Many times, if you pay attention to my videos or pictures, you will see that  I am hunting with an AR style rifle.  Although my day job and military service have left me intimately familiar with that rifle for a number of years, it is only in the last few that I have transitioned over to hunting with it.  For a long time I was a traditionalist, using a wooden stocked Remington 700 in .308, or a Remington 7400 in 30-06 as my primary hunting rifle.  

That changed, however, when I started taking younger and more inexperienced hunters to the field.  It was then that I put together an AR chambered in .300 Blackout.  This round is large enough to effectively kill a deer, but offers the light recoil of the .223 caliber.  Another distinct advantage is that the .300 Blackout (usually) also provides an exit wound, making tracking easier.  This is not only sometimes necessary with the sometimes less than ideal shot placement of an inexperienced hunter, but also is a valuable skill that I like to teach youth.  

The AR Platform, while it holds some challenges, has many advantages and is incredibly versatile.  Here are just a few of my favorite features:

Fit is important, the collapsible stock allows for a good cheek weld and proper eye relief, even when taking different sizes of kids hunting. I typically set the scope well forward, allowing a smaller child to collapse the butt stock completely in and still be able to shoot comfortably without concern of injury to the face.  

It is light, so if a child is carrying or trying to use it, it handles well.  Also, it fits well if I am using one of my mobile hunting setups, where long distance shooting usually isn’t a concern, but maneuverability and weight are. 

It fits well into my Bog Pod  tripod https://amzn.to/3VzyqdJ and clamps tightly, allowing an even more stable shooting platform when available.  

Being a semi automatic, it gives quick follow on shots.  In high stress situations like engaging an animal for the first time, a child can quickly forget to cycle a bolt or lever on a rifle, and a semi automatic minimizes the motion needed to cycle a second round.  

You can buy one lower receiver, and build a number of other upper combinations to accommodate a variety of calibers.  One significant change in recent years is the number of states that are transitioning from slug only restrictions to allowing straight walled cartridges.  You could have one lower receiver, and multiple different uppers to hunt different animals in different states.   I have even used this versatility lately to switch back and forth between calibers to adjust to the fact that some ammo is becoming difficult to find and/or expensive when you do.  With such a versatile platform I find myself switching back and forth to help me avoid the struggles of ammo shortages and rising prices.  

There is an almost infinite number of ways that one can modify this rifle platform to add to your enjoyment of the outdoors!

Youtube overview: Hunting Versatility of the AR Platform
https://youtu.be/UPyfblu-YUc