It's a laudable goal to want to encourage more youth to take up hunting and stick with the sport later in life. Putting a gun in the hands of a 10-year-old isn't the way to do it.
The state Senate, with a 27-6 vote, last week passed a bill that would lower the minimum hunting age in Wisconsin from 12 to 10. The bill still would have to be approved by the Assembly.
The bill's stated objective is to encourage youth to become hunters and preserve an industry that is good for the economy, environment and our safety. The theory is that the earlier a child can hunt with a gun, the more likely he will be hunter later in life. That may or may not be the case.
Yes, 30 states do not set minimum age requirements. And, yes, Wisconsin is taking a relatively controlled approach to lowering its age requirement. But it doesn't negate the fact that many, or most, 10-year-olds are nowhere near mature enough to have a loaded gun in their hands.
To be fair, the bill passed by the Senate would not send unsupervised packs of 10-year-olds with rifles into the woods. Far from it.
The youth would be required to hunt with a mentor with a hunting license who is at least 18 years old. The mentor and youth would be allowed to possess only one firearm, and the new hunter would have to be within arm's reach of the mentor.
But anyone who has a 10-year-old kid at home or who remembers having or being a 10-year-old knows that they can't be trusted to take out the garbage, let alone practice proper firearms safety. They're just two years removed from legally having to sit in a car seat in Wisconsin. (And for those who remember, there was an unsuccessful attempt two years ago to lower the hunting age to 8.) There is a big difference between kids at age 10 and age 12.
Kids who are 10, or any age for that matter, can be taken on hunts with adults. They have the opportunity to be exposed to the sport, and take an interest in it. They just can't carry a gun. Kids either are going to be introduced to the sport by their parents or guardians or they're not, regardless of whether they can shoot a gun at age 10 or 12. The impact that the lowered age would have on participation later in life is suspect.
Regardless, the paramount issue is safety. And it simply doesn't take much thought to realize that a 10-year-old with a loaded firearm is an tragedy waiting to happen. That tragedy should not be facilitated by state lawmakers. The Assembly should reject the bill passed last week by the Senate.
The state Senate, with a 27-6 vote, last week passed a bill that would lower the minimum hunting age in Wisconsin from 12 to 10. The bill still would have to be approved by the Assembly.
The bill's stated objective is to encourage youth to become hunters and preserve an industry that is good for the economy, environment and our safety. The theory is that the earlier a child can hunt with a gun, the more likely he will be hunter later in life. That may or may not be the case.
Yes, 30 states do not set minimum age requirements. And, yes, Wisconsin is taking a relatively controlled approach to lowering its age requirement. But it doesn't negate the fact that many, or most, 10-year-olds are nowhere near mature enough to have a loaded gun in their hands.
To be fair, the bill passed by the Senate would not send unsupervised packs of 10-year-olds with rifles into the woods. Far from it.
The youth would be required to hunt with a mentor with a hunting license who is at least 18 years old. The mentor and youth would be allowed to possess only one firearm, and the new hunter would have to be within arm's reach of the mentor.
But anyone who has a 10-year-old kid at home or who remembers having or being a 10-year-old knows that they can't be trusted to take out the garbage, let alone practice proper firearms safety. They're just two years removed from legally having to sit in a car seat in Wisconsin. (And for those who remember, there was an unsuccessful attempt two years ago to lower the hunting age to 8.) There is a big difference between kids at age 10 and age 12.
Kids who are 10, or any age for that matter, can be taken on hunts with adults. They have the opportunity to be exposed to the sport, and take an interest in it. They just can't carry a gun. Kids either are going to be introduced to the sport by their parents or guardians or they're not, regardless of whether they can shoot a gun at age 10 or 12. The impact that the lowered age would have on participation later in life is suspect.
Regardless, the paramount issue is safety. And it simply doesn't take much thought to realize that a 10-year-old with a loaded firearm is an tragedy waiting to happen. That tragedy should not be facilitated by state lawmakers. The Assembly should reject the bill passed last week by the Senate.
