I had a BB gun at the age of 12.I shot a pigeon and it was swept away in the falls. That's bothered me ever since.
I got a double barrel 16 gauge shotgun at 16. Never shot anything but game. Got a nice 14 point buck on Thanksgiving day 1950. That was near the end of the "Rut" and he was tougher than a woodpeckers beak. I couldn't cut the gravy.