In some places, yes. Many very rural areas have pretty lax gun laws. It isn't uncommon to take a kid hunting or target shooting. I don't know the laws about adult supervision, though.

Oh no! Just a quick rinse to get some sand off. Then toss them in that sauce and cook them! If they don't open up with heat, toss them. They ded. Open clams are bad clams. Unless they are cooked. Then the closed clams are bad clams.. the logic works, I swear. Wine, clam juice, garlic butter, herbage, maybe lemon, and that's it in a saute pan. Cook them until they open up with a loose lid and you are done. It should take less time than it takes to cook the pasta!

Hahaha...

I am a native new englander who cooked in many, many seafood/ Italian restaurants. I know my way around a clam. Lol. Curious what you mean by prepping the clams?