The exact same thing happened with my 10 year old grandson. He actually killed a doe with the crossbow on the first day of bow season, and was through with it. He loves to squirrel hunt. Deer hunting is too boring and not enough shooting. He still goes turkey hunting with me, but I'm afraid he'll quit that as soon as he kills one.I think the biggest reason for the decline is the focus on duck and deer hunting. Don't get me wrong I love deer hunting and have since I was a kid but small game hunting is what made hunting a passion. I started rabbit hunting 2-3 years ago with a group of guys I went to HS with and it has reminded me that hunting can be fun. I made the mistake of taking my stepson deer hunting for his first time and although he was a trooper being cold,quiet and still isn't the most fun for a seven year old. After I took him squirrel hunting he said "This is a lot more fun and we got to shoot---can we just squirrel hunter from now on?". I am fine with that---the seed has been planted.