This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. Bass Pro is celebrating Christmas by giving away $2,000 in prizes – four winners of $500 each. In addition, if you stop by Bass Pro’s Santa’s Wonderland, you can get a free 4″ x 6″ photo with Santa. Here I’ll also share some tips on how to teach a “hunter in training” and lots of information about the Red Ryder Daisy BB gun.
I am so thankful for Bass Pro. I’m not sure if you’ve ever tried to take your kids to a shopping mall to get a picture with Santa but any time I’ve ever been, its always been incredibly crowded – and I just haven’t mustered up the energy to try and make it for a family photo.
Well this year I am happy to say that we finally have a family photo with Santa Claus!
Bass Pro Shops is hosting free photos with Santa Claus as a part of their Santa’s Wonderland. Since Bass Pro is one my husband’s favorite places to shop for outdoor gear, we took the boys there for our first family photo with Santa. As a part of Santa’s Wonderland, Bass Pro is offering free arts and crafts, a soft air shooting game, and free fun stuff for kids. Plus you can enter the Bass Pro $2,000 giveaway. They are giving away four $500 gift cards. Just think of all the christmas present ideas and gifts for boys you can find at Bass Pro! You can also enter to win the $500 gift card here just by clicking the Rafflecopter widget below. #ItsADaisy #CollectiveBias
You can enter the $2,000 in Bass Pro Gift Cards Giveaway here:
Daisy BB Sweepstakes – $2,000 in Bass Pro Shop Gift Cards
Special notes about the giveaway: Prizes include$2,000 worth of Bass Pro gift cards {4 winners will receive a $500 gift card each}, gift cards will not arrive in time for Christmas, and winners must be 18+.
Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro
I stopped by Bass Pro’s Santa’s Wonderland and created this short video about my trip. I picked up a special gift for a certain “hunter in training,” and I even got to take a picture with Santa. I haven’t done that since I was a little girl – it was actually kinda fun!
A video posted by Happy and Blessed Home.com (@handbhcom) on
When we took the boys for our family photo with Santa we also toured the store. It’s almost as much fun as the zoo. The boys stared for nearly half an hour at the two-story wall sized fish tank inside the store. We also let them pet a stuffed bear, elk, and cougar. We’re huge outdoor enthusiasts and it’s fun to take the boys to see all the wonderful exhibits of animals at Bass Pro.
The Perfect Gift for a Hunter in Training
Our family comes from a long line of hunters – most especially my husband. With two growing boys and a family with a love of the outdoors, I’ve come to realize – teaching BB gun safety is important.
I asked one of my husband’s closest friends and hunting partner – Dustin – to help me understand what I need to know as a mom. Dustin shared with me how he makes things safer for his son, “E”, and that a Red Ryder Daisy BB gun is the perfect place to start when you’ve got a hunter in training. Per manufacturer’s guidelines, Red Ryder Daisy BB guns are only recommended for kids ages 10 and up, and should only be used under close parental supervision. If you have a hunter in training, the Red Ryder Daisy BB Gun makes a perfect Christmas gift.
What is a BB gun and How does it work?
If you are a mom and have ever wondered how an air powered BB gun works, how the safety is engaged, how to load the BB gun, pump the BB gun, or aim it, we will cover all of it here. We’ll also include tips for safety, and safe targets for practice. This might be extremely helpful if you’re a parent looking for tips and ideas for safe use and handling of an air powered BB gun like the Red Ryder Daisy BB gun.
“What I’ve told my son, is that if he wants to continue shooting and eventually move up to hunt with a real gun, he has to show me that he can safely handle a Red Ryder Daisy BB gun. It’s an air gun and it’s not lethal. But it gives my son lots of practice on how to handle a gun before he ever gets to shoot the real thing,” Dustin explained.
Both my husband and Dustin have shared that some of their fondest memories with their fathers have been hunting. Even if they never got an animal, it was the one-on-one time with their dads that they valued so much.
Why Purchase a Red Ryder Daisy BB Gun to teach gun handling and safety?
Dustin is adament about safety. And he is very careful to teach proper use and handling to his son. As he reviewed the Red Ryder Daisy BB gun with me, these were his top reasons for gifting his son, a hunter in-training, with a BB gun.
- It is an air gun and is not lethal.
- It teaches safe handling.
- It teaches the basics of shooting.
- It comes with several safety features including a safety lock, and it will not fire if not properly loaded and cocked.
Important Safety Tips
- Always wear safety goggles.
- Only permit handlers to use the BB gun once they have been properly trained.
