer tenderloin in the oven for the Christmas Eve meal.