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My firearm and hunting education sort of follows the "It Takes A Village" model. Or maybe "It Takes a Deer Camp."

Dad taught basic safety and shooting, with .22's.

When it came time to "qualify" with the family .243, that task fell to a particular uncle. I am thinking of him because we got the news that he passed away today, at age 90.

My Dad, my uncle, and other elders at the deer camp were part of regular safety discussions. One gentlemen in particular always told a story about how he had to guard a dead hunter from the coyotes while his companions went to get the sheriff. This unfortunate deceased had been climbing a deer stand with a loaded 7mm magnum, which dropped, hit the ground, and fired a round up through that hunter's body, exiting out the top of his head. Mr. Bob was always fairly graphic in his telling of this story, which made a lasting impression on us boys.

A few years later, an elderly friend of my dad's, long gone now, called me up one day, to announce that he was bequeathing his deer rifle (a pre-64 model 70 Winchester, in .270) to me. I don't know what he saw in the goofy teenager that I was, but he seemed pleased to be doing this.

Dad had a good friend who was a hunting guide at the YO. Dad made a point that we boys learned everything we could from Mr. Terry about hunting, stalking, tracking, etc. As far as I know, Mr. Terry is still alive. I should go look him up and pay him a visit.