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I don't have kids, so I can only relay my own experience.

My first hunting experience was when I was about 10 (not sure exactly, but that seems right). I was on the family farm in Nebraska with my dad and uncle. I was given a bolt-action .410 shotgun and we started out by going out to a field and doing a little target practice, with an overview of proper gun handling rules beforehand. They set up an empty antifreeze jug and I went through probably 5 rounds. We again went over proper gun handling rules and how to carry a gun while hunting in a group. They removed the bolt and took me for a dry run (they hunted pheasant and quail while I went with them) to make sure I handled the gun properly during the hunt. I didn't get to go hunting again that year, but I did learn how to go about one. I don't know if this was because they were not sure I was ready or not, I will have to ask one of them about it in the future. I had never handled a firearm before this occasion, and had not grown up around guns, except that my dad took one with him whenever we went to Nebraska for Christmas to hunt.

The next time we went to Nebraska, I was around 12 and itching to hunt, really wanting to get a bird. I guess my dad had other things to do, so my uncle took me out, along with the dog (a black lab and great hunting dog). I took my dad's 16ga. side-by-side and we went over proper handling and hunting rules again. Once that was finished, off we went and after probably 45 minutes of looking around, we flushed some quail. Unfortunately, I had no clean shot on them, and this was likely because there was a good 20 of them, and multiple targets was not something I had considered. We went around for probably another half hour, crossing a creek bridge, and found some pheasant tracks running along the banks. I took the initiative to follow them, and my uncle gave me some pointers as to the likely locations of a bird let me go about it ahead of him, along with the dog. I continued tracking and the dog found and flushed the bird near the bank. I honestly don't remember my thoughts at the time (and didn't then), other than I shouldered the shotgun and took a shot, downing the bird. I remember hearing my uncle's voice behind me shouting "got him!", as I ran ahead to catch up to the bird. The bird had run and ducked under the bank of the creek, where the dog stopped. My uncle caught up to us, trying to get the dog to jump in (it was a couple days before Christmas, snow on the ground, and the water was cold), but he didn't want to go. Finally my uncle threw him in, and the dog proceeded to swim to retrieve the bird, which made a brief splashing attempt to escape before collapsing as soon as the dog got it in his mouth. The dog brought it back, we bagged it, and returned back to the house. We brought it back and my uncle taught me how to dress a pheasant. We had it for supper that night. That was some tasty bird.

I apologize for the long rambling reply. What I intend to convey is this: Use your best judgment in taking your son to shoot. Familiarizing him with proper gun handling is important, and a little time practicing with something like your .410 single shot is probably a productive thing to do, and will give you an idea as to whether he is able to conduct himself safely during a hunting trip. You know him best. If you're still unsure, you might take the route that my dad and uncle did, and have him bring along a gun with the bolt removed (or similarly disabled) and have him handle it as he would a loaded firearm. This can clarify for you whether he is ready or not, if you still have doubts. If he is at all interested in hunting, this will likely spur him along to better learn the required skills to graduate to an actual hunt.

The purpose of my second paragraph is this: That hunt where I shot my first bird is one of my most treasured memories. I still remember the details quite vividly and to this day am grateful that I had the opportunity to spend that time with my uncle. I've heard similar stories of nostalgia from folks whose fathers/relatives took them hunting. It is truly a worthwhile investment, both for you and your son.