Central Texas hunting moves from post oak and cedar to river bottoms along the Brazos, and a lot of it starts with a kid's first deer. The Fierce Mini Rogue family is built for youth, women and smaller-framed hunters, so it fits a young shooter in a box blind near Waco just as well as an adult who wants a lighter rifle for hogs at dusk.

Fierce builds these rifles on carbon fiber stocks with a shorter length of pull and an adjustable comb or push-button cheek piece. The actions are Fierce dual-lug designs, and the triggers come from TriggerTech or Bix'n Andy. Calibers include 22, 25, 6mm and 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 Winchester and 7mm-08 Remington, with 3+1 or 4+1 capacity.

The CT models use a dual-lug titanium action and a Fierce C3 match-grade carbon barrel, which brings the rifle to about 6 lb. Length of pull is 12.75 inches with a push-button cheek piece.

22 Creedmoor is a fast, flat-shooting varmint and predator round with very little recoil, which makes it a favorite for new and young buyers who want to stretch their range.

This rifle has a 18 in barrel, 3+1 capacity, and weighs about 6 lb. Finish: Distressed Gray.

Watch a young hunter shoulder an adult rifle and you will often see the head pulled back and the scope out of reach. A shorter length of pull fixes that and keeps the elbow relaxed. Then adjust the comb so the eye looks straight through the scope without lifting the cheek. For a first Central Texas whitetail, a 6.5 Creedmoor or 25 Creedmoor is plenty of rifle.

Texas has no permit to purchase and no waiting period. Pick a Texas dealer at checkout, close to Hewitt, Waco or wherever you live, and the rifle ships to them. That dealer handles the background check when you collect it. Ammo and accessories go right to your house, and stock is confirmed before payment.

Questions buyers ask: What caliber should a kid use for a first Central Texas deer? A 25 Creedmoor or 6.5 Creedmoor gives a young hunter enough for whitetail with mild recoil that builds confidence. Is there a waiting period to pick up a rifle in Texas? No. Texas has no permit to purchase and no waiting period; your dealer runs the background check at pickup. What caliber is this Fierce rifle? 22 Creedmoor, 3+1 capacity.

Specifications come from Fierce Firearms' published data for part number ROGTCMX22CM18DGM, UPC 853418438558.