I don't want to be an alarmist, but....

[Gary Laudermilch]

I agree with the age issue as others have stated. Kids today are into guns so far away from a Parker sxs it is difficult to even hold a conversation on the subject. Next time you are at a well attended sxs shoot, stop and look around. Nothing but old duffers.

As for kids, I am more than a bit bewildered. I have coached a youth shotgun team for the last 15 years. Early on we had little difficulty getting kids to participate. Oh, we had to work at it but ultimately we found the kids we needed. Last year we barely fielded a qualifying squad and at the end of the season several opted out for this year and efforts at new recruits yielded nothing. I admit we are in a rural, low population area but it is in the middle of PA hunting country. The kids themselves are part of the problem but equally so are the parents. Many have given up hunting in favor of more social activities and are not encouraging the kids to participate. Over the years the most dedicated kids have been those whose parents also shot. We are just not seeing that anymore.

It is indeed a sad state of affairs.