# Minimum hunting age debate continues



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31952727/ns ... 001from/ET


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

What this article does not mention is that since most states have adopted firearms safety requirements for hunters the numbers of accidents for the young hunters has greatly been reduced. As a matter of fact the last data I saw (several years back) indicated that older hunters (pre firearms safety) were currently the biggest risk. That shoots holes in the idea that young hunters are not responsible. There are the good and bad, same as any age group. Heck I quit hunting with a group my age many years ago because I no longer felt safe with them. Another side of the equation is that I have seen more than a few parents undo what hunter safety classes taught thier kids. Which makes me think sometimes those kids might be safer without such parental guidance.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

No *rifle* hunting until they are 16 period. I know of a kid who accidentally shot and killed a person, the kid was 14 and quit hunting. I guess he wasn't prepared to see a man die from being lung shot with a hi-powered rifle. We have quite stringent laws concerning drinking and driving so theoretically less fatal accidents occur, drinking age is 21 anybody see where this is going? :beer:


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

I have seen older hunters have accidents too.....

One happened this last fall in my area. A guy was muzzle hunting with his uncle. The guy got out of the pick up and shut the door. The door closed and BOOOM a bullet hole right through the door. The uncle cased his muzzleloader and did not take the primer out. When he was pulling the gun in the case it went off.

So i am on the fence with this debate. One thing I am all for is letting kids hunt small game. get them squirrel, rabbit, pheasant, duck, goose, etc hunting before deer. turkey can be an exception because if you are hunting with shot gun they need to be with in 40 yards or so. But get kids outside and active. But again a high powered rifle in the hands of a 10 year old i am not too sure about. because people see racks and get flustered or make stupid decisions just to get the "trophy". All age groups of people do this let alone kids.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

I think rifle hunting at 14 is just fine and should stay just where its at.

I think our current law is working just fine and see no need to change it.


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

barebackjack said:


> I think rifle hunting at 14 is just fine and should stay just where its at.
> 
> I think our current law is working just fine and see no need to change it.


Agreed.


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

buckseye said:


> No *rifle* hunting until they are 16 period. I know of a kid who accidentally shot and killed a person, the kid was 14 and quit hunting. I guess he wasn't prepared to see a man die from being lung shot with a hi-powered rifle. We have quite stringent laws concerning drinking and driving so theoretically less fatal accidents occur, drinking age is 21 anybody see where this is going? :beer:


I'm 25. I don't think I would be anymore prepared to see a man die from being lung shot with a high powered rifle than a 14 year old. :wink:


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

AdamFisk said:


> buckseye said:
> 
> 
> > No *rifle* hunting until they are 16 period. I know of a kid who accidentally shot and killed a person, the kid was 14 and quit hunting. I guess he wasn't prepared to see a man die from being lung shot with a hi-powered rifle. We have quite stringent laws concerning drinking and driving so theoretically less fatal accidents occur, drinking age is 21 anybody see where this is going? :beer:
> ...


I think a child of 14 will have a different view than a 25 year old man. If not it's either a very mature 14 year old or a very immature 25 year old. I was kind of thinking it would sour them to the experience easier than a grown up. In the case I mentioned it most certainly did. :sniper:


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

Make them hunt with short range calibres and shotguns with slugs.


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## bretts (Feb 24, 2004)

--I think we should be more worried about the law that is passed allowing a person to hunt with a high powered rifle without hunters safety. I don't think it matters what the age if you accidently killed someone, it's going to be a horrible matter either way. The law I believe is fine as it is, but I just think having hunters safety starts the person off on the right foot. If a person wants to hunt bad enough they will get it--


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## randy806 (Feb 10, 2006)

"No rifle hunting until they are 16 period. I know of a kid who accidentally shot and killed a person, the kid was 14 and quit hunting. I guess he wasn't prepared to see a man die from being lung shot with a hi-powered rifle. We have quite stringent laws concerning drinking and driving so theoretically less fatal accidents occur, drinking age is 21"

Really? And how old were you when you started hunting?
Are you saying the age limit should be 21?

Older hunters are not always safe hunters,most of the kids I've been around with weapons are very aware of the danger of mis-handling a weapon.

Idiots in both young and old,seen many "mature "hunters have complete disregard concerning safety,they can kill you just as fast as a younger hunter.


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

What is the age a kid can hunt for ducks? Can a kid hunt with in so many feet of someone with out out hunter saftey? For instance if I have a 8 year old and want to take the kid down to the water and let him pot a few teal in the decoys.. Is that legal? Does he get his own limit? Or does it count against mine for the day?