- Use of an air powered BB gun should always be under close adult supervision.
- Always leave the BB gun in “safe mode” when not being used.
- Unless you are shooting, do not leave your finger on the trigger.
- Never point the BB gun at anyone or in a random direction. Always have it pointing directly downward or up into the sky.
- Set up your targets before you load and aim the BB gun. Some great targets include: tin cans, cardboard signs, or targets specifically designed for target shooting.
- Teach children to respect property and animals. Conservation and respect for the environment are key values Dustin is teaching his son.
Daisy’s educational curriculum has been around since 1948. Daisy educates roughly one million of America’s youth a year through their Ten Lesson Shooting Curriculum about BB gun use and safety (found here).
Daisy does a lot more than just manufacture and sell BB guns. Daisy educates through its partnership with leading conservation and youth training organizations such as National Wild Turkey’s JAKES Take Aim, 4-H National Shooting Sports, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Royal Rangers, Youth Shooting Sports Alliance, Civilian Marksmanship, NRA, JROTC units, scouting, fish and game as well as church and private camps.
To help hunter’s in training, Daisy offers portable, inflatable BB gun ranges that can be found at major outdoor sporting goods retailers and leading conservation organizations. More information can be found on their website at: http://www.daisy.com. Connect with Daisy online at:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaisyOutdoor
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaisyOutdoor
How to use the Red Ryder Daisy BB Gun
Our personal friend and hunting enthusiast, Dustin, walked me through how to load and use the Red Ryder BB gun, and here he offers some great tips to teach a hunter in training how to use the Red Ryder BB Gun.
Step 1: How to engage the safety lock.
This is one of the most important features on the Red Ryder Daisy BB gun. Once engaged, the gun will not fire. On the underside of the gun you will find a small button. If you push the button until it is black, the gun will be in “safe” mode. Any time you are loading or carrying the BB gun it’s best to keep it in safe mode. On the 75th Anniversary Edition Red Ryder BB Gun, the safety button is located directly under the tassel.
Once you are ready to do some target shooting, you can switch the gun to “use” mode by pushing the same button. When you see the color red you know that the gun is ready to be used. Red means “ready to fire”.
Step 2: How to load the BB gun.
On the end of the barrel is a small door. Press down on the arrow and then slide the door open. It is through this opening that you can load the BBs. Make sure to close the door once the BBs are loaded.
Here you can see where Dustin loads the BBs into the barrel while “E” watches his dad. The BB’s will roll to the base once you tilt the barrel up.
Step 3: Pump the BB gun.
In order for a BB to make it into the chamber for target shooting, point the gun upward. Then, pull the handle up against the barrel in a half-circle motion. Then push the handle back into place until it is locked.
Step 4: How to hold the Red Ryder.
Hold the BB gun with both hands. The right hand will hold the handle and trigger and the left hand will brace the barrel. The butt of the gun needs to rest inside the right shoulder. If the hunter in training is left handed, everything is the same, you just switch to a left-handed grip and nestle the butt of the gun against the left shoulder.
Step 5: Aim the BB Gun.
The Red Ryder Daisy BB gun uses an open sight. To aim, align the tip, where Dustin’s right hand is located, in-between the v-shaped part of the sight, where Dustin’s left hand is holding the BB gun. The target needs to be centered directly above where the two parts of the open sight line up. Dustin explained to me that he had to teach “E” to close one eye as he looked down the barrel. Looking down with both eyes gives one a feeling of double vision.
Step 6: Shoot the Target.
To fire the gun, first change the BB gun from “safe” mode, to the red or “ready to fire” mode. Hold the BB gun as pictured. Aim it carefully, and pull the trigger to deploy the BB. Make sure to put the gun back in safe mode once target shooting is complete.
In the photo above you’ll see some examples of targets Dustin likes to use with his son. There is a green metal target that acts as a swinging door. Whenever a BB hits the target the metal tab flips over like a swinging door. The cardboard sign makes a great target because it’s easy to stick into the ground and you can add a target with point values to it. Point values can turn target practice into a fun game.
Target shooting is great for hand-eye coordination. Dustin’s personal favorite targets are tin cans. He explained that tin cans make a fun sound when you hit them and they will often catch the BBs inside.
I’m so thankful Dustin took the time to teach me how to use a BB gun and how to engage the safety features. My boys are still too young to use BB guns, but I think it’s important that I stay educated about the things that may interest them in the future.
Do you have a hunter in training? If you have any tips to share please leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers!
Happy Holidays!
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