Briske says that even when kids have been taught gun safety, parents are ultimately responsible for their child's safety. The 4-H and DNR training programs supply guns for supervised practice. It depends on the maturity of the child, says Roesler, but the older the better. By the same token, just because your child passes the DNR gun safety class doesn't mean he or she is ready to own a firearm. According to Slinger, kids too often think of guns as toys.
Kids see guns on TV and video games where people who get shot just get up and keep going.
On the other hand, Slinger adds, many adults unfamiliar with guns paint all firearms and shooting with the same broad, dark brush. Many people think of a gun only as something bad that hurts people rather than as a tool for competitive shooting, for hunting, or for a variety of professional occupations. Safety training was first required for young hunters in 1955, says Gary Guida, a DNR regional training officer. During the 1960s Minnesota averaged 14 fatalities and 100 accidents per year. In the 1990s the average was four fatalities and 38 accidents, despite far more hunters in the field than 30 years earlier.