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

Unfortunately ALL sports have risks. Most to the participants themselves but sometimes to others. Football and hockey expose kids to the risk of head injuries and possible death. Youth racing (motorcycles, karts, ATVs etc.) all expose kids to the potential of being killed or killing. Yet noone is trying to set minimum ages for these activities. The issue is maturity not age. Here is a thought. How many people leave their small children home with a 13 year old babysitter or 12 year old sibling. Talk about risk.


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## bornlucky (Jul 24, 2007)

barebackjack said:


> I think rifle hunting at 14 is just fine and should stay just where its at.
> 
> I think our current law is working just fine and see no need to change it.


I agree.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

> I guess he wasn't prepared to see a man die from being lung shot with a hi-powered rifle


Have you ever seen a man die from a gunshot wound? Up close and personal? I have, I was 29, it definately changes a few things. Doesn't matter what age you are. Very few people are prepared to see that. I do understand what you meant about a 14 year old taking it differently, but differently doesn't mean worse.

When it comes to hunting I know a few 14 year olds that I would trust with rifles over a whole lot of 21 year olds.



> Make them hunt with short range calibres and shotguns with slugs


So 14 year olds are better prepared to see some one die from a slug out of a shotgun than a high powered rifle?


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## NDMALLARD (Mar 9, 2002)

Very interesting post. I don't have the answers but I think that by the time a kid is 16 and he has not hunted the chances that he will begin to hunt are slim. Guns are dangerous and if I am hunting with anybody regardless of age and I don't think they are acting in a safe manner, I tell them to leave or I leave. I own all my own gear and 90% of the places I hunt, I found or have the permission to access. If they get upset with me, tough. I could care less about their feelings. I have told people to leave and warned them to watch where they point their gun or they can find someone elso to hunt with. Before I was old enough to hunt, I was with my dad I saw a guy get shot in the face with a shotgun from 40-50 yards, he didn't lose an eye, but a pellot went through his lip and stuck between his two front teeth (he had other pellots in him too). Scared me to death.

I don't think you can expect a 14 year old to be perfect in every situation, but you can help him/her develop good habits by closely monitoring their safety habits during hunts. In my opinion, anybody who puts a rifle in a young adults hands and puts them in a position where they need to make split second decisions (i.e. deer drive) should be publicly flogged and forced to watch reruns of Dancing with the Stars for days on end.

There is a lot of competition for the next generations recreational dollar. Take a kid hunting and teach them to do it respectfully and safely.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I see alot of tv shows where young kids go hunting. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all about taking kids out, but if that kids isn't big/old enough to carry his/her own firearm, cannot pick it up and hold to shoot without the aid of the parent, or a rest that requires the animal to step into that perfect spot, than the child should not be out hunting. Sorry that's my opinion


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## Decoyer (Mar 2, 2002)

> What is the age a kid can hunt for ducks? Can a kid hunt with in so many feet of someone with out out hunter saftey? For instance if I have a 8 year old and want to take the kid down to the water and let him pot a few teal in the decoys.. Is that legal? Does he get his own limit? Or does it count against mine for the day?


From the 2009 waterfowl proclamation:



> Persons born after 1961 must complete a certified hunter education course and show proof of certification when buying or applying for hunting licenses (official courses offered by other states and Canadian provinces meet these requirements). Exceptions: Persons under age 12 who hunt only with their parent or legal guardian; persons who hunt exclusively on land of which they are the record title owner or operator; and those who obtain an Apprentice Hunting License.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

Kelly Hannan said:


> I see alot of tv shows where young kids go hunting. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all about taking kids out, but if that kids isn't big/old enough to carry his/her own firearm, cannot pick it up and hold to shoot without the aid of the parent, or a rest that requires the animal to step into that perfect spot, than the child should not be out hunting. Sorry that's my opinion


Poor opinion if you ask me. So are you trying to say the law should be written to a kid's stature? Does your opinion also apply to disabled hunters? A kid's maturity isn't based on their size. I think the law is fine like it is and should stay that way.


