Knimrod
11-29-2005, 09:12 PM
Bill to let more kids hunt for deer, bears
Age limit would drop to 12 with adult guidance
November 29, 2005
By Chris Andrews
Lansing State Journal
Shantell Coats' 7-year-old daughter Sarah is itching to hunt.
"She heard you can hunt deer in Texas when you're 7, and she wants to go down there," said Coats, a Springport resident who has grown up around hunting and has been hunting for the past two years.
Coats supports legislation in the state House that would lower the age for firearm hunting of deer, elk and bear from 14 to 12 on private land with adult supervision.
State Rep. Scott Hummel, the sponsor of the bill, said he hopes to have the law enacted by April to give the Department of Natural Resources time to get the system in place for next year's hunting season. The DNR supports the concept and would like to expand it to include public land as well.
Hummel, who took his 14-year-old son firearm hunting for the first time this year, said the legislation supports an important part of Michigan's heritage.
"The whole basis of it is to encourage youth participation," said Hummel, R-DeWitt.
"Studies show that Michigan is dead last in replacement hunters."
Fees help conservation
Michigan licenses about 1 million hunters a year, but that number has been declining by about 1 percent annually in recent years, DNR spokeswoman Mary Dettloff said.
License fees and federal excise taxes on guns and ammunition help pay for the state's conservation efforts. Reductions in funds force cutbacks in those areas, she said.
"If we can get to them sooner, we're able to get them enthused about hunting, enthused about the outdoors, enthused about protecting our natural resources," Dettloff said.
She said the DNR supports the younger age as long as there are clearly defined requirements that someone 21 or older is within 50 feet and able to maintain unaided visual and verbal contact with the child.
Similar legislation in 2004 stalled in Senate committee after passing the state House.
Alternatives to hunting
Not everyone thinks lowering the hunting age is a good idea.
Opponents include Gary Donn of Mason, who expressed concern that the United States has become a militaristic nation.
"What's the rush to have our young be connected with weapons of destruction?" he asked. "I think young individuals need the chance to explore other alternatives than killing."
The Michigan United Conservation Clubs supports the legislation.
Executive Director Sam Washington said studies indicate young people who are directly supervised by an adult are less likely to have hunting accidents than others.
"It would just be a couple of more years that dads would be able to hunt with their children," Washington said.
"We have limited days on this planet. I know a number of people who base their lives on the number of hunting seasons they were given."
Making the case
House Bill 5192 would lower the minimum age for firearm hunting of deer, elk or bear from 14 to 12. Information about it is available at www.michiganlegislature.org.
Thirty-three states bar children from deer hunting until they are 12 and/or have completed hunter education courses. Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania are considering apprentice-hunting license programs allowing adult hunters to introduce youths to hunting before completing a hunter education course.
The Youth Hunting Report by the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance found that young supervised hunters have a lower injury rate than hunters as a whole.
House Bill 5192 would lower the minimum age for firearm hunting of deer, bear or elk from 14 to 12. Information about it is available at www.michiganlegislature.org.
Link to story (http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051129/NEWS04/511290329/1150)
Age limit would drop to 12 with adult guidance
November 29, 2005
By Chris Andrews
Lansing State Journal
Shantell Coats' 7-year-old daughter Sarah is itching to hunt.
"She heard you can hunt deer in Texas when you're 7, and she wants to go down there," said Coats, a Springport resident who has grown up around hunting and has been hunting for the past two years.
Coats supports legislation in the state House that would lower the age for firearm hunting of deer, elk and bear from 14 to 12 on private land with adult supervision.
State Rep. Scott Hummel, the sponsor of the bill, said he hopes to have the law enacted by April to give the Department of Natural Resources time to get the system in place for next year's hunting season. The DNR supports the concept and would like to expand it to include public land as well.
Hummel, who took his 14-year-old son firearm hunting for the first time this year, said the legislation supports an important part of Michigan's heritage.
"The whole basis of it is to encourage youth participation," said Hummel, R-DeWitt.
"Studies show that Michigan is dead last in replacement hunters."
Fees help conservation
Michigan licenses about 1 million hunters a year, but that number has been declining by about 1 percent annually in recent years, DNR spokeswoman Mary Dettloff said.
License fees and federal excise taxes on guns and ammunition help pay for the state's conservation efforts. Reductions in funds force cutbacks in those areas, she said.
"If we can get to them sooner, we're able to get them enthused about hunting, enthused about the outdoors, enthused about protecting our natural resources," Dettloff said.
She said the DNR supports the younger age as long as there are clearly defined requirements that someone 21 or older is within 50 feet and able to maintain unaided visual and verbal contact with the child.
Similar legislation in 2004 stalled in Senate committee after passing the state House.
Alternatives to hunting
Not everyone thinks lowering the hunting age is a good idea.
Opponents include Gary Donn of Mason, who expressed concern that the United States has become a militaristic nation.
"What's the rush to have our young be connected with weapons of destruction?" he asked. "I think young individuals need the chance to explore other alternatives than killing."
The Michigan United Conservation Clubs supports the legislation.
Executive Director Sam Washington said studies indicate young people who are directly supervised by an adult are less likely to have hunting accidents than others.
"It would just be a couple of more years that dads would be able to hunt with their children," Washington said.
"We have limited days on this planet. I know a number of people who base their lives on the number of hunting seasons they were given."
Making the case
House Bill 5192 would lower the minimum age for firearm hunting of deer, elk or bear from 14 to 12. Information about it is available at www.michiganlegislature.org.
Thirty-three states bar children from deer hunting until they are 12 and/or have completed hunter education courses. Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania are considering apprentice-hunting license programs allowing adult hunters to introduce youths to hunting before completing a hunter education course.
The Youth Hunting Report by the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance found that young supervised hunters have a lower injury rate than hunters as a whole.
House Bill 5192 would lower the minimum age for firearm hunting of deer, bear or elk from 14 to 12. Information about it is available at www.michiganlegislature.org.
Link to story (http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051129/NEWS04/511290329/1150)