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January 29, 2006
Are Child Hunters in the Bag?
Good news for Wisconsin's dwindeling number of deer hunters: There's a push on for fresh, er, blood.
Or as AP explains, "Rep. Scott Gunderson’s proposal would lower the hunting age from 12 to 8. 'It’s important to get kids involved in hunting at a younger age. If they are not engaged in hunting by 12 or 13, they probably won’t be,' said Gunderson, R-Waterford."
Tragically, the article fails to explain why teens who fail to hunt is a problem but does note that some people aren't excited about third-grade hunters, even though "under Gunderson’s bill, parents or guardians could designate an adult mentor who must stay within arm’s length of the 8- to 11-year-old child, and the two must share a weapon." (Sounds kinky and not in a good way.)
"...The idea of a lower hunting age horrifies Joe Slattery, whose 14-year-old son was accidentally shot and killed by a 12-year-old while deer hunting in Marinette County last year. 'This is a child safety issue,' Slattery said. 'Eight-year-olds don’t have the coordination or attention span or physical ability to handle a gun. They are learning cursive writing and some of them believe in Santa Claus.'
"The state Assembly already approved Gunderson’s bill on a 74-19 vote. The measure still needs approval from the state Senate and Gov. Jim Doyle to become law."
Posted by Deborah Branscum at January 29, 2006 09:48 PM