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## adokken8 (Mar 18, 2010)

I would be hard pressed to set a age limit on when a person should start hunting.Used to take my dads 22 and sneak out and sit with the barrel lined up to a gopher hole, when the gopher appeared I pulled the trigger, Got my first 22 Winchester Model 67 single shot in 1936 when I was ten.and it is hanging on my wall now.So if you let a ten year old use a sensible gun at that age with some parental supervision you probably have a life time hunter on hand.we are losing hunters at such a rate that it will be just a sport for the rich eventually.The next year at the age of eleven , I was potting ducks with a 410,and I still hunt.Now I will not hunt with anyone that shows any carlessness,its not worth it. :beer:


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## swift (Jun 4, 2004)

I just sent my dates in for a South Africa trip with my Wife, Daughter (6) when we go and My son (10) when we go. He will be hunting Kudu and Warthog. He has been hunting pheasants on our place since he was 6 years old. I bought him an over/under 20 gauge and he shot at 10 Roosters this past season and killed 6 of them. I NEVER had one safety issue with him. Most people aren't willing to do the little things right to introduce a young kid to shooting/hunting. The shotgun I bought him was cut down to fit him by a gunsmith. He shot over 1000 rounds of clays through the summer last year. He is NEVER allowed to shoot without an adult with him. So that means I make the time to be there for him to shoot. I also spend money on clays and shotshells. I don't spend money on beer, gambling or "going out". If kids are given the opportunity to learn and excel they will. We don't own a video game and my son often says he doesn't understand his friends that don't want to come over and shoot real guns because they are shooting video game guns. So many dads don't have their kids as their priority, it's sad.


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## Bagman (Oct 17, 2002)

I wonder if that 10 year old who killed his brother on the ND youth pheasant hunt 2 years ago had parents who didnt make them a 'priority' ?? Gimme a break with that _*holier than thou*_ crap. 10 years old (or YOUNGER) is too damn young to be handling firearms in the field...PERIOD.


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## swift (Jun 4, 2004)

Sorry Bagman if you took that post wrong. I NEVER said all 10 year olds are ready. Each person matures at different times. In SD a landowner can hunt his own land without a license. There are many kids under 12 that hunt and do so safely each year. I can also say that every year our Emergency room sees shotgun blasts during pheasant season. Never have I seen a kid as the shooter. Most of the guys that pulled the trigger on their partymembers are in the 40-70 age you know the Dick Cheney age group. The guys with experience. The case in ND was a very unfortunate accident. You cannot say NO 10 year old is ready to hunt with any type of evidence to back it up. There are many states that allow 10 and under kids to hunt without any bump in accidents caused by them. Look at the mentor program in Pennsylvania. No age minimum and a good safe outcome.


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## Bug Guy (Jul 19, 2009)

All it takes is parenting. Age means nothing IMO. My son started at 6 going along in the deer stand. My daughter started walking along on early season pheasant hunts when she was 3. She loves to carry the birds. When she was 3, the hunt lasted about 10 minutes and if we got a bird, she carried it. She already knows about firearms and knows she is not to touch them without me or my wife present. She helps me clean my guns and loves every minute of it. My children know about hunting and shooting and proper gun handling skills and will hunt independantly when I think they are ready. Not when someone else thinks they're ready.


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## Bustem36 (Feb 5, 2008)

Bug Guy said:


> All it takes is parenting. Age means nothing IMO. My son started at 6 going along in the deer stand. My daughter started walking along on early season pheasant hunts when she was 3. She loves to carry the birds. When she was 3, the hunt lasted about 10 minutes and if we got a bird, she carried it. She already knows about firearms and knows she is not to touch them without me or my wife present. She helps me clean my guns and loves every minute of it. My children know about hunting and shooting and proper gun handling skills and will hunt independantly when I think they are ready. Not when someone else thinks they're ready.


Couldn't agree more...that is how I was raised. Parents need to realize when your kid is ready to handle a firearm with supervision and without supervision. There is no secret age I know a lot of "adults" that I would never want to be around when they are handling a gun. My Dad or grandpa or uncle would stop shooting and let a duck or two land to help me line up a shot when I was just starting to shoot ducks. (about 5-6 years old) Id shot countless shots a targets with a shotgun, .22, and BB gun before that. When in the field I could carry my .410 all the time and shells but never loaded it until I was told to and fired only when told to. Teach your kids something and this wouldn't be an issue. If you don't let them learn by the time the are 10 or for heavens sake 16!!!! They are way behind the curve.

If the issue is hunting with a rifle then maybe the parent should sit with them until they are ready. buy the time I was 10 I had a brick of .22 shells in a backback and sent on my way to go shoot rabbits and cans! I think that may be the birthday I got my .308 and not even 2 years later killed my first two game animals with it!


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