My father had a rather nice assortment of hunting longarms and a pistol that he kept in a locked cabinet on display in our family room. I don't remember the first time I shot a firearm, although they tell me I was three when my dad first took me out to teach me.

Since then I have been an avid hunter, as well as a casual plinker, mostly because those activities are fun. But I think my dad started me a little too early, don't you?

I now have four handguns, two hunting rifles, two shotguns for bird hunting (one for me and one for the Mrs.), and two guns I use for perforating paper targets. I will be picking up one more pistol, and maybe two rifles over the next few months. I have been seriously considering taking up competition shooting as a hobby. I qualified "expert" in the Army markmanship qualifications.

Things I do differently form my father:

1. I don't have my guns on display. The long guns are locked in a gun safe in my basement, and my pistol are in fingerprint-locked safes in my master bedroom. The only people who can get into any of these safes are my wife and myself.

2. I have two children myself, but will not allow them to touch a firearm until they are over eight years old, and then only under strict adult supervision.

3. I will not take my children hunting with me until they are in their teens.

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If common sense were common, we would all have it (including me).