Well my friend, it's partly an opinion board, so here's my opinion, for what it's worth (maybe not much, and others on here may tell me so! I won't be offended). 1)take a firearms safety course as other posters have suggested. 2) sit down with your mom and dad and have a heart to heart. Don't fight them, convince 'em gently. Talk about this as something you want to try, and tell them you'd rather do so with their support and at least qualified approval. Stress safety, sportsmanship, hunting ethics, tradition, and the joy of days afield. If they still disapprove, you can always go ahead on your own. But try it the good way first--it won't hurt, might help. Perhaps you can convince a couple of anti-gunners that they can re-consider. You're family after all, they love you and will at least listen if you approach them correctly. 3) You really really don't need 3 1/2 inch magnums. If you want to shoot geese or something get hevi-shot and use a full choke. If you can't stop a boar with a 2 3/4 in. 12-ga rifled slug, you need to practice some more. Believe me, an angry, snorting boar concentrates the mind wonderfully. I've killed several with 2 3/4 in 20 ga slugs--and I am NOT a great shot--distinctly mediocre. You can do better than me, I'm sure. Just listen to your guide, chill out, and shoot calmly.
Good luck! You're at a watershed, trying something new. Hunting is a beautiful adventure and lasts a lifetime. It teaches us many lessons--sounds like it's already starting to teach you. You'll grow to love your first shotgun--I still have mine, a lowly Stevens break action single-shot .410 with no serial number. Every so often I get it out, kill a bunny or two, and make stew. Good stew, too--I'm a better cook than I am a shot! Want a final obnoxious opinion? Get a shotgun with a wooden stock, even if it's an 870 Express . It's hard to love a chunk of plastic
(Boy, I'll catch it for that one!)
All the best,
Brushhunter
Good luck! You're at a watershed, trying something new. Hunting is a beautiful adventure and lasts a lifetime. It teaches us many lessons--sounds like it's already starting to teach you. You'll grow to love your first shotgun--I still have mine, a lowly Stevens break action single-shot .410 with no serial number. Every so often I get it out, kill a bunny or two, and make stew. Good stew, too--I'm a better cook than I am a shot! Want a final obnoxious opinion? Get a shotgun with a wooden stock, even if it's an 870 Express . It's hard to love a chunk of plastic
(Boy, I'll catch it for that one!)All the best,
Brushhunter
